Moon phases and Rut timing

[ssm1959]

I have been reading Charles Alsheimer's theory regarding the effects of day length coupled with moon phases on rut timing.  I have found that reconstructing my 40 years of deer hunting from journals and comparing the field data to lunar cycles, his ideas are on the mark.  With the exceptions of  significantly warmer than usual weather the rut in Southern Wi. does kick on the second full moon following the equinox. However, my field data does not follow the prediciton when the full moon falls immediatly around the equinox. Does anybody else have any information on this particular lunar cycle and rut timing? 

[Stickman]

I have found in Alabama that the older bucks start moving around in the day after the full moon in December. Which follows Charlies predictions for the south.

[fairlane]

I read about this a couple of years ago,and here in northern mi. it seems to be right on. The first year I payed attention to it was a year the first full moon was close to the equinox and  the second full moon was at the start of the last week of Oct. I told my wife who was just getting into bow hunting and was not able to get out early in the mornings because she had to get the kids on the buss  to start going out any time during the day and during that last week she say bucks chasing a doe in the middle of the day and also seen a nice buck when she got out of the tree to pick up her glove she dropped.That weekend I shot my biggest bow kill at 9:12 in the morning. This year was very slow untill that week of the second full moon then I saw three to four different little bucks chassing like crazy two of them ran by our house under 80 yards.

[deojee1414]

I cant speak to how the moon phase affects the rut in other parts of the country, but i hunt in NW WI and year in and year out the peak of activity is Nov 1 - 10. Our group of bh's tried following the moon phase after mr. Alscheimer first started reporting on this and found no correlation in our area. We tried hunting in late Oct and Mid- Nov. when the timing of the moon phase dictated and still found the peak activity to be Nov. 1-10. maybe the moon plays some role in this, but day time hi temps, wind, and cloud cover seem much more relavant to deer and buck movement during daylight hours in our area.

[14milecreekbucks]

I agree with deojee 1414. I will admit I do not know much about the relationship between moon phases and rut activity. I do know that in my area that the rut usually reaches it's peak during the first or second week of November. Honestly I don't take the lunar phases into much consideration when deciding where and when to hunt. I use wind, temp, time of year, food sources, and knowledge about the land in which I hunt to influence what I do.

[buckwrangler]

Not so sure that the phases have much to do with anything, but the moon's position is just as influential on deer as it is on fish. This site has a great calculator for that: HuntByMoon.com

[DeanoZ]

ORIGINAL: ssm1959

I have been reading Charles Alsheimer's theory regarding the effects of day length coupled with moon phases on rut timing.  I have found that reconstructing my 40 years of deer hunting from journals and comparing the field data to lunar cycles, his ideas are on the mark.  With the exceptions of  significantly warmer than usual weather the rut in Southern Wi. does kick on the second full moon following the equinox. However, my field data does not follow the prediciton when the full moon falls immediatly around the equinox. Does anybody else have any information on this particular lunar cycle and rut timing? 

Just curious what your data showed when the full moon falls immediately around the equinox?  I'm going to guess you still showed peak rutting activity occurring in the first two weeks of Nov?

[scottflesher]

North of the 35th paralell (about Nashville, TN) we know that to ensure the success of the fawn to survive the following winter, the peak breeding period must be around mid November. The average gestation period for a whitetail is about 200 days. This is about 6.5 months. If a doe is successfully bred in mid November, then the fawn should be born around late May. There is an abundant amount of browse and other food during that time, not to mention about 4-5 months before the weather becomes a factor due to the cold temps. Does that are bred during the 2nd rut have a much higher chance of losing their fawns during the following winter.
In the south, the weather isn't as much as a factor due to the milder winter. I've never hunted in the south, so I can't comment on the timing of the southern rut.
I agree that moon phases can drastically alter deer movement, and I believe Charlie's research involves the decreasing daylight triggering an increased amount of estrogen and testosterone in whitetails, however I believe that regardless of weather (heat), moon phase, hunting pressure, or other variables, the northern whitetail must breed in November to ensure a good survial rate and a healthy group of fawns for the following year. While the peak breeding period may not be the ideal time to hunt, the searching and chasing phases should most always fall within the first 2 weeks of November.

[Relentless]

Last year on Nov.1st, the morning before the full "rutting" moon I put a 165" in the dirt with great pride.  I am a nonbeliever in the moon affecting the rut.  The weather, yes, if it is hot, the deer won't move till late but, they will move.  I have put many bucks on the wall the last few days of October and the first 10-12 of November.....regardless of when the moon was full. 
 
Think about it, say you have a full moon on a cloudy night....other than light what does the moon offer?  I will take the dates above based on any predictions.

[ajkrem22]

Relentless

The more hours I log in my stand the more I agree with you. Deer just simply move more at the end of October and beggining of November. The moon might play a small role but there are numerous other factors that determine the when and intensity. Deer densities, hunting pressure, food, weather, region and the moon all play a factor.