Effect of Moon phase on hunt...

[teesquare]

So....
I am escorting/guiding 8 Elk hunters + myself in the 4th rifle season - CO. Units 3 and 301. Private land with BLM land strips connecting it all together..... Nice size property - 4.5 x 3.5 miles.

But...I have some concern that the dates for the hunt - 13-17 Nov. - make for a tougher hunt for my guys. Will be FULL moon week....

Any thoughts on YOUR experiences when hunting during a full moon?

Thanks
T

 

[IanCo]

Glass bedding areas mid-day when elk get up and move around some.

 

[teesquare]

Glass bedding areas mid-day when elk get up and move around some.

Yep...will do that - thanks. Any other tips and tricks out there. Want these guys to have a great time and - have the best opportunity to take their game.

 

[just country]

morning, the moon phases will effect all wildlife and some fish.
myself will hunt more on a full moon than any other time.
movement is in the middle of the day. ruts r more
active on moon phases. the full will give a hunter more
reflective light for hunting and scouting.
my favorite time for varmints. justme gbot tum

 

[teesquare]

morning, the moon phases will effect all wildlife and some fish.
myself will hunt more on a full moon than any other time.
movement is in the middle of the day. ruts r more
active on moon phases. the full will give a hunter more
reflective light for hunting and scouting.
my favorite time for varmints. justme gbot tum

Thanks for that. Figured we will be glassing the scrub oak a lot mid day....and maybe a little snow will help to find the brown that is moving around a bit.

 

[ricard13]

I seem to have bad luck on full moon periods. Animals seem to come out later and go back earlier. Only thing I have found to really work is do a lot of glasses and hiking around.

 

[teesquare]

Thanks ricard13. That is my plan....

 

[Dosh]

Sq, when I was a young boy the old timers would always say "you won't see nearly as much game when there's no moon out". Was never given a reason, just was always reminded often. I'm 70 now and still can't confirm or deny that saying is true.

 

[sixfivefanboy]

So....
I am escorting/guiding 8 Elk hunters + myself in the 4th rifle season - CO. Units 3 and 301. Private land with BLM land strips connecting it all together..... Nice size property - 4.5 x 3.5 miles.

But...I have some concern that the dates for the hunt - 13-17 Nov. - make for a tougher hunt for my guys. Will be FULL moon week....

Any thoughts on YOUR experiences when hunting during a full moon?

Thanks
T

I have never had a ton of luck with a full moon. I still go out and give it my best go - never seems to work out for me for some reason.

 

[teesquare]

Well...I am going prepared to hunt hard. Might have to Rambo style and crawl thru the scrub oaks with a knife....

 

[Plinker147]

Can't say that in my experience that there is any more movement in the middle of the day on a full moon than any other day. Hunting in full is just tuff. It effects some species more than others. Elk is one that it really effects. They flat don't move much in daylight with full moon. If it's pressured elk plus full moon you are in for a really tuff hunt. Hopefully they aren't too pressured on your private. Best you can hope for is some cold stormy, Cloudy weather to force more daylight moving. I plan all my hunts around lunar cycle best I can. Good luck with your hunters.

Oh yeah I have no good advice on how to hunt in that condition, nothing seems to work for me except keeping at it.

 

[Steelthowl]

I used to have a Casio watch called the hunting timer that kept track of the moon phases and prime times for each day. The moon phases also plays a huge part in the predator activity as well I don't pay too much attention to it. it probably has some effect but I can't do anything about it so I just go hunting and have killed several of my best bucks on full moons in Sept/Oct/Nov

 

[KyCarl]

Never hunted Elk but Whitetails a lot! And they move a lot with the full moon
Seem to feed all night and sleep in the day... more with pressure.
Acorns on the ridges all night and lay up in the bottoms all day.Early and late
I try to ambush them between.

 

[teesquare]

Good input guys! Thanks a lot.