The Moon - What do we know?

I hunted as this last storm front came in and as it moved out. Normally this is good activity times. I saw nothing. I really thought it would help as the cloud cover might have covered the moon a bit and reduced how much of a factor it was. It was still slow. I don't know. I won't call anyone to the thread, but there is a fella on this site that made some excellent points to me last season via text. He is the one that got me thinking more about how high or low in the sky the moon was when I was walking in in the mornings. Maybe he will have time to chime in on it. I don't know. I felt he was really onto something I had never considered though.

RedCloud said:

Could you expand on this some for us Brock. Just wondering what you have noticed over the years.

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I used to pick my vacation week by looking at the moon rise and set tables. The moon rises and then sets just under an hour later each day. In other words if the moon rise is at 7 pm on halloween, it will be rising at 7 am on Nov 12th (actually won't be a full 12 hours in 12 days but close). I would look at the moon rise charts and pick my vacation week by when the moon would be overhead with daylight hours. The phase, (full, new, 1/4 crescent) does not matter as much as having it over-head when the sun is up. If you have a moonrise around 3pm or later on a given day, it is likely going to be an awesome evening hunt. I used to hunt with a fella that would ask what time he'd start seeing deer and never did figure out why I would say about an hour later each day. The guys I worked with eventually started scheduling their vacations around my suggestions...sometimes that would be the third week of November, sometimes the first. It doesn't tell you when you will see the best rutting action, but it tells you when you will see the most deer activity given favorable weather patterns. Basically, if your time is limited and you have a choice of only one week, pick the week when the moon is up during daylight hours...

On full moons deer stay up all night and party. By daybreak they are sleeping. I do see some movement around 10 am as some deer arise and stretch their legs.

When I see a full moon I sleep in and hunt from 8 until noon. Most activity is later in the morning but minimal. Evening hunts are best for me during full moon phase.

I'm not a fan of hunting full moon phases, my sightings go way down.

I will step out on a limb here and say that November 13th is going to be awesome. The moon will rise at 6:53 am and set at 17:09. Likely the best day of bowseason. Feel free to mark it down, and we'll see how that day pans out given favorable weather in this area.

I'll go back and check what phase the moon is. I don't think it matters nearly as much as the time.

brock ratcliff said:

I will step out on a limb here and say that November 13th is going to be awesome. The moon will rise at 6:53 am and set at 17:09. Likely the best day of bowseason.

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Ok Brock, my calander is marked. I hope to make it out that day.

For those of you that get excited about the phase of the moon, you'll want to get out there on the 13th too.... Its a New Moon!

Here is an app for you Android users.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.baddaddy.time2hunt

Ive still got alot to learn but have been paying alot of attention to the moon over the past few years. The moon is one of many factors that play into deer movement. Knowing when the moon is overhead or underfoot and at what times it peaks are prime for deer movement. Obviously other factors such as weather, time of year, and hunting pressure will play a part. The moon phase has taught me where to hunt vs just going to sit im my favorite stand for the night. If theres a bad moon phase and the moons not going to be overhead or underfoot the chances of seeing a good one without being right on top of their bedding isnt very likely. This weekend is a prime example..... good deer will die! Cold front pushing thru in the midwest and the moontimes for friday are 5:11pm means hunt transition areas, Saturdays moon time is 5:59pm and they suggest transition hunts for the am and food source hunts for the pm, sunday has a morning transit moon at 6:25am and a set moon @ 6:50 suggesting a transition hunt in the am and food source in the pm. If you have a particular buck your after I almost alway set transtion areas rather than open food bc its usually later when he'll get there. My open food source sits are usually observation sits to locate which way the buck is bedding on particular winds if im uncertain about him. This weekend im stuck on duty so I wish everyone luck, should be able to get out sunday evening.... may just have a slight cough and need to leave early that morning TOO lol!!!

I've never really hunted by the moon except for timing my rut vacations, in which I go by Alsheimer's research. And I can say that, IMO, he's usually very accurate in his predictions.

Now, this other stuff... the rise and setting of the moon... this really interests me. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this thread. And I'll definitely be paying attention to deer activity in regards to daylight moonrise this year.

That's awesome info Brock. Just so happens I have a week off starting Nov. 9th -16th lol. I will be looking at the lunar rise/set table a little closer and going back on my trail cam picks and see if there is anything that matches up with the better bucks moving. Thanks again for the info Brock.

We've all had those rare days in the field where deer seem to come from everywhere, even seeing them on the drive home for lunch and the way back to the stand. Rare days indeed. But if we have decent weather, I think we will have that day on November 13 this year. I guess if I'm wrong, I'll just go hunting on the 14th, 15th, 16th... etc.

In 2010, I captured 3 pics in series of this buck... It was the only time all season I got him on camera during daylight hours.



Moonrise on 11/2/10 - 02:41
Moonset on 11/2/10 - 14:59

Coincidence??? Possibly. But, I was in Morgan Co hunting WNF that week in 2010, and looking back at my notes I noticed that I had shot opportunities at almost 30 deer during daylight hours that week...

ill be doing my own research now thanks guys

Brock, according to one of the apps that I have. It is calling 11-13 to be a deer heavy day.
I have also tried to figure out the moon for hunting but, always end up with my head hurting. I do believe in it but always come back to I have to hunt when I can. A few years ago I thought I had a certain property figured out by moon , then it all changed. Keep trying I guess.

JOHNROHIO said:

Brock, according to one of the apps that I have. It is calling 11-13 to be a deer heavy day.
I have also tried to figure out the moon for hunting but, always end up with my head hurting. I do believe in it but always come back to I have to hunt when I can. A few years ago I thought I had a certain property figured out by moon , then it all changed. Keep trying I guess.

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That's interesting. I don't have any apps, or the late, great Jeff Murray's moon guide. US naval observatory has all the information I need... These days I can hunt about whenever I want, and I do because heck you just never know what will or will not happen. However, if I were still only able to take a week or so off, I'd do it according to the week that held the most days with the moon above the horizon during daylight hours.

JBrown said:

In 2010, I captured 3 pics in series of this buck... It was the only time all season I got him on camera during daylight hours.

Moonrise on 11/2/10 - 02:41
Moonset on 11/2/10 - 14:59

Coincidence??? Possibly. But, I was in Morgan Co hunting WNF that week in 2010, and looking back at my notes I noticed that I had shot opportunities at almost 30 deer during daylight hours that week...

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Wow, very interesting. Compound the moon phase with the rut kicking in on Nov 2 and that is the recipe for some killing!

OK, so when is the prime time in November? If it is Oct 11-13 as John R said, would it be Nov 6-8 or something? Let's figure out those 3 or 4 magical days to take off here.

11-13 = november 13.

cotty16 said:

Wow, very interesting. Compound the moon phase with the rut kicking in on Nov 2 and that is the recipe for some killing!

OK, so when is the prime time in November? If it is Oct 11-13 as John R said, would it be Nov 6-8 or something? Let's figure out those 3 or 4 magical days to take off here.

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JohnR and Brock are saying Nov. 13th....11-13

I think an approaching front trumps everything. Conversely, adverse weather can shut it down to a minimum. Like Jesse, I've heard the Drury's say this as well, and honestly they are one of the few that seem to have it nailed down. Most folks mistakenly (imo) watch the phases, however, if you have a FULL moon rising at 2 pm, you are a fool if you aren't in a tree that evening...and for the next couple of days as it will be coming up before the sun is going down.

RedCloud said:

JohnR and Brock are saying Nov. 13th....11-13

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I DEMAND that they change that date to somewhere between November 2 -11!!!! :tantrum: :tantrum: :tantrum: