-
The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
-
We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules
Moon And Deer Activity??
- Thread starter ricky racer
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2019
- Messages
- 8,079
I’ve not tracked it myself and have never been able to identify much consistent correlation either but I’ve not taken it seriously either. My reveal cams are now tracking weather and moon phase conditions so I will probably see, over the course of this season if there is anything to it but it doesn’t look promising and I’ve always thought of this as somewhat of a gimmick. That being said, we do seem to have flurries of criminal activity in and around full moon periods enough to take some kind of notice.
Bowmanmike
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2019
- Messages
- 1,265
My wife is a nurse and she can tell when there is a full moon by how the patients are acting...I suppose some are affected by it more than others.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2019
- Messages
- 8,079
This has been my experience as well. Most of the biggest bucks ive shot have been mid day bucks from 10am to 2pm during the rut phases. Or Camera activity.
I believe the moon has an effect on a lot of things (tides are a good example) but I don't think the effect it has on whitetails is enough for us hunters to worry about. Just my 2 cents.
Some pretty strong statistical analysis has been done on this topic by a gentleman the people who made this video greatly admire. And it’s part of an easy to read book if you’re willing to watch your sacred cows get tipped over by an Alabama redneck…
Last edited:
I've tried asking a lot of people over the years, "How do you think the moon Iinfluences deer movement/psych patients/potato growth/etc?"
I've never received what I considered a good answer.
I've never received what I considered a good answer.
Dr. Bob Sheppard's book - Whitetails. Probably one of the best books written on hunting whitetails, and written long before its time. I don't agree with everything he says, but its a very good read. I have also read and tried Jeff Murrays book - Moon Guide, but to be honest I cant make any sort of correlation between deer activity and Moon Times or Phases. Personally., I think pressure is the #1 factor that affects big deer movement, followed by things like weather etc...... When I look at the items that surround moon related data, I have more questions than answers.
I could make a statistical case for the amount of booze consumed the night before a hunt by hunters in the general area has much more effect and predictability on when deer will move any given day than the moon. Go fund me and let’s find out!
Cold fronts are the only thing I go by. If the temps dropping 10 degrees or more from one morning to the next, I’m in a tree no matter what the moon phase is.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2019
- Messages
- 6,273
I only hunt based upon temperature, precipitation, and time of year (timing of rut, etc).
Controlling all of the independent variables, satisfying the assumptions of a statistical test, using the right statistical technique, and interpreting the results correctly when looking at observational data that is both a time series and spatially dispersed is a VERY hard problem (thesis for an MS in biostatistics hard).
The 3 things I listed seem to have such a strong effect, that I don't need any outside data to use them as a guide. Moon might have an effect, but it seems minor enough that I feel it would take a careful analysis to tease it out, so I'm okay with just ignoring.
Controlling all of the independent variables, satisfying the assumptions of a statistical test, using the right statistical technique, and interpreting the results correctly when looking at observational data that is both a time series and spatially dispersed is a VERY hard problem (thesis for an MS in biostatistics hard).
The 3 things I listed seem to have such a strong effect, that I don't need any outside data to use them as a guide. Moon might have an effect, but it seems minor enough that I feel it would take a careful analysis to tease it out, so I'm okay with just ignoring.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2020
- Messages
- 5,966
From the same researchers at MSU:
Science Says
Take a deep breath and gather yourself. The cold fronts and high barometer blue bird days we plan family gatherings and vacation around don’t affect deer movement like you think, according to the science discovered in this research.
Do Cold Fronts Really Get Deer On Their Feet? - North American Whitetail
Mature Bucks and Cold Fronts
www.northamericanwhitetail.com
And yet...
#1: How Weather Affects Deer Behavior | Alsheimer's Greatest Insights
These insights on weather and how it affects deer movement teach how you can better maximize your time afield.
www.deeranddeerhunting.com
From the same researchers at MSU:
Science Says
Take a deep breath and gather yourself. The cold fronts and high barometer blue bird days we plan family gatherings and vacation around don’t affect deer movement like you think, according to the science discovered in this research.
.Do Cold Fronts Really Get Deer On Their Feet? - North American Whitetail
Mature Bucks and Cold Fronts
And yet...
#1: How Weather Affects Deer Behavior | Alsheimer's Greatest Insights
These insights on weather and how it affects deer movement teach how you can better maximize your time afield.
I emailed them about their findings, compared to what Sheppard found. They are not measuring the same thing. And they believe that very likely his results would replicate if they had hundreds of thousands of dollars to design a study to prove it.
They measure how far a deer moves ina 24 hour period(distance traveled). Not where they go, when they go, how long they’re not bedded in thick cover, etc.
Sheppard measured what he could - hunter sightings. If they had the tools to measure to the level of detail that would equate to what hunters see with their eyes, they’d likely get the same results. They’re just measuring distance traveled. It doesn’t rule out increased movement during daylight hours being due to drops in temps.
The results of the studies do not contradict each other. As counter intuitive as it might seem
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2020
- Messages
- 5,966
Hmm. So they aren't looking at the specific patterns from deer collars that ping every 15min, outside of 24hr movement distances? Seems like they wouldn't hang their scientific hats on opposing conclusions without a bit more effort. But hey, it's a hot take world.
That's one of the things I struggle with, with regards to Dr. Sheppard's tactics. In my opinion, I dont think weather affects deer as much as we like to think it does. After all, we are hunting something that lives outdoors in the environment all year long. Their bodies adjust and they adapt to the changes in the weather. While a 10 degree drop in the weather is a shocker to us, I don't think its as much of a shocker to animals as we like to think it is. With that said; I hunt the deep south, and I dont think that a deer is going to lay out in the sunlight in 100 plus heat if there is a safe place in the shade. Again, I would think their bodies would be telling them to conserve water and energy. So I guess I do have to say that I feel weather does affect deer to a certain extent. To me, security is number one for the bulk of the season, and everything else is secondary but I could be wrong.
From the same researchers at MSU:
Science Says
Take a deep breath and gather yourself. The cold fronts and high barometer blue bird days we plan family gatheringfo s and vacation around don’t affect deer movement like you think, according to the science discovered in this research.
.Do Cold Fronts Really Get Deer On Their Feet? - North American Whitetail
Mature Bucks and Cold Fronts
And yet...
#1: How Weather Affects Deer Behavior | Alsheimer's Greatest Insights
These insights on weather and how it affects deer movement teach how you can better maximize your time afield.
A full moon always peaks high in the sky at midnight. A quarter moon always peaks high in the sky at evenings and mornings. The only thing I might have observed is that when the moon is near full or full, the deer movement the next morning seems to be later than normal.
"Hey!! How exactly is rainbow made?!"
"How exactly does the sun set?!"
"How exactly does positraction on a Plymouth work?!"
"It just does!!"
Cody Nunamaker
"How exactly does the sun set?!"
"How exactly does positraction on a Plymouth work?!"
"It just does!!"
Cody Nunamaker
You can't create a rainbow unless you have a reflective surface above it, like a mirror. Think about that one.
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2019
- Messages
- 6,273
the reflective surface is the inside surface of the individual droplets
From previous thread on same topics:
Neither finding is at odds with the other.
This is why topics like this are impossible to discuss on the internet. The mechanics of it don’t allow for that level of detail.
Dr. Strickland is the PR apparatus of their work. He knows that for the diverse audience he’s communicating with, he can ONLY put forth general conclusions based on reliable data they’ve already gathered. His reputation, and that of their project, are at stake.
He necessarily HAS to say zero correlation between weather and daytime deer movement(or sightings, if that’s your jam). Because there isn’t one - IN THEIR DATA. If he tells people he thinks there is or isn’t, and he’s proven wrong, people will discount all of their work. People like to assume their intentions and past behavior matter in assessment of their own mistakes or wrong doings. But they don’t extend the same grace to others. He’s a brilliant fellow to be able to navigate this line.
Just because they can’t or haven’t measured it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Having said that, this isn’t the same as the moon phase conversation happening next door. We’ve been able to control for that variable, and it’s not a reliable predictor of daytime deer movement. Temperature was also controlled for, and a strong correlation, in fact the only useful correlation found, between relative temperature and daytime deer activity.(in the south, for the people who will say it’s useless because of that)
Dr. Strickland can do a study to replicate what’s already been observed, or disprove it. They just haven’t yet. And don’t have the money. It appears based on that conversation the Drury’s pride and ego being challenged may get that money spout pointed jn the right direction. Hopefully that challenge was strong enough. Again, my hat’s off to Dr. Strickland for threading that needle when the pressure is on. He’s missed his calling in high level public relations.