DEER HUNTING AND THE MOON ?

[GOLD HUNTER]

As the moon orbits the earth every 29.5 days, lunar phases are made with changing angles of the earth, the moon, and the sun.

What do you think is the best lunar phase to deer hunt and why ......

New Moon - occurs when the moon is situated between the earth and sun so that the moon's shadow faces earth.

Full Moon - occurs when the earth, moon, and sun are in alignment so that no moon shadow is visible.

First/Third Quarter moons - occur when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with the sun and earth.

Crescent Moon - when moon is less than half illuminated but either growing "waxing" or shrinking "waning" toward a full or new moon.

Gibbous Moon - when moon is more than half illuminated but either growing "waxing"" or shrinking "waning" toward a full or new moon

[HogBiologist]

SOme times the moon dont make a difference.  Others it might.

[Tom Black]

Never been able to tell it makes one bit of difference.  Where ever the food is at is where the does will be, where the does are the bucks will follow.  I think temperature has more to do with deer movement than the moon phase.  Also its far more important to watch the wind and your movement than to fret over what stage the moon is in.  Just my humble opinion and others mileage may vary.
Tom Black
Cantucky

[Spring Creek Calls]

I've been a student of the moon phases and position for the last couple years. It has helped me to be in the woods at the most productive times. I hunt the new moon just about anytime of the day, full moon afternoon only.

[HogBiologist]

yesterday was pretty much the morning after a full moon and I saw over 20 deer from shoting light until 11:00 AM.  They came back out mid afternoon, and came back before dark.  I think pressure has more to do with deer and moon phase than the moon.  THe deer I saw were on a very low pressure lease.

[trkehunr93]

I pay more attention to temps, wind and fronts. 

[turkey slayer]

yesterday was pretty much the morning after a full moon and I saw over 20 deer from shoting light until 11:00 AM.  They came back out mid afternoon, and came back before dark.  I think pressure has more to do with deer and moon phase than the moon.  THe deer I saw were on a very low pressure lease.

[dirt road ninja]

For deer, I'd rather hunt the darker moons. From years of running trail camaras there is more movement on nights with the full moon. I will not take vacation days to hunt on a full moon, but will to hunt the back side of it. Most of the hunting I do is on the weekends, so it really doesn't matter what the moon is ya gotta go to kill one.

[Ranman]

I will hunt anytime I can, but I do try to hunt the major feeding times during all moon phases. The times can be found on a Solunar table. During the rut, hunt anytime, because bucks are chasin does, and they have one thing in mind. We all know what that means, they get stupid, and get shot.
Happy Holidays,
Ranman

[Reloader]

New moon has been the best for me unless during the peak of the rut or just before peak when bucks are pushing does.  Of course, there's always exceptions and that's why I hunt as much as I can regardless of moon phase.  On the whole, as far as deer numbers while on stand, new moon is best for me.

I hunt one area that's loaded with deer and put 3 days in last week on a full moon.  We saw deer either right before dark or late morn and not near the numbers of deer usually seen.  Same deal as past full moon experience.  I went out way before light one morn and the moon was so bright you could see 100yds in the fields.  I saw 3 bucks and a doe well before shooting light.  Had one very good buck at 15yds 20min b4 shooting time.  As luck would have it, nothing else showed from shooting time to 11am. 

When it's a new moon, I usually see more deer. Often early and late, but it's more spread out than full moon hunts. Full moon morning hunts out of the rut can be pretty boring for the most part.

Deer are mostly nocturnal animals, mature deer even more so.  While they can see in the dark, they can see much better with moon light.  When you run a bunch of cams, it's pretty neat to see the times of activity.  About the only time of year I catch mature deer on trails in daylight hours is during the rut.  At other times, day pics of older deer are usually early or late in dim light situations on a new moon or during rain.

[TrackeySauresRex]

  voted full....Under foot...providing the weather as well

[Woodsman4God]

I tend to sit longer during a full moon than a new moon as it seems to me that during the new moon more deer seem to be moving earlier than during a full moon and I seem to see more deer moving form 10-12 after a full moon.

[T-town]

I like the new moon simply because I can get to my stand in the dark