Deer University Episode 081 - Lunar Table Fables: Does the Moon Influence Buck Activity?

[@h2tym]

This could be the podcast with the highest level of anticipation of any hunting podcast ever

[@msudeerlabtv5058]

Glad to hear people are interested. It was a very complicated analysis, but we are confident with the results.

[@HeartlandMakesAndOutdoors]

My buddy who listens to a lot of pod cast sent me this video to watch. I want to thank you all for the effort that went into this study. Thanks for taking the time to share this with all of us. Thank you and have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@beaublanchard9441]

Final nail in the coffin. Glad to see it

[@msudeerlabtv5058]

That's our interpretation too!

[@keithkempenich6401]

Those are the exact words I texted to a buddy when I sent him this link. The science here seems clear and reliable. I'm convinced, barring any significant new findings in coming years.

[@Pollyeverything]

Great date guys!! I can only imagine the work that has gone into this!! The Southern outdoors podcast listeners will be making ALOT of correlations!!

[@MetaPhysStore0770]

26:10 deer activity changes over rut 56:20 moon phase results🦌🦌🦌🦌 1:27:40 dawn and dusk results 1:38:00 bedding down results

[@joshfrohock2141]

This is fantastic. I don't see how anyone could make the case this myth hasn't been debunked 5 times over by this study. Awesome stuff

[@matthathcote7822]

Well done! Very thorough, detailed and presented. Thank you so much for bringing clarity to “The Great Debate”!👏

[@msudeerlabtv5058]

Thank you. We hope it helps shine light on the issue 🙂

[@LynchOutdoors]

This is great news and I have to believe it. I would be one who thinks a full moon means more eating at night and more napping during the day. However, I literally just got done with our first opening rifle season in Mo and we had some full moons and clear skys. Deer movement was almost zero over 300 acres between us all at each stand both days. Coincidence..it must be based on this data. Huntings is always 50/50, right place at the right time. That I am a firm believer on. Thanks for all you guys do!

[@kylemallas918]

Great job… I’m convinced now to pass along to my buddies to their disbelief.

[@cjr4497]

A telemetry study was done near me and they thought several of the bucks were dead or hurt because they didn't budge during the day as soon as hunting season started. Every mature buck I have killed was during the ours most people are back at the camp, 10:30am - 3:00 pm.

[@bigracer3867]

The combination is mostly weather and fullness of moon. Okay a full bright overhead moon they move and feed at night then less movement in day. Of course clear and cloudy/rainy weather affects it also. Pretty simple really. But thank you for the college angle on it. 🎉🎉

[@jasonpadgett8593]

There is a lot of talk about averages. What about the outliers, spikes, or anomalies? There are many more variables: temperature, barometer pressure, cloud cover, food source, open canopy, or closed canopy, etc... What factors increase or decrease those moments? Hunters have been following the lunar calendar since the ice ages. There has to be something more to it....

[@akasutton]

On a full moon night in Minnesota, there is a noticeable decrease in daytime movement in the morning. During rifle season, you can hear the difference! This is farm country where deer are feeding overnight in fields well lit by moonlight. Just something I've always noticed.

[@jasonjones6534]

Great work

[@Brandon-uo1rv]

Really appreciate all the work and research. Though I understand the results as presented there is definitely some type of influence with full/new moon. I have my own personal experience and many other hunter friends that can confirm decreased morning activity during those periods. However the mid day movement seems to be higher than other moon phases. Maybe deer feeding longer, increase pressure, etc...I know the results don't show it so I'm guessing there is another variable to affect those sightings.

[@WMANomad]

The study shows more deer movement during the day than at night. However, I have several cameras scattered throughout a particular WMA that has relatively minor pressure. The cameras are off the beaten path. 9/10 (more like 90 of the last 100) of my pics are at night, regardless of weather, pressure, moon, or other factors that may influence deer movement. This is the case with all the cameras. They all get plenty of pics but few are at daylight. Why is this?

[@AvidhunterDupuis]

Thank you for the research! I would imagine it would be similar outside the rut? A lot of serious bowhunters take their giant buck before the rut kicks in. I imagine that data would support outside of the rut?

[@msudeerlabtv5058]

Good question. Yes, the results should hold before, during, and after the rut.

[@HuckFTW]

My take away regarding lunar effects… the best times to hunt are any time the moon is orbiting around the earth!

[@DJDavis-j2o]

Sorry if I missed it, but how many bucks were tracked?

[@brianboggs3123]

60, I think.

[@mattrenfroe1985]

maybe I missed it but can you tell me if during the full moon do some of the bucks travel more during the middle of the day? I've always heard a lot of people say during a full moon that's bright at night to hunt 10am to 2pm

[@benbearkiller]

Lol splitting hairs with this question it is what it is. There’s 0 effect of moon over all if they move alittle more during the middle of the day it wouldn’t be noticeable because the data they have showed that in a whole movement is not effected.

[@mattrenfroe1985]

@benbearkiller yeah I just always seem to have more activity on my cameras middle of the day when there is a full moon over head at night. Majority does which they didn't have collars on but still.

[@michaelg8642]

my theory is.. people are more likely to have sightings on moonlit nights because of increased visibility..

[@Brent1371]

How would we get a copy of these slides?

[@southernhood5145]

next thing you're going to tell us, is that all the scent covering products don't work. 😂

[@benbearkiller]

I think there’s som biologists that have already said that 😂😂

[@dus777]

Seems like this would have to be studied for decades to control for food, water, rut, disease, hunting pressure, weather, hunting regulations, even management projects in the area.

[@deerhuntingwithrickthepeas7870]

Thank you.

[@deerhuntingwithrickthepeas7870]

Just for the record I never did feel like howling during a full moon.

[@msudeerlabtv5058]

@@deerhuntingwithrickthepeas7870 Thanks for watching!

[@ThatYoungGibson]

What about the bears that appeared

[@stephencanter8947]

I did this survey.....and I selected the moon phase/phases has no affect on buck movement.....im the smartest man alive 😄 Now, lets take a moment of silence for those who spent money on those dumb red moon guides and their moon guide apparel.

[@benbearkiller]

Lol ikr 😂😅

[@Brandon_Barlow]

I’ve ran over 100 cameras for 12 seasons specifically focused on daytime deer only. I can tell you from my documentation with zero ambiguity that the moon does not impact deer movement. Period.

[@silentassassin1108]

I never hunt a full moon, I never see deer. I do have a buck I’m after that only shows up on a waning gibbous or waxing gibbous. I would say it’s more his pattern than the moon phase.

[@ItsAllGravy0123]

Moon pulls on me. Like an uncontrollable zombie walk. Leans my head forward too when I'm walking outside. Almost hard to stop walking at that point. Hunters see more activity during a full moon. So its clearly a thing. Some deer and people are different tho and it might not effect others the same. Call us lunatics (loon-atics) call us whatever you want but its a thing. We wouldn't be talking about it and having big universities do research and study the topic if it wasn't true. Theres obviously something there, something to it. When theres smoke theres fire.

[@dus777]

yet, MO just had an opening weekend with full moon and lower harvest than previous years. Where there's smoke, there's observation; and other evidence being ignored.

[@bobhope4949]

So I gota walk train tracks to go grocery shopping and I walk through a nature preserve and it’s been getting darker earlier, the deer were just running around in circles in a field like nuts the last few weeks, lol though I’d scared em off and they come back running around

[@mikeoc217]

Nope that college daygree don't work for me!! The moon is 💯% effecting 🦌 movement! Bark at the Moon! 🌚

[@KyleSmith-u7e]

So Dad was right...best time to hunt is when you can.

[@southernhood5145]

ok, I'm just curious, did you get the intelligent sounding British girl to explain the research to make it sound more believable 😂 But seriously, this is probably the biggest deer research ever and will definitely solve a lot of arguments and help people just go hunt. I've always thought that overhead and under foot made a difference and getting them to occur right before dark or later in the morning would help you see more deer. throw that all out the windows I guess

[@bobhope4949]

Explains why the nature preserve was shut down for hunters…. I wanted to see the moon but the shit was closed I said well it’s not the 16th, it’s the 15th, fuck it, started walking anyway and then I heard shots and was like yeah the moon ain’t work a shotgun slug to the chest, never mind…

[@swampbucker1]

“How to lie with statistics” is a book everyone should read

[@brettbailey8983]

Why would researchers want to lie or manipulate about moon effects on deer? Not much money in this realm, maybe a few people selling lunar calendars for deer hunting.

[@swampbucker1]

@@brettbailey8983 I made no such claims. I recommended a book. Have you even read the book?

[@brettbailey8983]

@@swampbucker1 no I read a synopsis a month ago when I commented. The book primarily focuses on the misuse of statistics to push an agenda. It’s kind of in the title of the book…. Seems like you wouldn’t agree with the MSU deer lab based on the recommendation of that book?

[@brettbailey8983]

@@swampbucker1 I read the synopsis a month ago when I commented. The book is about the misuse of statistics to push a specific agenda. The point of the book is pretty clear from the title… So you don’t agree with MSU deer lab based on your recommendation of the book?

[@steadyfishing384]

Its conclusive that there is no effect...... on your deer studied. I believe you are talking to a bunch of midwest boys. With our rut timing being so much more important. Our herds could be totally different

[@ItsAllGravy0123]

Go on a walk on a full moon at night out in the country or woods. It pulls you. Like gravity is stronger. I will say I noticed this on a super moon and regular full moons. But MOSTLY on a super moon. Just me tho. Ask around, test it out for yourself.