Moon phase opening weekend

[otis]

What do you guys think of the deer activity based on the moon phase this weekend?

[Kludes]

Night movement with full moon ... dont matter they will move Saturday when shots start..

[TeeBugg]

Never really bought into the moonphase deal. Ill be out regardless and im sure the deer will move at somepoint!

[accman]

The moon will still be in the sky when most of us head in.  Definitely will not need a flashlight this weekend.  Moonset at 5:42.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Moon Schmoon. Look at current GPS collaring studies, they move regardless.

[burmjohn]

Moon Schmoon. Look at current GPS collaring studies, they move regardless.

 

 

Have they dont any GPS studies opening day of rifle?

[WNYBuckHunter]

Have they dont any GPS studies opening day of rifle?

 

Im sure, the studies I have seen went on through the whole rut and beyond, so Im sure it covered all of the hunting seasons. The deer have to move, they have to eat and drink every so often. Just gotta find them.

[burmjohn]

I just did a simulated one based on opening day rifle, came up with this on the deer movement on a 100 acre lot. 

 

 

[WNYBuckHunter]

you forgot the stick figure hunters going pew pew pew....

[bushnell]

And of course Burm....your treestand is nowhere in site. LOL

[burmjohn]

you forgot the stick figure hunters going pew pew pew....

 

 

There, in a meeting right now and i feel like shooting myself.  This is making the time go by faster.

[burmjohn]

And of course Burm....your treestand is nowhere in site. LOL

 

I couldnt draw a tree stand so instead I used Steve863 and his rock.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thats freakin great! nom nom nom

[WNYBuckHunter]

BTW guys, heres some good reading about deer movements during the rut. This is a GPS study done in Northern PA (because yeah, none have been done above the 38th parallel according to some). It also mentions that the deer acted similarly to the deer done in the larger scale studies down south.

 

Anyway, good reading....

 

http://www.qdma.com/articles/is-the-lockdown-phase-a-myth

 

Moon Schmoon!

[burmjohn]

BTW guys, heres some good reading about deer movements during the rut. This is a GPS study done in Northern PA (because yeah, none have been done above the 38th parallel according to some). It also mentions that the deer acted similarly to the deer done in the larger scale studies down south.

 

Anyway, good reading....

 

http://www.qdma.com/articles/is-the-lockdown-phase-a-myth

 

Moon Schmoon!

 

Actually its pretty interesting, almost as much as the study I did from my desk.

 

 

This part is interesting

 

The increase in movement rates in November, Andy said, was equal for all time periods of the day. While the three bucks did move more at night in November than they did in October and December, they were also moving more at dawn, dusk and the middle of the day. Even in November, the daily movement peaks were still at dawn and dusk.

 

and this

 

One tip Andy offered for November hunters: You’re not wasting your time if you stay in the stand all day long. While morning and evening movements were always greater than mid-day, movement throughout daylight hours was double to quadruple the levels of pre-rut movement.

 

I always assumed it was the case though.

[the blur]

I like the full moon.  I can walk in, in the dark, no flashlight.

[Kot2B]

BTW guys, heres some good reading about deer movements during the rut. This is a GPS study done in Northern PA (because yeah, none have been done above the 38th parallel according to some). It also mentions that the deer acted similarly to the deer done in the larger scale studies down south.

Anyway, good reading....

http://www.qdma.com/articles/is-the-lockdown-phase-a-myth

Moon Schmoon!

Pretty good article, sure makes ya think about all of the Rut myths. Thanks for sharing.

[WNYBuckHunter]

No problem. The more I read up on the GPS location studies, the less I believe in most of the popular theories about moon phases, lockdown, bucks going strictly nocturnal, etc. Its more of knowing the right places to be and being there at the right time. There are lots of things you can do to increase your chances, but most of it seems to be seat time in the woods.

[Kot2B]

I kept track of my number 1 last year and ended up tracking him to a weekly cycle all through bow. He would show up Monday nights and hang out til Tuesday morning, then suddenly disappeared.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Heres another good read that sheds more light on the subject.

 

http://www.qdma.com/articles/what-triggers-the-whitetail-rut

 

[Kot2B]

Not seeing many rubs and scrapes in your area? This may be directly related to an absence of older bucks. According to Karl, one mature buck can make 1,000 to 1,200 rubs per year. Over a 90-day period that is 10 to 15 per day! This means a deer herd with an older age structure and balanced sex ratio can have over 3,000 rubs per square mile!

Wow! Makes passing on the 1.5's a little easier. Was talking with the neighboring hunter tonight and he was like if I see a nice spike or 4 tomorrow I'm gonna shoot. I looked at him and said we've been trying QDM the last couple years, maybe you should try it out. Frustrating!