Your thoughts on the moons effect on deer

[Coca Cola]

Today my dad got me a present. I received the book hunting whitetails by the moon. In my short experience of hunting deer for 3 years the moon has only effected the deer in feeding. With a full moon and clear I nocticed they would eat at night and return to bed at about 8:00 am. But this didnt always hold true

Your experiences with the moon effecting deer. Also do you think it effects the rut?

I just wanted to see your thoughts before I read this. I have always been skeptical of the moon effecting the rut.

[Greg Krause]

I don't believe the moon has any effect on WHEN the rut is. I go with the theory that it has to do with the hours of daylight. I can usually count on seeing rutting activity, hot and heavy between the 8th and 15th of november. reguardless of the moon phase. of course bucks have been on the move for a few weeks before that.
I do believe that the moon phase and the moon set/rise times do play a big part in what time of day the majority of the rutting activity will take place. That holds true for most any deer movement. with a full moon rising during the afternoon(especially early season) deer are usually on their feet well before dusk. I usually see very little if any deer movement during my morning hunts. It's usually midday to late afternoon that they move.
the later the moon rises, the more morning activity I see. I like it when the moon is rising at 5am.
When we have a new moon, i also see more deer in the am or just before dark.
I have no way to prove any of this. It's just what i have seen over the years as well as bits and pieces I have taken from others.
None of what i have mentioned here takes into account the weather............thats a whole 'nother topic.......
The best thing I can say is, hunt as hard and smart as you can as much as you can.
I never would have dreamed of taking a good buck at 9:15am on 10-22, with the hot weather we had last year. i was there and so was he............it just worked out. I try and use the moon and weather as well as "gut" feelings to pick the right tree to sit but i will NEVER let the moon and weather charts to decide if i will go hunting.

[michihunter]

I'm a firm believer in timing and the moon has everything to do with that. As skip said, he can usually count on a certain time of the year for heavy rut activity. Well the moon phase is the timekeeper for such an event. Of course that is only my opinion but the book you are referring to will give you some pretty good knowledge of just what I'm referring to. Great book by the way

[azslim]

Our rut here happens in Dec for coues down south and Jan for mule deer in the desert west of Phx. This past Jan I hunted a dirt tank hard that had 3 good bucks, judging by their tracks, hitting it. Problem was it was when the moon was full or nearly so and they were coming in at night. I didn't get out when the moon wasn't so bright, but that is the time I should have been on that tank.

So to answer your question, yes, here in Az the moon definitely impacts movement of the big bucks.

[Coca Cola]

I am halfwaythrough this book. Its a pretty good read. Mybe i will do a review when i am done