2016 rut/big buck timing ticklish

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Shadowhntr
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2016 rut/big buck timing ticklish

#1 Post by Shadowhntr »

This year, the full moon of November is in the middle of November. This makes timing the rut activities with vacation time, tough for the working man. I think we will see it peak on or after the full moon, which falls later this year. Sign and activity are showing this may well be the case. Yes, i'm a "Moon doggie". I think there are a number of other influences, but the moon phase, and peak times are all to often dismissed as witchery, nonsense, and wives tales by many hunters. Big mistake in any case imho.....

This year, its not only the Beaver moon of November, its also a Supermoon, being the biggest since 1948. The bigger the moon, the closer we are to it, and the higher its gravitational pull is.....should be interesting.
The element of surprise can never be replaced by persistence.

Captainkirk
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Re: 2016 rut/big buck timing ticklish

#2 Post by Captainkirk »

FWIW, I don't hunt around moon phases, like many I use convenience and time off regardless of phase. But that doesn't mean I don't follow and subscribe to it!!!
I've seen plenty of evidence both in print and in person to attest to the effectivity of using moon phases as an effective tool in the total hunting package.
Since you seem to be fairly ed-ja-ma-cated on this factor, Jase...how about starting a thread here on it for those who don't use it/aren't aware of it?
Aim small, miss small!

Carpdaddy
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Re: 2016 rut/big buck timing ticklish

#3 Post by Carpdaddy »

A lot of folks here in Ky are claiming it's already started, I personally have seen no chasing yet. I did find two nice scrapes today. As far as moon phases I know not. Kind of like planting by the signs, I plant when the signs are in the hoe, meaning when I get a chance! Hunting is the same, I go as I can. Probably something to it though, just beyond me.

Longtrad
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Re: 2016 rut/big buck timing ticklish

#4 Post by Longtrad »

What is the basic theory behind deer/animal behavior and moon phase?

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Shadowhntr
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Re: 2016 rut/big buck timing ticklish

#5 Post by Shadowhntr »

Longtrad wrote:What is the basic theory behind deer/animal behavior and moon phase?

Well, try as I might, there is no short answer for this. I can explain the end result, but getting a full understanding of the how and why, takes a bit more time and study.

In a nutshell, the basis of it is this. The Earth is under the moons highest amount of gravitational pull, when the Earth, moon, and sun are all in line centrally. It just so happens to be that at those times, the moon is full, and new. Its a bit complex, but even those 2 instances are a bit different in how they react with earth. Full moon is when Earth is between moon and sun, new moon is when moon is between earth and sun.
In any case because of Earth and moon orbit and rotation, there is an exact time per location on Earth where the 3 are all in line centrally. To us, we see that as the moon being straight over head and straight under foot in 12hr intervals.
So moon phase is important because of peak gravitational pull dictates, and time of day/night is important for knowing the exact moment in time, for alienment of sun,moon, and Earth, otherwise known as "peak time" for our location.

Now....fish, animals, and tides are affected by this phenomenon of gravitational pull. They key off it partly, for feeding, breeding, movement, and the such like. Other factors come in to play for all things, but for deer, such things such as seasonal length of daylight hours, (due to the Earths orbiting at a tilt), is also key.. Its thought, that when the length of daylight hours are short enough, then combined at the same time with the heavy gravitational pull of a peaking full moon, it kicks in the breeding instinct and process of whitetails.

Short version....lol

Any of us hunt when we can. But this is key for knowledge of when to take vacation from work, or when to start hunting those special stands you saved for the rut, thus keeping them fresh until the right moment in time.
The element of surprise can never be replaced by persistence.

Mohawk
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Re: 2016 rut/big buck timing ticklish

#6 Post by Mohawk »

I, too, heavily subscribe to the moon phase reaction. However, the way it's been for a while, I hunt when I can. My biggest bow kill was 8 years ago with the moon time hitting late afternoon and a good chance of rain coming after sunset. I remember leaving work and getting to the timber as fast as I could and climbing into my stand. I barely got my bow pulled up when I heard a deer coming. I quickly got an arrow nocked just in time to let fly at a decent lower 130s class 8 pt. I watched him go down, and ended up dealing with him in the rain.
I do have a kind of theory that the moon has a higher affect on bucks more than does. It seems that does are more dependable to move at dawn/dusk where bucks travel more according to the moon time. That's not to say that you can't see a deer of either sex during any point of the day, regardless of moon phase or time, just something I'm trying to put together over the past 10 years or so.

Captainkirk
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Re: 2016 rut/big buck timing ticklish

#7 Post by Captainkirk »

That's a good "Cliff's Notes" version there, Jase.
Yep, it can get more complicated but those are the basics.
I agree with you, Jim that bucks seem to be affected more by moon phase than does.
Aim small, miss small!

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