Moon phases and the rut
08-06-2017, 09:09 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Martin, TN
Posts: 854
Moon phases and the rut
Do you guys believe the moon phase affects the rut? Specifically, that the full moon is what triggers the does to go into estrous?
I'll admit to avidly reading the Deer and Deer Hunting magazine's annual rut prediction articles by Charles Alsheimer and Wayne Laroche. Maybe it's just confirmation bias on my part, but it seems to me like their predictions for what types of deer movement you'll see and on what days seems to be pretty accurate.
What are your thoughts?
I'll admit to avidly reading the Deer and Deer Hunting magazine's annual rut prediction articles by Charles Alsheimer and Wayne Laroche. Maybe it's just confirmation bias on my part, but it seems to me like their predictions for what types of deer movement you'll see and on what days seems to be pretty accurate.
What are your thoughts?
08-07-2017, 04:20 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Central VT/Big Horn WY
Posts: 1,543
No I don't believe. The rut still occurs approximately the same time every year. I do believe weather can have an effect of daylight activity based on warmer temps, heavy rain or snow, etc.
08-14-2017, 10:02 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: MS
Posts: 343
I've read somewhere that the amount of light in a day has an effect on it, but who knows? I'd have to agree with Rob, the rut occurs at the same time here as well. Give or take a few days. I think the weather has some factor to it. Last year was a very warm season here and stalled the rut a little. It was very depressing... 
08-14-2017, 10:24 AM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,430
Actually Brushpines, it is the amount of daylight that triggers the rut in deer. It is the diminishing ratio of daylight to darkness that affects the pituitary gland which releases a hormone that starts the ball rolling. The moon or temperature has nothing to do with it unless deer think it is romantic. 
08-14-2017, 10:31 AM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: MS
Posts: 343
Actually Brushpines, it is the amount of daylight that triggers the rut in deer. It is the diminishing ratio of daylight to darkness that affects the pituitary gland which releases a hormone that starts the ball rolling. The moon or temperature has nothing to do with it unless deer think it is romantic.
08-14-2017, 11:25 AM
#8
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,430
There is no "no matter what". When the correct ratio of light to darkness is reached and the pituitary gland releases the hormone the rut starts. It may be close to those dates, where he is, North America is a big place and the trigger isn't the date.
08-14-2017, 12:26 PM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: central wi
Posts: 629
It is in those dates where he resides Central Wi What he is saying is it does not matter moon phases or anything else even reasonable temp fluctuations he says if it is quite warm they mate at night more than usual
08-14-2017, 12:52 PM
#10
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,430
I will try again for the last time. What matters is not the moon as you have noted or the temperature. What matters is the amount of daylight compared to the amount of darkness that triggers the rut. The temp doesn't matter, it is the contrast between daylight and darkness that matters. It could be cold, so long as the daylight darkness ration is right, the pituitary will send out the hormone to start the rut.