horntagger

Pre-rut starts from the second full moon from the fall equinox and last for about 8 days with the Main Rut starting at the last quarter moon phase and lasting 7 more days to the New Moon with the Post Rut lasting for 7 more days during the New Moon.

Definitions:

Pre-rut = (Seeking/Rubbing/Scraping) Bucks chasing Does.
Rut = (Chasing/Tending) Bucks Tending Does
Post-Rut = (Breeding) Bucks Searching for Does

DEER ACTIVITY INDEX
Deer Season FY 2004

Daytime Movement Only

Based from 460 Daylight Deer Sightings
in Missouri of
100% Free Ranging Whitetail Deer

New Moon –Full Moon –First Quarter –Last Quarter

MEDIUM-----LOW-------HIGHEST------HIGH

16% ------ 14% ------- 40% ------ 30%



9/14/2004 MEDIUM NEW 16%
9/15/2004 MEDIUM NEW 19% Bow Season
9/16/2004 MEDIUM NEW 23%
9/17/2004 MEDIUM NEW 26%
9/18/2004 MEDIUM NEW 30% SAT
9/19/2004 MEDIUM NEW 33% SUN
9/20/2004 MEDIUM NEW 37%
9/21/2004 HIGHEST FIRST 40%
9/22/2004 HIGHEST FIRST 36% Fall Equinox
9/23/2004 HIGHEST FIRST 33%
9/24/2004 HIGHEST FIRST 29%
9/25/2004 HIGHEST FIRST 25% SAT
9/26/2004 HIGHEST FIRST 21% SUN
9/27/2004 HIGHEST FIRST 18%
9/28/2004 LOW FULL 14%
9/29/2004 LOW FULL 16%
9/30/2004 LOW FULL 18%
10/1/2004 LOW FULL 20%
10/2/2004 LOW FULL 22% SAT
10/3/2004 LOW FULL 24% SUN
10/4/2004 LOW FULL 26%
10/5/2004 LOW FULL 28%
10/6/2004 HIGH LAST 30%
10/7/2004 HIGH LAST 28%
10/8/2004 HIGH LAST 27%
10/9/2004 HIGH LAST 25% SAT
10/10/2004HIGH LAST 23% SUN
10/11/2004HIGH LAST 21%
10/12/2004HIGH LAST 20%
10/13/2004HIGH LAST 18%
10/14/2004MEDIUM NEW 16%
10/15/2004MEDIUM NEW 20%
10/16/2004MEDIUM NEW 24% SAT
10/17/2004MEDIUM NEW 28% SUN
10/18/2004MEDIUM NEW 32%
10/19/2004MEDIUM NEW 36%
10/20/2004HIGHEST FIRST 40% False Rut Underway, Open Mock Scrapes, Don't forget overhaning limbs
10/21/2004HIGHEST FIRST 37%
10/22/2004HIGHEST FIRST 34%
10/23/2004HIGHEST FIRST 30% SAT
10/24/2004HIGHEST FIRST 27% SUN
10/25/2004HIGHEST FIRST 24%
10/26/2004HIGHEST FIRST 21%
10/27/2004HIGHEST FIRST 17%
10/28/2004LOW FULL 14% NOTE SECOND FULL MOON - PRE RUT STARTS
10/29/2004LOW FULL 16%
10/30/2004LOW FULL 18% SAT
10/31/2004LOW FULL 20% SUN DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS - Move Clocks back
11/1/2004 LOW FULL 22%
11/2/2004 LOW FULL 24%
11/3/2004 LOW FULL 26%
11/4/2004 LOW FULL 28%
11/5/2004 HIGH LAST 30% RUT STARTS
11/6/2004 HIGH LAST 28% SAT
11/7/2004 HIGH LAST 26% SUN
11/8/2004 HIGH LAST 24%
11/9/2004 HIGH LAST 22%
11/10/2004HIGH LAST 20%
11/11/2004HIGH LAST 18%
11/12/2004MEDIUM NEW 16% POST RUT STARTS
11/13/2004MEDIUM NEW 19% SAT
11/14/2004MEDIUM NEW 23% SUN
11/15/2004MEDIUM NEW 26%
11/16/2004MEDIUM NEW 30%
11/17/2004MEDIUM NEW 33%
11/18/2004MEDIUM NEW 37%
11/19/2004HIGHEST FIRST 40%
11/20/2004HIGHEST FIRST 36% SAT
11/21/2004HIGHEST FIRST 33% SUN
11/22/2004HIGHEST FIRST 29%
11/23/2004HIGHEST FIRST 25%
11/24/2004HIGHEST FIRST 21%
11/25/2004HIGHEST FIRST 18%
11/26/2004LOW FULL 14%
11/27/2004LOW FULL 16% SAT
11/28/2004LOW FULL 18% SUN
11/29/2004LOW FULL 19%
11/30/2004LOW FULL 21%
12/1/2004 LOW FULL 23%
12/2/2004 LOW FULL 25%
12/3/2004 LOW FULL 26%
12/4/2004 LOW FULL 28% SAT
12/5/2004 HIGH LAST 30% SUN SECOND RUT STARTS
12/6/2004 HIGH LAST 28%
12/7/2004 HIGH LAST 26%
12/8/2004 HIGH LAST 24%
12/9/2004 HIGH LAST 22%
12/10/2004HIGH LAST 20%
12/11/2004HIGH LAST 18% SAT
12/12/2004MEDIUM NEW 16% SUN
12/13/2004MEDIUM NEW 20%
12/14/2004MEDIUM NEW 24%
12/15/2004MEDIUM NEW 28%
12/16/2004MEDIUM NEW 32%
12/17/2004MEDIUM NEW 36%
12/18/2004HIGHEST FIRST 40% SAT
12/19/2004HIGHEST FIRST 37% SUN
12/20/2004HIGHEST FIRST 34%
12/21/2004HIGHEST FIRST 30%
12/22/2004HIGHEST FIRST 27%
12/23/2004HIGHEST FIRST 24%
12/24/2004HIGHEST FIRST 21%
12/25/2004HIGHEST FIRST 17% SAT
12/26/2004LOW FULL 14% SUN
12/27/2004LOW FULL 16%
12/28/2004LOW FULL 18%
12/29/2004LOW FULL 20%
12/30/2004LOW FULL 22%
12/31/2004LOW FULL 24%
1/1/2005 LOW FULL 26% SAT
1/2/2005 LOW FULL 28% SUN
1/3/2005 HIGH LAST 30% THIRD RUT STARTS
1/4/2005 HIGH LAST 28%
1/5/2005 HIGH LAST 26%
1/6/2005 HIGH LAST 24%
1/7/2005 HIGH LAST 22%
1/8/2005 HIGH LAST 20% SAT
1/9/2005 HIGH LAST 18% SUN
1/10/2005 MEDIUM NEW 16%
1/11/2005 MEDIUM NEW 19%
1/12/2005 MEDIUM NEW 23%
1/13/2005 MEDIUM NEW 26%
1/14/2005 MEDIUM NEW 30%
1/15/2005 MEDIUM NEW 33% SAT
1/16/2005 MEDIUM NEW 37% SUN
1/17/2005 HIGHEST FIRST 40%

horntagger

Total AM DEER - 292 - Dawn to Noon 66%

Total PM DEER - 168 - Noon to Dark 34%

horntagger

This what you wanted CLOUD 9, MN

Shootem up870

hey horntagger thanks for the rut info. copied it down and printed it out for the season.

horntagger

If you have last year info of your hunts here is last years info.

http://www.mosportsmen.com/hunting/deer/moon2003.htm

Shootem up870

i didnt find this site until about december of 03. so sadly enough i didnt get any of your information from last year. i will have to see if your predictions are close to what i see in the field this season. it cant hurt thats for sure. thanks again.

CLOUD 9, MN

Thanks again horntagger!

Good Luck!

horntagger

Let me know how it works for you shootem up870

TURKEY FAN

Can u explain to me what all that means? I understand somewhat i just need a general overview, thanks horntagger

horntagger

The best Summary is if you look at the first and last quarter moon represent 70% of the activity.

Based from Daylight Deer Sightings in Missouri of 100% Free Ranging Whitetail Deer

NEW MOON – FULL MOON – FIRST QUARTER – LAST QUARTER

Deer Season FY 2000 – 100 Whitetails ------17% -----19% ------ 29% ----- 35%
Deer Season FY 2001 – 188 Whitetails ------14% ---- 16% ----- 33% ----- 37%
Deer Season FY 2002 – 274 Whitetails ------14% ---- 19% ----- 33% ----- 34%
Deer Season FY 2003 – 317 Whitetails ------13% ---- 17% ------ 35% ----- 35%
Deer Season FY 2004 – 460 Whitetails ------16% ---- 14% ------ 40% ----- 30%

Little change this year have used a % scale up or down highest being 40% and lowest being 14%. This will account for the phase light and dark of the moon. But is still broken down in brackets of Highest Days to Low Days but the % may be on the rise on fall during that phase.


Deer activity index is affected by the moon, location, weather (temperature, rain, etc) and hunting pressure which affects it the most. All this must be taken into account when using the following index.

My index is based off ten years of personal observation records and 6 years of photo’s from surveillance camera and other resources.

Before you go, no matter what the activity of Deer are, when you get a chance to hunt is still better than the chance you have sitting in the house. Plus the fact some of us only get to hunt the weekends. Good Luck.

Another interesting fact is that as of 2002.
Whitetail deer or (67%) moved during the nighttime hours.

Whitetail deer or (33%) moved during the daylight hours. (Which is represented by the 317 deer as of 2002.) Have not had time to update night time yet.

But that night time changes to 80 to 90 percent during rifle season.

Plus another thing is hunters that jump deer bedded do not count.

Also camtrakker photo's are also included.

You can also look at the link and go to the MOON FACTS link. That will explain thing also.

But, if you have any other question be glad to answer.