Full Moon

[Don K]

Ok all you Elk experts...........

I have just returned from NM from my sons youth Elk hunt. (I will post the story this week on a day by day basis)

Being from Illinois I know what a full moon does to the Whitetails here.

What do you guys experience when your hunting Elk and have a full moon?

Opinions please,

Thanks

Don

 

[Big Fin]

First of all, I hope it was a great hunt. And, I hope he had some success.

My experience with full moons is that it shifts the activity periods later in the afternoon and causes them to end right at sun up. Most will say that a full moon stops the rut. I don't think so. I just think it allows for more night time activity.

I have shot elk in late October and November during every moon phase, and at most every time of the day. Anecdotal, I know.

I suspect the last of the rut was happening during that hunt, and it probably allowed most of the activity to occur in the dark. Probably added more complication to the hunt, given these youth hunts are the tail end of the rut.

 

[spook12]

I think Fin is right the rut always happens at about the same time every year,the full moon just allows more , "activity " to happen at night. The strongest proof of this is the fact that calves and fawns are usually born in a 5 to 7 day window every year in any given area.

 

[drthornton]

I think as hunters we mistakenly try to make a blanket generalization of rutting activity based the actions of a few critters...in this case Elk. Remember these critters are individuals and not robots linked to a master "get up and start moving/bugling" computer. I think there are 2 things that you can count on with deer species.

1. They will tend to rut around the same time every year regardless of the moon. Just because we don't see it does not mean it's not happening.
2. During a full moon phase and clear skies they will tend to move more at night.

I hunted Elk in WY during the full moon this year. We had almost all our action early in the morning and not a single bugle in the evening that I can remember....however we did have a very close encounter with a bull on the day of the Sept. full moon. Based on my very small sample, I will try not to hunt Elk during the full moon but it won't be a hard rule.

 

[npaden]

My personal opinion is that if I have a choice, I will hunt days other than right around a full moon. If I don't have a choice I will still get out there and hunt, just knowing my chances are going to be a little less. Way better chances than sitting at home on the computer or on the couch though!

Someplace I've read a study that showed it was only like a 10% drop off at full moon so not a huge difference, and the best time was at the first few days of a waxing moon, not a new moon like you would think.

 

[WapitiBob]

My experience with the full moon in NM archery this year was it didn't do diddley. Bulls were up and at it all morning long. In fact I made a mental note one morning about people thinking the full moon screwed up the hunt while I watched a nice 6x feed and bugle his a$$ off at 10:30 in the morning. Had 3 other bulls bugling at 11:30 the same day. This was my most active year in NM out of the last 5.

 

[Don K]

Thanks for the replies and thoughts.

What we noticed is the Elk seemed to leave the meadow earlier and head out as soon as sunrise approached. I was not sure if this was just coincidence or if the full moon actually had something to do with it. The rut activity was still there it just seemed the mornings where different and the activity was more at night on those days where the full moon was present.


Don

 

[A-con]

The primary effect of a full moon on my elk hunting is that i can hike before dawn or after dark without turning on my headlamp.

 

[POk3s]

I think everyone is right on here. The rut has to happen regardless of the moon. Cows come into estrus the same time every year...doesn't matter what the moon looks like and it causes the bulls to bugle. With that said I have always seen a drop off in my hunt area on a full moon. I will give this years example....opening weekend (labor day weekend) I walked into my archery honey hole and messed with bulls every morning. I got up there the day of the 2nd and heard bulls and saw elk everyday. I actually have a video on my phone of me cow calling and 4 different bulls bugling back at me in this one giant basin. Basically it was early in the year and I wasn't ready to fall into that hell hole quite yet. That video was taken at about 10:00 (maybe a little earlier) on September 4th if I remember right. I actually left the bulls bugling because I didn't want to go down in there. Was just hoping and praying I could call them across it. I got one bull down to the bottom of the canyon after an excited series of calling but couldn't bring him up my side. Now in my mind I would think with that that much activity early in the month that it would only get better...

Fast forward to the next weekend and I went to the exact same meadow overlooking a large basin. I heard 5 bugles in 2 days (compare that to probably hearing 30 bugles in the half hour - 45 minutes of coaxing the week before and other bugling in the mornings and evenings at other places). I ended up shooting my bull on the second weekend but it wasn't due to calling...simply stealth mode. I made the commitment to go into that basin after the only bugling bull. Heard him bugle twice early in the morning and then he shut up when I got close to him (go figure). Stayed over there the rest of the day and was able to get my bull that evening at about 6 o'clock. A bull bugling right before shooting my bull and right after...that was it.

We all have said we notice a drop off. Idk if it's a matter of them seeing better in the full moon so they rut and feed all night making them head for the timber at the first glimmer of sunlight. I guess i may never know...but the full moon does effect my elk hunt. No doubt about it.