Which moon phase is it better to hunt deer in?

[Bard1]

If I can hunt during a waxing moon or a waining moon, which is better?  

D-

[longbowben]

I not real beliver in moon phase except during the rut .It could be a full or new moon and be cloudy and the deer will come out of the fields late or go early in the morning to many varables.Wind, rain, heat ,just hunt.I have many p&Y bucks that didnt follow the rules.

[dagwood64]

The best time is whenever you get a chance to go out and Hunt.

[Jerry Jeffer]

I will make the effort to hunt more during the rut moon unless I have the time to hunt every day like last year. Really, any time you can get out, it ought to be done. As stated by longbowben, The big boys don't follow the rules. That's why they are big.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

the only part of the moon phase to hunt is the raising moon... This is the same thing as in fishing....I have seen more deer in shooting hours moving when the moon was raising.


doesn't matter if it is new, full, waxing or wanting moon.

[Widowbender]

Going strictly by the moon, I like the moon high in the sky or no moon at all. Also known as directly overhead or underfoot. On an afternoon hunt, if  I have bluebird sky with the moon up high and high pressure, to me that's a good scenario for seeing game on the move. However I would rank moon phase below other factors such as weather(temperature, high or low pressure, rain, wind speed and direction, etc.)for whether or not game moves or not. Usually If I have time to hunt I go no matter what. My time in the field is limited. Just my 2 cents.

David

[koger]

Well guys, here IN KY, no moon is the best time of the month to hunt morning and evening, like most of us have time to, considering our work schedules. I hunt field edges hard during the first few weeks of bow season, and deer just wont move out of the woods till about an hour after dark if the moon is up. No moon and they will be way out in the fields 45 minutes before dark. If I hunt during the  full moon, I hunt from 9am till 1pm for best deer movement. I swear by this, my wifed didnt believe me, so one day we slept in till 8am, ate, showered and were in our blinds by 9:15. By 10:30 we had two does down less than 100 yds from the 2 blinds. Now nothing works all the time, but around here this is usually spot on 70% of the time. Us and several of our hunting buddies do this and are routinly succesful. Your area may be completly different, we have kept diaries over the years that convinced us to do this. Sam.

[Arwin]

My favorite is a sliver of a cresent that pops out early in the afternoon. My worst luck seems to be a full moon that stays around all morning into early afternoon, but it is good for mid-day. I pay attention to the phases to determin where I will hunt.
 To answer the question, I would say either is good before or after the full moon for morning and evening.

[Bard1]

Thanks for all the feed back.  MY hunt will be in September in Oregon.  I can go at any time pretty much since I am self-employed.  My limited experiances match Koger's for not seeing deer before dark when there is a full moon.  I know about the moon being over head or underfoot for best deer movement, but I am not sure where I can go to predict the moon positions and plan my trip around that.  I also agree that weather is more of a factor then the moon, but September is Oregon's dryest month of the year.  Highs will be in the 80's to low 90's.  The deer will still be in their summer patterns.  So far it sounds like it doesn't really matter if I go in the time leading up to the full moon or after it.
any other ideas?
D-

[Bard1]

mystic what is a "raising" moon?

[eagle24]

You guys hunt at night?  I'd think it would take a full moon to have enough light to shoot.  

[Killdeer]

Dagwood has the whole thing in a ...pita pocket.

Killdeer  

[WidowEater]

ill bet it really doesnt matter, i could probably develop a pattern to when and how i saw deer based on weather or lunar charts if i wanted to but im just going to go with this:  the deer are out when it is light enough to see them

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Sorry moonrise.... or when the moon comes up in the sky.

[b.glass]

What widowbender said!

[Jedimaster]

I have found what works in one area doesn't necessarily work in another.  For instance, I have one place that gets alot of pressure and the deer go mostly nocturnal as soon as hunters hit the woods.  On a full moon or anything close (if the sky is clear and bright) they will move much more at night and sit tight most of the day.  They will move somewhat better during the day if the night is very dark.  Maybe they don't like stirring around in the pitch black???  

Either way there are so many variables to calculate with moon phase that all rules are subject to be broken most of the time.  What I have found to be the single most predictable factor for movement is barometric pressure.  Deer do know when a storm is coming and will usually stir much more just before.  But even that is conjecture and subject to other environmental circumstances.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Bard1, if you are that interested, you can do a search for moon phases on google or what ever you choose. You can get the whole calander year if you like. Phase, time of rise and set etc.

[rg176bnc]

Since Ive moved to the country where I can watch deer everyday I can tell ya the moon dont make a bit of diffrence.

Heres what matters no matter what time of year.  Daytime temp in corralation w/ the condition of the deers coat.  If the nite time temps are warm (50+) up into Sept & Oct the deers coat doesnt change very fast into the winter coat.  Sometimes we get in to the 1-2 week of Oct. Once their coat changes if daytime temp gets above 65 you wont see many deer till right at dark.

Thats the reason you can see deer in 100 degree heat in the middle of the day in the summer. (Sometimes some dandys!) There not wearing a coat. Once that coat changes its a diffrent ball game.  Also ALWAYS HUNT BEFORE A MAJOR FRONT.

As far as the rut goes, hes waited a year hes not gonna wait on the moon.  When shes ready there will be a buck there.  Age structure and age of your herd determines when most deer come into heat.

Sorry for the book, but Ive burned 3 weeks vacation in the woods every November for the last 15 years. Always looking to shave the learning curve for someone.

[jeff / sc]

Taking both weather and the rut out of the mix, I would try to hunt when the moon is directly overhead, particularly when that occurs at sunrise and sunset.

[longarrow]

ALL!!!!!! If it's huntin season, don't matter 'bout the moon!! Being at the right place at the right time, will get you the shot your lookin for!! If you ain't in the woods huntin',, you can't kill nothing but time....PS the TV will be there when you get back!!