Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

 It seems to me that with the full moon, the deer spend the night feeding and
ned down during the day. I think you'd have to still hunt them and hope to
find them bedded down because I don't think they'd be doing much moving on
their own.

    
    During a full moon it is very light at night, especially if there is 
    snow on the ground. Deer may take advantage of this and feed all night
    as Mark said in .1, then be bedded down well before dawn.
    
    But then again, if anyone really understood what these things do it
    would take all the fun out of chasing them around the woods.
    
    --Bob
    

    Last week was full moon and deer were not out and about in daylight
    as far as I could determine. Next year will plan my week of Vermont
    bowhunting to avoid same if possible. 

    PS it isn't the broad daylight that bothers me, but we were not
    seeing the deer coming into the fields during the evening. There
    were tracks in the corn field but the deer must have been feeding
    at night only. Last year we saw deer in that same field in
    mid-afternoon. Ditto three weeks ago on the way up for opening day - 
    saw two on the edge of a corn patch in mid-day. Also, we weren't seeing 
    the deer in the early morning, which leads me to believe the deer
    were up above our stands while it was still 'dark'. 

    
    ref .4
    
    Just prior to leaving camp, the owner of the property told me that
    about 1300 hours he saw three deer going across open pasture that day. 
    Usually deer are moving during that time period, at least in that area,
    they are down.
    
    I had my doubts about hunting during this period but thought, wouldn't
    it be nice to break the cycle and at least see a deer.  I seriously
    doubt that I'll hunt during  another full moon period.  
    
    During a good full moon, when it lights up the woods like day time, it
    would be nice to be able to hunt.  A good starlite scope would be an
    added plus (just jokiing about the scope).  I could see fox on the
    ground, some squirrel, seems like on an either sex day it would be safe
    to hunt.  Any comments on this thought?
    
    Leonard
    

 Opening day in NH could not be more perfect in terms of moon phase. It is
the day of the new moon (Nov 6). The deer oughtta be moving plenty. :-)

    After spending a few days of no deer sightings during a full moon in
    New Jersey's winter bow season, my dad and I decided to go back to 
    our stands around 11:00pm that night (just scouting - no bows).  There
    was a good 6 inches of snow on the ground and we each saw several deer
    walking through the woods towards the corn field nearby (the farmer
    conveniently left the field unharvested because of broken equipment).

    I can say that with open sights on a gun or with my bow I could've
    safely shot at least one deer - But I would never agree to a hunt at
    this time because not only do you have to trust yourself to make a 
    right decision to shoot or not, but you have to also trust the other
    hunters (who you can't see).  That scares me.  And most areas that we
    hunt aren't open enough to see clearly.

    /marc

    
    	I shot a deer with Bow and arrow a couple of years back during a
    full moon cycle.  The deer was shot at 6:00 pm on the eve of the 
    full moon.  The weather was crisp, clear, and cold following the
    previous weekends passage of a snowstorm coldfront. (anyone remember
    the first weekend of Vt bowseason in 1987???)  The deer was shot on
    Monday evening.  Reason I remember is so well is that I trailed it
    after dark, and it was bright out.
    	My experience has led me to believe that weather plays a much 
    more important role in deer hunting than moon phases...  Last week
    it was warm and with the deer having their winter coats, it makes
    sense that all their movement was after dark.
    
    FWIW - Rob
    

    re: 1987 archery opener...  ahhh Rob, I remember it well, drizzled
    all morning, poured all afternoon and through the night... high winds
    Woke to pouring rain Sunday morning and it turned to snow... about 
    4-6" if I remember corectly... snowed all day.
    
    A real bargain to bowhunt in! ;^)
    
    If I recall that was the year of the first Muzzloader season... where a 
    whopping 7 (?) deer were taken...
    
    Fra

    re.8 I agree Rob, weather is more important, but I think a 
    combination of too-warm and full moon is a real bad bargain.
    
    On the bright side, my partner has found a heavy line of 
    rubs and scrapes here in Mass. which we will be looking
    at with much interest. All fresh, and the weather is getting
    colder, and opener is Monday in the dark of the moon.
    Awright!!!!!

    
    	Sounds like a hot spot Dana, good luck.  An interesting thing
    I've read in several outdoor rags and books is that deer are
    actually more active on clear nights with NO moon!  Anyone ever read
    this?  I usually find loads of deer movement during October whenever
    a cold front passes with a storm, and later in the day, the front
    breaks into clear and cold weather (I guess I'd consider ~35 or lower
    to be cold at night in October).  If you don't see deer on a night
    like this from your tree stand, you're in the wrong spot!!
    
    	These are the kinds of evenings that you get out of your hardwood
    stand after dark and jump deer feeding in the hay field behind camp
    or next to your vehicle! :')  
    
    	- Rob		Wish I was still bowhunting, but I can't even go
    			to Maine this year for lack of $$ and Vac... Next
    			Year!

    
    ref .20, weather also is a factor in deer movement.  Deer do tend to
    move and feed more often when the tempature drops.  If the weather is
    nasty they'll bed down until it clears up (still cold) or until they
    have to refuel.  Last season my only deer came on a cold wet drizzling
    afternoon, which was the second or third day into this type of weather. 
    The following day in the afternoon when the sun came out and the it
    stoped raining and finally reaching the camp area, after
    being lost for about three hours, there were about six deer just
    grazing in the open field about 40 yards out from the tree line. 
    Carrying a shot gun with double odd  buck decided not to even try a
    shot.
    
    Leonard
    

    	I read somewhere a long time ago, that deer need 8 to 10 times
    more food in winter than summer.  That's an indication of that in
    colder temperatures they will be more active.  They need fuel to
    maintain body heat.
    
    Andy
    

     Overcast weather is just as good as a new moon. The deer don't
    have enough light to see to feed, and must do so during daylight.
    Snow and cold makes them even more vulnerable to be in a clearing
    during daylight hours. Ditto for elk. 
    
    chuck (who's leaving for a 5 day elk/deer hunt tommorrow. 6-12"
           snow up there, cloudy and approaching new moon. Perfect
           conditions, hope the animals don't agree :^)

    
    Guys,
    I don't believe full moon is as big a problem as some apparently do.
    I hunt full moon or not, and averaged out probably get just as many
    deer during full moon as any other phase. (see not 270.221) Bow season
    here started with full moon and I still managed to get 2 deer.
    Personally I like hunting in full moon, I can walk in to my stand
    without a light and not break some part of my body. I believe weather
    is more critical then moon phase to whitetail hunting. Cold seems best.
    Whitetail are well insulated but do eat more in the cold. I saw a show
    on discovery the other night about deer and they showed deer with snow
    on their backs from a snow 12 hours earlier=GOOD insulation. Well no
    sense getting into a discussion on personal preferences cuz I got mine
    and you got yours.
    Harvey