No Link Between Moon Phase and Rut Peak No Link Between Moon Phase and Rut Peak | Quality Deer Management Association
I have always linked moon phases and moon majors and minors with movement, not necessarily the rut. Good read.....but I've always held to the Bill Vale moon phase idea that it's the new moons not the full moons that trigger more rutting activity and the graph lines up with that thought more than full moon theory. However, like stated I think in the end it is a factor than can increase or decrease movement as even the Bible describes the moon and sun shall reign and influence the creatures of the Earth.
Yeah, it's worth pointing out that they are talking about "peak rut" not necessarily movement. The graph shows the mean breeding conception rates have no provable or distinct link with the moon phase but are consistent and constant from year to year.
Talk to anyone who works in the woods and they will confirm Bill Vale has got it figured out The deer are active during the new moon week
By active you mean visible during the day or dawn/dusk when these guys are at work? My point is moon phase may influence the time of day or night they move, but peak rut can be any phase , just breeding occurs more during the night? Also, see article in Bowhunter by C.J. winand. I don't necessarily believe everything this guy says, but I believe the rut occurs roughly same time every year for a given area.
Temperatures will have a lot to do with buck activity as well. If it's too hot deer will seek, chase and breed more at night. Charles Alsheimer's work is really good and I've found it to be very reliable in the areas I've hunted. Charles Alsheimer: Articles: TOUCHED BY LIGHT<
I agree that the breeding peak info is good as you said moving/seen in the daylight on the new moon week.
The weather has much more effect on the rut then moon.Hot weather and wind turned the rut in north mo last season into the worst hunting I have ever had. I would rather hunt the chase phase of the rut then any later time. Nov 1 to nov 15 here in north mo is going to be good if it cools off,this weekend is youth rifle with a major cold front is really going to put some big boys down. I hate having to bowhunt in Orange on my own ground.grrr
Agreed, this is the first good weekend we've had weather wise so far this season. The only advantage of urban hunting is, no orange. Good luck up there this weekend. I may be up that way in a couple weeks.
Right now I have standing corn and beans that flooded and can't be taken out,everyone around me is going to hate rifle season. I am going to Kirksville next week for some serious hunting 9-11
Wow! I was hoping it had dried enough to get those crops out but I guess not. If I make it up there I'll be over west of LaPlata.
So I should hunt from around Halloween through the December as often as I can? Good thing they write articles and do studies on this stuff, I'd have never figured that out...
I would probably agree that the moon phase doesn't necessarily determine when the rut will occur as the rut is at different time in different locations. I think it does have a huge influence on daylight movement though. Obviously weather and wind can also impact that movement.
Until some of the studies include a little more coverage on how light impacts the pineal gland in whitetails and how the changes in a deer's melatonin levels can stimulate or dampen it's reproductive cycle I think a large (interesting) piece of the puzzle is being somewhat overlooked. Especially considering there is a mountain of data out there on the topic in different areas(non-hunting). Realistically though individual does breeding cycles can and do vary greatly so no matter what kind of study is done it will end up like the one linked above, averages. So yeah maybe Nov. 23 is the average day does were bred but that doesn't mean Nov. 3 or Dec. 3 didn't go off in your block of woods. I've also completed a study, the results are as follows: 1. Hunt as often as possible. 2. Have fun. 3. There is no magic pixie dust or calendar that will kill a deer for you. 4. A little luck never hurts.
I have found through keeping a hunting journal since 1996 that there is a definite increase in middle of the day movement during the full moon period. The full moon in November is the 5th or 6th (I forget) which means next week will be prime time to sit all day!
The conclusion reached in the study was that the peak of the rut was actually more closely related to photo-sensitivity rather than moon phase. Yes, most of us agree that deer activity and movement has a pretty profound relationship with moon phase. Deer movement isn't the same thing as what they are calling peak rut however....which is actually the peak breeding period (when the most of the does are actually bred). Does are actually bred (as the study shows) for a pretty extended period of time but the graphs show a much higher rate of conception at a pretty consistent time no matter what the moon phase was. Just to be clear, I didn't post this to create any arguments, I don't even know how sound it is....I just recieved the article from QDMA and thought it was interesting so thought it would be a good subject matter to post over here.
I agree. Alsheimer's work (and others) does cover this in great detail. I find his work to be scientific, interesting and informative. Bottom line is, we know the rut occurs in November for the most part (unless you live in the south) and we all want to be out there then for sure. The next two weeks look interesting to me and I'm counting on luck to overshadow my lack of hunting skills. :D
