Ive never really understood all the moon hoopla stuff when it comes to hunting. Someone fill me in. Where are we with the current moon phase in aquaintance with the rut? I know its pre rut, but what phase of the pre rut are we in??? This is usually the week I call the october Lull. Deer are moving less this week than other weeks. Fill me in and help me understand it better.

First full moon after the equinox is the harvest moon. The harvest moon was originally named with the farmer's in mind as the full moon gave them enough light to work through the night harvesting their crops. Obviously, this was named long before there were lights on tractors.
Most people refer to the second full moon after the fall equinox as the hunter's moon. Not sure of the origin, but usually falls in the later part of October. This year it actually falls on November 2nd. As you can see this moon cooridnates with colder temp.'s, rut activity, etc... There are some people who believe the moon phase dictates deer movement and hunt religiously by the moon with great success. I am not one of those people.
IMHO: When you have a full moon in the sky, the deer can see better at night. Therefore, they do not have to get up early to make their way to the feeding areas or search for does. Just wait tilll dark as they will still be able to see even better then normal with the moon. Sometimes this can be offset by the colder temp.'s and the deer's search for food. It is rut time, so anytime I get to be in the woods is good, but I usually see more deer with no moon (new moon).

Nov. 9th-16th: If you don't have any other time to be in the woods this archery season, or rifle for that matter in the Northern Zone of NY, be in the woods then, every possible minute. The period just prior to the second new moon after the fall solistice falls then. I could give a rats a$$ what people think about the issue.

All I know is what IIIIIIIIIIIII have experienced and observed in this stage of lunar activity for nearly 30 years. Yes, there will be rut activity prior to this, but that week, it will be NUTS regarding BIG BUCK activity. WORD!!

I don't understand the moon hunting either. I have read up on it and they say full moon is the best time to be in the woods.

From personal experience, I never see deer on full moon days. My thinking is that with a full moon the deer can see and move all night long. So why would they move as much during the day?

I also find that I see the most deer on new moon days. But thats just my experiences I suppose.

If you really read the moon hunting stuff there are so many rules to it and bs that the prime time almost always lands in the approx same spot that end of first week second week in Nov for the north half of the US. I take the first two weeks of Nov off to hunt every year. I think weather effects the deer movement more then the moon.

Some years there is a difference of almost a month. Charles Alscheimer has done extensive studies on this for years and I've found it to be accurate. As with anything, there are variables. The 2nd full moon after the Autumn equinox is the point of reference. The week before is the chasing phase (My favorite bc of most movement), two weeks before is seeking phase (Rubs, Scrapes, etc.), the week after is bedding phase (Boring as the bucks are laying with does and not moving.

I agree that the bright moon encourages nocturnal behavior and changes daytime movement. Also, because the bucks pack on fat for the rut, if it's above 45 deg F then they shut down bc they are too hott.

BTW....I just found this site and LOVE it!

So you're saying that the last week in October should be the primetime to be in the stand this year as the full moon lands on the 2nd of Nov. I really don't buy it. Isn't there some specially events like if that moon lands too late or too early it changes the equation. I don't remember it exactly but I hunt the first two weeks of Nov and see plenty of deer movement if the weather isn't too warm. I will agree with you on the weather portion. But politely disagree on the moon

I sure hope you're right as this hits the middle of my vacation. I agree moon does affect movement but only in the fact that the full moon lessens deer movement. I think this year should be good as the moon is getting darker right around that time of year so we should see more daylight deer movement this year.

Whitbri: You will not be disappointed.

I was wandering about the moon hunting as well and found this site www.moonguide.com

I bought the dvd, book and calendar - i figue i would give it a chance and see what happens.

AuTiger