2008 Moon Phase and the Rut

[Ole]

As near as I can tell the most active seeking/chasing time for the rut this year is between November 13th and 23rd...correct? I'm going from Charles Alsheimer's calculations, which I think I followed properly. He stated that the seven to ten days after the second full moon following the autumnal equinox is the time he would recommend trying your hardest to be in the woods. I understand completely that his calculations are just a guide, but here's how I arrived at that date:
 
 
Last full moon prior to the autumnal equinox: September 15th
Autumnal equinox: September 22nd
First full moon after the autumnal equinox: October 14th
Second full moon after the autumnal equinox: November 13th
 
 
Does this make sense to anyone? Agree? Disagree? Recommendations?
 
Thanks!

[shaman]

You've got the calculations right.

However, be very wary of betting too much on those dates.  Yes, it's a good time to be in the woods, but so is the 14 days to either side of it. 

As an example, November 8 is the start of the Kentucky Modern Weapons Season.  Will I eschew Opening Weekend and wait for the next week?  Heck no.  I plan on hunting the Opener, and if I'm not back at work, I plan on hunting the whole next two weeks.

Local conditions can also effect the outcome.  For instance, if it rains for weeks beforehand, it will skew the amount of light hitting the does' pineal glands and throw off the timing.  Hunting pressure can make them all go take a powder.  A failed mast crop can make them all scarce. You never know.

The best plan is to get as much time in the field as possible. I've got 26 years under my belt. Since I'm off work for a while, I' ve got a bunch of time to kill.  I went back and tried to correlate my deer hunting with various predictions, including the lunar cycle you mentioned.  Zip. Nada.  I've bagged big deer when the lunar cycle said it was too early.  I've gone dry when they said it should be peaking.  Does that mean Charlie is all wrong?  No.  It just means that he may be right given the big picture but local conditions skewed things. 

[Ole]

I agree on betting too much on the dates; that's why I said that I understand completely that his calculations are just a guide. Bow-hunting started here in WI in mid-September but I'm trying to plan ahead for rut bow-hunting. With four kids and a job that takes 50+ hours/week from me I need to plan ahead for some weekdays/weekends for the family and I to get out there together. That's why I try to narrow the window as much as I can.

I usually put about 3-5 doe in the freezer every year but I, like most of us, would certainly like to see ol' mossy out there and I know my best chance is during the seeking/chasing phases. I'm not going to turn down any opportunity to get in the woods, I'm just trying to plan the best general time to be out there for a really nice buck.

Thanks for the input and good luck this year!

[GTOHunter]

A lot of the Rut timing has to do with the weather also....if its good and cold the Deer will be moving more,if it stays too warm it seems to throw the Rut timing off and the rut may be later than predicted or not as strong.Either way I'll be Bow Hunting up to Rifle Season and after it also so hopefully I won't miss it no matter how early or late it happens! [;)]

[msbadger]

Well our season Starts the 18th...just 8 days from now and we'er going from 50's day and 30's night temps...to low 70's day and low 50's night [:@]...This will have more of an effect on day time movements then the moon...this weekend and Mon  & Tues. will be the days that I set up in a couple of stands I only hunt during the gun season to see how the deer are moving....right now sightings have been low ...but the plots were hit hard a few days ago....other than buttons...not a single buck sighting in weeks...found out that the night shooting I heard was a nuisence bear being shot a mile from here....Starving bore that was missing half it's tongue and 100#'s under weight with broken lower jaw...149lbs.

[howhill1]

got the second week of nov locked in for vac[:D]

[hunter480]

I put a ton of faith into Alsheimer`s predictions, I plan my season around them. I`ve heard all the nay-sayers and heard the arguments, but I still believe in Charlie and his theory. It makes perfect sense to me, and I`ve seen it correspond exactly to my hunting in Indiana.
 
Just as an aside, someone made a comment about the weather influencing the rut, but that`s a falshood. If it`s extremely warm during the breeding phase, it just all occurs during the coolest part of the day, at night.

[HiddenHornsRanch]

I agree with hunter480, I also follow Alsheimers calculations closely, and plan my hunts accoridngly. As far as the weather as in Texas right now, its hot in the day and cool night into a few hours in the morning, adn so for when Ive sat in the morning the deer have been on the move rummaging for what food they can find around our area (severe lack of rain) and then most of the day and evening theres hardly a deer to be seen until about 30 minutes before dark. It took 3 small northers to get our deer kicked into gear down here, and now the chase is on, which we always have a very early rut begin.