What's your opinion on a full moon night? Clear sky no clouds. No wind
Do you think it affects gobbling? More Gobbling or less Gobbling?
No effect at all, I know for myself moving through the woods is a little easier.
Have you noticed anything different with gobbling or is it pretty much the same regardless with either full or non full moon clear sky nights and lit winds?
Honestly never gave it much thought. Little easier sneaking in but a lot easier to get busted. I'll take a heavy fog anytime if I know where I'm going. Gobbling is a day to day thing. Sometimes they do sometimes they don't. Part of the game.
Full moon ... no wind ... relatively warm
My experience is they will gobble sooner
3 days ago in Southern Illinois I heard my 1st gobble of the morning at 5:45
I never gave it much thought until last year on one of my hunts. The moon was full and came up right at sundown/dark under an exceptionally clear sky. I was out roosting gobblers and they lit up right when expected as the light faded. Usually, I would have expected them to stop gobbling around full dark, but they just kept hammering away well after darkness fell. I finally went back to camp with them still gobbling.
The next morning, I got up very early to get to the spot well before first light...and well before the gobblers should start sounding off. The moon was still up, although going down in the western horizon. I parked and opened the door of my truck to be immediately greeted by gobbling in several places in the distance. I remember wondering at the time if they had just kept gobbling at each other all night long.
Admittedly, that is the only time I have noted something like that happening, and it may have just been a coincidence, but I do plan on paying more attention in the future under similar circumstances to see if it happens again.
Quote from: GobbleNut on April 11, 2025, 08:02:33 AMI never gave it much thought until last year on one of my hunts. The moon was full and came up right at sundown/dark under an exceptionally clear sky. I was out roosting gobblers and they lit up right when expected as the light faded. Usually, I would have expected them to stop gobbling around full dark, but they just kept hammering away well after darkness fell. I finally went back to camp with them still gobbling.
The next morning, I got up very early to get to the spot well before first light...and well before the gobblers should start sounding off. The moon was still up, although going down in the western horizon. I parked and opened the door of my truck to be immediately greeted by gobbling in several places in the distance. I remember wondering at the time if they had just kept gobbling at each other all night long.
Admittedly, that is the only time I have noted something like that happening, and it may have just been a coincidence, but I do plan on paying more attention in the future under similar circumstances to see if it happens again.
Wonder if it has to do with light? A buddy of mine is a cop and they sometimes video birds on the ground no less in the middle of night gobbling.
If you also think of songbirds at say a supermarket where lights are on. They sing, fly all night.
I know for sure I'm not a full moon guy cause I go crazy early and like it dark to sneak up close.
Can't remember any pitch black nights where they went off way after dark but def that way many mornings
Great thread, love seeing these thoughts on this. I never noticed any correlation between this, but will start paying attention...
I haven't notice a difference between a full moon night, warm and sunny day or a no moon night and cold and rainy day.
I went stupid early one morning with a bright moon, was bow hunting so was setting up a blind not terribly far from a roost, opened the door and some coyotes went off, the whole damn farm was gobbling 2 hours before normal!
Only time I've ever had that happen though.
Might get in early Saturday just in case?
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I think the moon phase have little to do with how they gobble. I think that it's a rising barometric pressure that really makes them hammer.
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I think they gobble earlier on a full moon. Z
Doesn't seem like they sleep no matter how early I went in to get close they were awake
Quote from: jmart241 on April 11, 2025, 12:41:32 PMDoesn't seem like they sleep no matter how early I went in to get close they were awake
It's your approach. Use no light, walk slow stopping every little bit like a deer. If you break a branch just stop. If you have binos glass trees for the turks. If you see one head up wait til it tucks.
Believe me I had 2 little girls. We'd climb cattle gates with birds sleeping 30 yards away. We'd carry a blind and set up often with 50-60 yards. Sometimes even a bit closer. They never woke up and if so we waited til they tucked and set up fine including rolling out the blind.
Id open it and we pull it over our heads. No zippers. These were 10-13 year olds and a buncha years afterwards.
Try it, it works
The only time it won't is if you're too late and they're up or about up for good
Full moon always funks with hunting/fishing... Usually not in a good way.
I have mixed results with full moons. I've hunted with cold weather full moon morning's with little action, then with warmer weather and had completely different results. I do believe the temperature is a factor.
Another great thread Gregg. I can remember one time, not a full moon, one was going off in the dark. I was thinking he was having a bad dream.. or a good one. lol!
At times I believe they did sound off on the limb earlier. After reading all the comments I'll be paying closer attention as well for sure. I would tend to think the barometric pressure with the combination of night lit sky of the full moon could make them sing all night. All things to consider here for future scouting.
Can't say I've noticed a difference in gobbling .... But I do not prefer a full moon. If you get under a turkey with a full moon you can rest assured he was definitely asleep.... I have seen them bust and take flight from a couple hundred yards away approaching a bird an hour before daylight on a full moon.....more than once . Happened to me last year ... busted him off the limb twice a solid hour before gray light... as I call it. Luckily , I swung way around , made a set up and he still gobbled . It was a clear cut to..... so there's that. I'd rather have to use a redlight than moon light on a turkey . Just my opinion . Personally I'd rather not hunt them at their roost at all.... But if you hunt public much ....and are competing you understand why you have to ....
I will add, I didn't care for the full moon yesterday myself... I feel predator movement is a lot more prevalent on a full moon also... IMO
Quote from: Bowguy on April 11, 2025, 09:23:45 PMQuote from: jmart241 on April 11, 2025, 12:41:32 PMDoesn't seem like they sleep no matter how early I went in to get close they were awake
It's your approach. Use no light, walk slow stopping every little bit like a deer. If you break a branch just stop. If you have binos glass trees for the turks. If you see one head up wait til it tucks.
Believe me I had 2 little girls. We'd climb cattle gates with birds sleeping 30 yards away. We'd carry a blind and set up often with 50-60 yards. Sometimes even a bit closer. They never woke up and if so we waited til they tucked and set up fine including rolling out the blind.
Id open it and we pull it over our heads. No zippers. These were 10-13 year olds and a buncha years afterwards.
Try it, it works
The only time it won't is if you're too late and they're up or about up for good
was super early no light always seem to have their heads up haven't tried getting super close lately on bright moon thanks
Quote from: jmart241 on April 13, 2025, 04:52:44 PMQuote from: Bowguy on April 11, 2025, 09:23:45 PMQuote from: jmart241 on April 11, 2025, 12:41:32 PMDoesn't seem like they sleep no matter how early I went in to get close they were awake
It's your approach. Use no light, walk slow stopping every little bit like a deer. If you break a branch just stop. If you have binos glass trees for the turks. If you see one head up wait til it tucks.
Believe me I had 2 little girls. We'd climb cattle gates with birds sleeping 30 yards away. We'd carry a blind and set up often with 50-60 yards. Sometimes even a bit closer. They never woke up and if so we waited til they tucked and set up fine including rolling out the blind.
Id open it and we pull it over our heads. No zippers. These were 10-13 year olds and a buncha years afterwards.
Try it, it works
The only time it won't is if you're too late and they're up or about up for good
was super early no light always seem to have their heads up haven't tried getting super close lately on bright moon thanks
Buddy early is subjective. Amazes me what some guys think is early. I get to area and set up hours before light cracks. That means I get to farm 45 min to 1hr before that even to allow walk in time. The drive over. 15 mins. 45 mins in house getting ready to leave.
Prob talking about a wake up 4 or more hours before light breaks to accomplish this. I usually go to sleep cause the wait is so long once there but 1:30-1:50 might be the alarm set if daybreak was today's 5:50.
It's hard to do day after day but you'll never get busted. Heck I do the same deer hunting but if youre not making excessive noise it's gotta be the too late. They're prob not staying up all night in the woods you hunt
Something you may want to consider
Hunting a 200 acre property.
No birds gobbled on the roost...
Had a pack of jakes come by, did not react to calling, never gobbled. Thought they were hens, until I put glass on them. Last week they never shut up.
11:00 Am had a bird gobble once about 300 yards away, about 20 minutes after a series of calling (just as I was going to call it a day). Gobbled again at about 100 yards, and again at 50, and came in drumming and spitting.
After packing up, I had three more birds gobble...
I'd prefer no moon over a full moon every day... Full moon messes with every critter, including humans... Cannot complain today though. Only thing I will predict about hunting a full moon, is that it is unpredictable.
Had a full yesterday and the birds never gobbled on the roost... update ... Had one gobble just a little over an hour after daylight .. interesting ...
Well, usually a full moon brings bright, clear days, slow winds, and high pressures... These are all good conditions for gobbling... Soo... Add to that the fact that the moon add clarity and turkeys could also see the moon... I would bet that all of this makes for good gobbling conditions.
Just like Lcmacd 58 noted, hunting in southern Illinois over the weekend with a full moon and heard the first gobble at around the same time, around 5:40-5:45. I think the brighter conditions in the morning causes them to wake up a little sooner than normal. I haven't tracked any data to back that up, but I just might start doing so to see if there's any correlation.
Update, scouted this am in spot where there are 3 Tom's, I heard them last week. Full moon, no gobbles at all. Two other friends in 3 different spots, no gobbles. Definitely affected gobbling today...
Quote from: Greg Massey on April 13, 2025, 05:21:33 AMI will add, I didn't care for the full moon yesterday myself... I feel predator movement is a lot more prevalent on a full moon also... IMO
Quote from: Greg Massey on April 14, 2025, 05:30:02 AMHad a full yesterday and the birds never gobbled on the roost... update ... Had one gobble just a little over an hour after daylight .. interesting ...
I feel like you are correct... Any time predator activity increases (including humans) likely decreases gobbling activity (or hen yelping activity).
Heard a lot more coyote activity, and a lot less turkey activity with the fool moon. Guessing anything that can climb a tree (such as bobcats, mountain lions, or foxes) will be hunting more turkeys than a full moon as well.
I'm betting owls give em heck during a full moon.
IDK if it makes a real difference or not. I do believe anything can effect a turkey gobbling individually. Typically, weather or other ambients to effect a group or area.
Saturday was drizzling rain and fog in and out. When a Jake gobbled before light it caught me off guard. He was early. He sounded mature.
Regardless another turkey gobbled behind me 125. Then another Jake over with his Buddies. Mob
Sunday, full moon. Clear, slight wind, about the same temp. Gobbling didn't start until after the moon had dropped.
I didn't watch the time but would say it was five to ten minutes later than Saturday. I say that because I left the house at the same time. Arrived at the same time. Made the hike the same as always, it's about a half mile. I set quite a bit longer yesterday waiting for a gobble.
And overall, I would say gobbling was better Saturday but the end result was better on Sunday.
I stayed later both days and didn't hear anymore gobbles. Very odd for this property. There were a lot of ambients in play too. I am leaning more towards that than the moon.
Well, of o can see it, means it's clear, so more gobbling.
Quote from: Tom007 on April 14, 2025, 11:20:23 AMUpdate, scouted this am in spot where there are 3 Tom's, I heard them last week. Full moon, no gobbles at all. Two other friends in 3 different spots, no gobbles. Definitely affected gobbling today...
But what was the weather like? Clear day with high pressure or cloudy day with low pressure? Just curious to see
Started clear, got real cloudy.pressure was high, then lowered a bit. Rained by 10:30.