Contributors to this thread:
With several threads going on the subject, it got me thinking. The date and moon phase discussion seems to pop up every year, and there are always proponents to both sides, so with my limited info, I was fairly surprised with results.I went and looked through a couple Ethic magazines, and came up with some interesting numbers.
Full disclosure, I am, or was, always a believer in the moon. Ive been on sever hunts that were duds on or near the full moon, and really never had any success hunting it, so I admit that I dont really hunt around those dates even during the rut.
This list is comprised of the spring and fall 2023 ethic, so anyone can check or verify my work. I also welcome all input.
The criteria I used was simple. P&Y entries for typical and non typical whitetails, harvested from 10/25 to 11/20. Most were recent entries from 2022, but a few were older.
First, the moon phase.
10/25/2022: new moon 11/1/2022: 1st quarter moon 11/8/2022: full moon 11/16/ 2022: last quarter moon
Now for the success stats.
10/25: 9 10/26: 7 10/27: 11 10/28: 11 10/29: 15 10/30: 6 10/31: 15 11/1: 11 11/2: 10 11/3: 11 11/4: 15 11/5: 12 11/6: 20 11/7: 11 11/8: 10 11/9: 25 11/10: 13 11/11: 15 11/12: 22 11/13: 12 11/14: 7 11/15: 5 11/16: 7 11/17: 8 11/18: 8 11/19: 7 11/20: 6
These stats are from all entries in the publications, and from all across the US and Canada. No regions, states, or provinces were left out, and only the dates listed were recorded. There were many other entries, but I chose to focus only on what most of us are thinking right now, the rut.
After this little exercise, I have to seriously reconsider the moon phase affecting deer movements. The most successful days were on the full moon.
You may be right, but I would bet that 11/4 through 11/11 are gonna be slammer days every year regardless of the moon phase, their are certainly a lot of variables as well, how many guys planned their vacation around that week of peak rut as well, I think I heard a stat one time that 11/11 is responsible for more entries in the record book and they support their data with the fact that so many hunt that day because people get veterans day off work
Murph you're on it. Second week in November every year regardless of moon phase or weather forecast. S.E or Western Okla is where I hunt.
First 2 weeks of November year after year...
Gotta be around my birthday 11/10 Good luck Lewis
Veterans Day isn't a holiday for me, but I'm always off to hunt that day. Has been very good to me over the years.
OP looking at your numbers that you posted and going by what I have witnessed for the last 20+ years. Moon has no bearing and it’s all about the date on the calendar.
Now weather can be a big factor as well. In the upper Midwest highs around 50 and lows below freezing will have plenty of the bigger bucks on there feet.
My best dates by far are from the 7th thru the 11th. With that said I shit bucks last year on Oct 30th and Nov 2nd. We also had colder temperatures at that time.
My brother killed a booner one November 10th. He was in a stand 300 yards from me. I saw only cows and was thinking it was a shitty day. Pretty sure we both had the same moon phase...
I'm surprised the moon phase myth lingers on, despite numerous extensive studies that showed no correlations between moon phase. and deer movement.
"A more recent study was conducted by Dr. Mickey Hellickson at the King Ranch in South Texas. Hellickson used GPS collars on 43 bucks, and he collected over 42,000 data points by using activity monitors. After two years of work from October to January, he determined peak activity occurred between 7 a.m.–9 a.m., and 6 p.m.–7 p.m. And, even with this massive data set, it showed no difference in buck movement between a new (dark) or full moon. Hellickson concluded, “Although the moon may influence buck movements in other ways, our data did not indicate any patterns relative to the effects of moon phase on buck movements.”
Matt
Well what y year in order for them to survive. about the red moon? That's when the big deer are shot lol My buddies all follow the moon theroy, I don't think it has anything to do with the start of the rut. In Illinois the prerut is now and the first two weeks of November will be the time , it's a matter of when the does will drop the fawns and the timing has to be the same every year .
Here is the facts. Does come in heat the same time each year. Its a bell curve. A few early: lots in the middle and a few late. Dont over complicate a simple fact of nature. Get out and hunt as much as u can when u can. U may get lucky and have a hot doe near your stand. Have fun!!!
Any Connecticut results??
Since I retired in October 2008 I hunt deer most days (in multiple states) from 10/20 to 12/1. When ever the day is colder than the normal temp for that day good things can happen. Best of luck to everyone. C
Here it will be the first couple of weeks of November like it has been sine I was a kid. I am 81 years old and have seen a lot or ruts.
In Illinois, pre-rut is now as LB stated.
Here is a doe and two minutes later…..
Jack Harris nailed it. Dudes a straight up, whitetail killing machine. Big ‘uns too.
Nov 11 been good to me. Harvested slamer bks 6 yrs in row on the 11th. Thats been my vet day reward.
Be in the woods 11/6. Center your hunt around that day or skew a little more on the back side of it. Take your best shot there. You won’t do better
I always check the weather this time of year in Illinois at my old lease, there’s nothing better than cold weather in the Midwest the last week of October/first week of November. When my daughters are out from my roof , I’ll plan my Midwest hunts around that cold weather.
