Do you feel the full moon affects the next morning gobbling? Do you think gobblers are more nervous during that part of the moon phase?
If I could say with certainty what makes a bird gobble I'd be a rich man. So many factors come into play with temperatures, wind, dewpoints, etc. I like a still bright night as day breaks, my experiences are usually good under those kind of conditions. I wouldn't say they are more nervous, if anything with eyes and ears not hindered they are relaxed in a predator sense.
I do keep track of moon phases, opener here is under a full one.
I went in really early to set up under a roosted bird, two hours before any hint of day light, full moon. Got out of the truck and some Coyotes let loose and the whole farm was gobbling!
They hit it like it was first light the whole walk in!
Clear crisp mornings are consistently the best gobbling!
I think the barometric pressure has alot to do with gobbling more so than moon phases. When there is a spike of high pressure moves in, it seems to get them to gobble more.
Just my opinion
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Interesting post. One thing for sure, Full moon lights up our walk in to set up, especially if you hunt farms, power lines, open areas. I'll bet they can see movement during the full moon better, thus probably effecting gobbling....just my thoughts...
Don't know about gobbling but they can sure see better.
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I have never noticed a correlation between gobbling activity and moon phase, but then again, I also haven't really noticed any correlation between my turkey calling and a gobbler showing up. ;D I have noticed that on those full-moon mornings, I tend to not fall down as much when I am heading towards a roosted gobbler in the dark. Not sure what it is, but there has got to be something there... :)
Being the deep thinker I am, after many decades of doing this I don't know any more today than I did fifty years ago in terms of what makes a turkey decide to gobble on a particular day and not on another one that seems to be identical to me. I just stumble into the woods in the dark every morning hoping that this will be the morning they choose to gobble. :D
A few years ago, however, I did notice that on two consecutive mornings in which the conditions seemed to be identical to me, the turkeys gobbled like crazy on the first and the woods were (almost) dead silent on the next. I'm not talking about an area with just a couple of gobblers here either. The first morning there were at least a dozen birds whoopin' it up for close to an hour at daybreak. The next morning I heard two distant gobbles in the same spot!
Now, I would have attributed some of that to the awareness of the birds to hunter disruption, but as far as I could tell, I was the only hunter in the area and I had only hunted a couple of the gobblers on the edge of the entire area. Something else was involved, but I have no idea what it might have been.
The one firm conclusion I have come to is that the synapses in my brain fire about as often as my shotgun does when I am turkey hunting... :angel9:
When the moon is full it is most often clear skies. Clear skies often correlate with high barometric pressure. High pressure = more gobbles.
Here's a thought based on zero scientific evidence, merely conjecture and creative thinking. Maybe they gobble more because, as others have mentioned, with more light, they are more "awake" and revved up to mate. It's an earlier anticipation than a normal morning and probably drives them a little crazy. Sorta like how we get hungry when see or smell something good cooking on the stove.
Quote from: ferocious calls on March 19, 2022, 09:14:14 AM
When the moon is full it is most often clear skies. Clear skies often correlate with high barometric pressure. High pressure = more gobbles.
I will also add that when the moon is full and there ARE cloudy skies, and then the moon comes out from behind the clouds,...well, you know the story...that is a good time to stay out of the woods altogether... ;D :angel9:
Quote from: Dtrkyman on March 18, 2022, 11:24:58 PM
Clear crisp mornings are consistently the best gobbling!
Quote from: turkeymanjim on March 18, 2022, 11:32:18 PM
I think the barometric pressure has alot to do with gobbling more so than moon phases. When there is a spike of high pressure moves in, it seems to get them to gobble more.
I agree on both statements. I've also noticed that on some mornings that the weather is right, and I expect extreme gobbling, there isn't much. Conversely, on some humid and warm mornings when I expect to hear very little gobbling, the toms tear it up. ??? Who knows?
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Quote from: GobbleNut on March 19, 2022, 11:02:03 AM
Quote from: ferocious calls on March 19, 2022, 09:14:14 AM
When the moon is full it is most often clear skies. Clear skies often correlate with high barometric pressure. High pressure = more gobbles.
I will also add that when the moon is full and there ARE cloudy skies, and then the moon comes out from behind the clouds,...well, you know the story...that is a good time to stay out of the woods altogether... ;D :angel9:
Ahwhoooo....I will keep you're recommendation in mind!
Quote from: GobbleNut on March 19, 2022, 11:02:03 AM
Quote from: ferocious calls on March 19, 2022, 09:14:14 AM
When the moon is full it is most often clear skies. Clear skies often correlate with high barometric pressure. High pressure = more gobbles.
I will also add that when the moon is full and there ARE cloudy skies, and then the moon comes out from behind the clouds,...well, you know the story...that is a good time to stay out of the woods altogether... ;D :angel9:
NOW stop scaring the children ... :TooFunny:
Had one gobbling his head off before shoot time as a full moon was setting.
Just like me, I'm sure they see better and more shadows with a full moon??
Strictly a guess but I'm betting a gobbler that roost within sight/sound of hens doesn't gobble much. What would be the point? We had a full moon this morning. Some roost gobbling then quiet after flydown. Always a best guess wait and see. :turkey2:
As mentioned went this morning under full Moon. 30 minutes after first light I see a Tom & hen fly down across the field from me, 150 yds+. Did some cluck and some purrs, 15 minutes later a yelp, little later more clucks & purrs. Never heard a sound from anything.
Warm & very humid, did that shut them down? Did they see me walk in (I think so). Tom had a hen, maybe more I didn't see, no need for him to respond?
Had a hen stroll by later in the day. No sound at all.....just cruising along and no response to my noises.
Full moon didn't help on this morning.
I love to hunt a full moon, it you need to go early; them boogers can and will see you.
I've heard on a few occasions during spring, gobblers sounding off on a Full moon night, I'm talking about 2 hours after fly up, and a couple hours before the very first hint of light. One of my most memorable hunts was a number of years ago, I got off work at midnight, drove about 3 hours to my hunting location, walked in early to take a couple hour nap before gobbling time. I just got to a point of a ridge, stopped, sat down and layed my head against a big oak and heard a gobble. It was 2 hours before daylight, it took me awhile to get to him using just the moon's light to set up. He came in shortly after fly down.
Gobbled decently well this morning for where we are in the cycle.
Quote from: falltoms on March 20, 2022, 04:12:09 PM
I've heard on a few occasions during spring, gobblers sounding off on a Full moon night, I'm talking about 2 hours after fly up, and a couple hours before the very first hint of light. One of my most memorable hunts was a number of years ago, I got off work at midnight, drove about 3 hours to my hunting location, walked in early to take a couple hour nap before gobbling time. I just got to a point of a ridge, stopped, sat down and layed my head against a big oak and heard a gobble. It was 2 hours before daylight, it took me awhile to get to him using just the moon's light to set up. He came in shortly after fly down.
About 20 years ago my boss put me in charge of putting him and his son's on turkeys for the week they drew tags.
I showed up at the parking area about 4:30am to meet them. It was a moonless night. Surprised the heck outta me when I got out of the truck and heard turkeys gobbling everywhere. The only thing I could come up with was the Mississippi river was well out of it's banks. Near record flood type stuff. They turkeys that usually hang along the river got pushed into the bluffs. All the new competition had them all riled up. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.
With my documentation I can not say turkeys gobble less on a full moon. Other circumstances may contribute to turkeys not gobbling well in a full moon night.
I can say, "Better be early when it's right".
You've got to think that thing is like pointing a spotlight in their face all night
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I don't, I have windows on three sides of my bedroom. I sleep just fine on a full moon night. Doesn't bother me at work the next day either.
Maybe turkeys don't sleep as well as me..