Moon Phase Gurus

[Labs4me]

So... at what time of the day are deer most active during a full lunar eclipse?

[kennym]

Uuuuuuummmmmmmm,yesterday evening was the most sightings this week for me !!LOL

[doeboy]

I usually have 2 or 3 in my yard every night. Last night I had 15!

[Jedimaster]

I'll tell you what works better for me than the moon tables.  Watch the cows, if the cows are up moving the deer are too.  At least this is what the folks in my parts believe and I'll be doggone if it doesn't work alot of times.  The only scientific way that I could figure it works is all animals are affected by things such as moon phase and barometric pressure.

[last arrow]

I think last night was the first we had clear skys on Michigans west coast since before Christmas.  It was nice to see the moon and the eclipse rather than the typical wind driven lake effect we have been having.

[geno]

you are correct young Jedi. I watch the dogs. if they are up so are the deer. I saw lots of deer yesterday all day

[JC]

I'm with Jedi...if you have cows locally in a pasture (not fed at regular intervals from a feed lot), if you see them laying down...I'd do the same. See them active and up and around, sure enough I've seen deer at a greater regularity at those times.

[zwickeyman]

I don't hunt the phase, I hunt the position. Keep note of when the cows are up and feeding and look where the moon is. Straight up or straight down. My 2 cents

[Jedimaster]

It's amazing what the old-timers knew and as a kid I foolishly dismissed them as wives tales.  I went in to a stand a few years ago about 2pm, it was early October and the days were still long and hot.  The cows were all moving in every pasture I passed. Long story short, I blew eight deer out of the creek bottom and two looked like good bucks.  They were all up feeding.  That night a big storm blew in and I believe they knew it was coming.  I got a big fat "I told you so" on that one.  So if the cows are milling around I pay particular attention.

[Bill Turner]

Jeff Murry has a book out entitled "Moonstruck" that addresses this topic. Its a good off season read with good info. I've been using his moon dial for several years. Cabela's has it or you can order direct from Murry's web page.

[pete p]

not to bash all you moon followers (as i was one too), but if youve read any of Charles Alsheimers research from deer and deer hunting or read any of the intensive scientific studies from noted whitetail biologist Dr. James Kroll you will see that conclusive evidence has been obtained showing that the moon has little to nothing to do with deer movement.  this isnt coming from me. i in no way claim to understand every aspect or detail of the whitetail world, nor do i care to....i am a predator and i will hunt whenever i can regardless of moon phase or position.  i just have a hard time with people selling hype that isnt backed with sound scientific evidence. if there is scientific evidence that moon phase/position dictates when an animal will move i want to read it.  Im with Jedimaster...if you want to watch something then watch the cows....maybe i will market a herford dial

[adeeden]

I'm with zwickeyman on this one the position seems to work well for me. At night I constantly watch the moon to see it's location then I add 12 1/2 hours to when it's straight overhead. I have no idea why but this does seem to be active moving times for whitetails anyway.