Ok where do i start. Much of what has been said so far in this thread is accurate pertaining to the moon. The second full moon after the autumnal equinox is what we are talking about here, it is also called the rutting moon or hunters moon. It does fall on Nov 2 this year. The amount of light gathered in the does eye at this time is what triggers her estrous cycle to begin. Also known as photoperiodism. The 3-4 days before this full moon and 6-9 days after are when you should see a big increase first in seeking and then onto the chase phase. These are the two phases that we as hunters usually just label as the "rut". Although the actual breeding and post phases are still to come. All four phases make up the rut. Anyways, whats been said about lack of deer movement during this full moon is not completely accurate. Daytime activity during this time usually tends to be during the 10am-2pm hrs at this time. Most guys are not in the woods at this time so they dont see it, therefore figure it doesnt happen. Just like when guys say the rut didnt happen this year- thats not true, you just didnt see it for some reason. There are several factors tho that affect deer movement during this time. Warm temps, high hunting pressure etc can make rutting activity seem non existent. This is when deer movement at night really takes place. Cooler temps and no pressure allow the deer to get up and go about there business. Come daybreak they are usually back in their beds. If cooler temps are present deer WILL get back up late morning and go on a tear late morning -mid day. Ive seen it time after time. You have to have the right cool temp. conditions and minimal pressure tho to witness it. For those of you who think that temperature or weather triggers the rut you are WRONG. Temperature/weather just plays a part in how much of it you see. The date the rutting/hunters moon falls each year does very but usually it tends to fall in late Oct.-mid Nov.-i stress usually. This is why people generalize the "rut" always falls on such and such day/week. I take my vacay the four days before and 8-10 days after the hunters moon every year now for the past 8-9 yrs. I do hunt all other times as well just not all day like these days. During this time i have taken all but one of my biggest (mounters) deer. Coincidence? I dont think so.. I would highly reccomend reading Charlie Alsheimers book Hunting Whitetails by the Moon before you just form an oppinion that the moon/rut correlations are a bunch of BS. I think you might be really surprised. My hunting success/sightings skyrocketed when i started hunting by the moon.

If Im taking vacations days. I want a good moon phase. So many others factors contribute to success such as weather, but I used this guide for years. Buddy says his deer herd is up on A days with this guide. Works for me.

No problem....All we can do is go by what we see and experience. That is what makes figuring these creatures out so much fun! At the very least they have to eat and sleep so figuring those patterns can be helpfull to a deer hunter. Here is a link to an article by Charles Alsheimer. He's been studying the effect of the Lunar Cycle on whitetail for years. Not saying it's true...But with the weather under 45 deg. it's been consistant for me.

http://charliealsheimer.com/ca/articles/touched.html

After reading, it appears I was a week off. The seeking phase starts a couple days before the rutting moon which would put the chasing phase the week after....my bad

"When the second full moon after the autumnal equinox falls between late October and November 12th, the seeking phase of the rut will start approximately three to four days before the full moon and run three to four days after it. The chasing phase will kick in a couple days after the full moon and be intense for about ten days following the full moon. The breeding phase will begin about seven days after the full moon and last about fourteen days thereafter if the herd is fine-tuned (meaning it has good nutrition, good habitat, a good sex ratio, and a well represented mature buck population). Note that the phases will overlap somewhat.
When the second full moon after the autumnal equinox occurs November 13th or later, the seeking phase will begin approximately three days before the full moon. However, the chasing phase will begin a little earlier than normal, and the breeding phase will occur from the full moon to fourteen days thereafter in fine-tuned herds. So, when the rutting moon appears late, the breeding phase takes place a little sooner than when it appears in early November. "____________________Charles Alsheimer from his article "Touched by Light".

From my own experience, I am a moon believer. Last year, during the rutting moon, I saw a definite increase in daytime activity in that 10-2 range. Lots of movement right at first light, then VERy quiet between 7-10, then real good in the mid-day, then quite in the late afternnon.

I've read the article and know the info in it. I use to try to follow it until I had a couple years it didn't hold true for here, it was one of the years with an early hunter moon so I took my vacation earlier than normal the last few days in Oct and first few in Nov., normal average weather, I saw deer even saw some rut activity, but didn't kill, my father took his vacation at the normal second week of Nov and had stories of a lot more deer activity and more rut activity. Same experience with the late hunter moon in years past I missed the action by a week. I guess bottom line is regardless if we disagree or agree on what's causing the rut to happen we'll both be in the treestands at the same most years and see great activity, I just have not seen where Alsheimers therory is hard fact when the moon is early or late, This means he is seen to be right most years, but not all in my mind.

Those oddball years only happen once in every 5-6 yrs or so. The problem is there hasnt been enough of them to form concrete facts when there simply hasnt been enough of those years to collect info/data from. From what ive read it seems in these oddball years with an early or late rutting moon the does cycle tend to trip off of the previous or next moon. As you said tho there is no concrete facts regarding these years. The normal years seem to be spot on imo.

Mother nature at work I guess. A question that may never get answered with concrete facts. As with most things in hunting if you have faith in it that's half the battle.

OVER RATED!!!! I hardly see crap during any full moon, give me a new moon anyday of the week.

I believe it's triggered by the photoperiod....decrease in daylight . It happens every year around the same time, give or take a few days. Even some biologist think it's 80% photoperiod,,,10% weather, and 10% moon phase...nobody really knows, I just know to be in the woods as much as possible here in Illinois from Oct 20th'ish to the end of November.