DEER HUNTER'S MOON
2004

By Allen "horntagger" Morris

BY ALLEN “horntagger” MORRIS

Definitions
September
October
November
December
January

Other interesting facts
Moon Facts and Opinions
Current Moon Phase

Pre-rut starts from the second full moon from the fall equinox and last for about 8 days with the Main Rut starting at the last quarter moon phase and lasting 7 more days to the New Moon with the Post Rut lasting for 7 more days during the New Moon.

Definitions:

Pre-rut = (Seeking/Rubbing/Scraping) Bucks chasing Does.
Rut = (Chasing/Tending) Bucks Tending Does
Post-Rut = (Breeding) Bucks Searching for Does

THE MISSOURI SPORTSMEN 
DEER ACTIVITY INDEX

Deer Season FY 2004

Daytime Movement Only

Based from 460 Daylight Deer Sightings 
in Missouri of 
100% Free Ranging Whitetail Deer

New Moon –Full Moon –First Quarter –Last Quarter

MEDIUM-LOW-HIGH-HIGHEST

16% ------ 14% ------- 40% ------ 30%

% of movement is on the rise or fall as the light increase or decrease with the light phase of the moon.

MA = MORNING ACTIVITY – No dark transition from night to morning. Moon still in sky as sun rises extending feeding times till after sun rises.

Highlight the days below that you see deer for your own records.
 

MEDIUM LOW HIGH HIGHEST
16% 14% 30% 40%

Highlight the days below that you see deer for your own records.

September
October
November
December
January
 

September 
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network

    Deer Activity Index for September =

    A.     Majority of velvet shedding takes place and is finished this month.

    B.     Antler velvet is generally shed in a day. Even antler sparring among bucks begins right after velvet sheds.

    Might even start find scrapes and rubs by the end of the month from the dominant buck in your area


DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR SEPTEMBER
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

September 14th New Moon – Medium 16%
September 15th New Moon – Medium 19%
(Bow Season Opens)
September 16th New Moon – Medium 23%
September 17th New Moon – Medium 26%
(Sat) September 18th New Moon – Medium 30%
(Sun) September 19th New Moon – Medium 33%
September 20th New Moon – Medium 37%
September 21st First Quarter – Highest 40%
September 22nd First Quarter – Highest 36%
(Fall Equinox)
September 23rd First Quarter – Highest 33%
September 24th First Quarter – Highest 29%
(Sat) September 25th First Quarter – Highest 25%
(Sun) September 26th First Quarter – Highest 21%
(MA) September 27th First Quarter – Highest 18%
(MA) September 28th Full Moon – Low 14%
(MA) September 29th Full Moon – Low 16%
(MA) September 30th Full Moon – Low 18%

 

October 
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network

    Deer Activity Index for October =

    A.     Sparring and rubbing peaks last few days of the month through the first few days of the month through the first week of November.

    B.     Majority of rubbing activity starts bucks of all ages.

    C.     Most Scrapes Opened by end of the Month.

    D.    False Rut October 20th thru October 27th.

    Cooler Temperature’s from the North will also increase activity this time of year.


DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR OCTOBER
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

(MA) October 1st Full Moon – Low 20%
 (MA) (Sat) October 2nd Full Moon – Low 22%
(MA) (Sun) October 3rd Full Moon – Low 24%
(MA) October 4th Full Moon – Low 26%
(MA) October 5th Full Moon – Low 28%
(MA) October 6th Last Quarter – High 30%
(MA) October 7th Last Quarter – High 28%
(MA) October 8th Last Quarter – High 27%
(MA) (Sat) October 9th Last Quarter – High 25%
(Sun) October 10th Last Quarter – High 23%
October 11th Last Quarter – High 21%
(Fall Turkey Season Opens)
October 12th Last Quarter – High 20%
October 13th Last Quarter – High 18%
October 14th New Moon – Medium 16%
October 15th New Moon – Medium 20%
(Sat) October 16t New Moon – Medium 24%
(Sun) October 17th New Moon – Medium 28%
October 18th New Moon – Medium 32% 
October 19th New Moon – Highest 36%
October 20th First Quarter – Highest 40%
(False Rut under way, Open Mock Scrapes Don’t Forget Overhanging Limb.)
October 21st First Quarter – Highest 37%
October 22nd First Quarter – Highest 34%
(Sat) October 23rd First Quarter – Highest 30%
(Sun) October 24th First Quarter – Highest 27%
(Fall Turkey Season Ends)
October 25th First Quarter – Highest 24%
(MA) October 26th First Quarter – Highest 21%
 (MA) October 27th First Quarter – Highest 17%
(MA)  October 28th Full Moon – Low 14%
(Second Full Moon)(Pre Rut Starts)
(MA)  October 29th Full Moon – Low 16%
(MA)  (Sat) October 30th Full Moon – Low 18%
(MA)  (Sun) October 31st Full Moon – Low 20% 
(Halloween)
(Daylight Saving Times Ends)(Move Clocks Back)


November 
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network
 Deer Activity Index for November

A.Does in estrus 24-hour period.

B.Peak of rut – Dominant bucks tending does, subordinate bucks trying to.

C.80 to 90 percent of does breed during first rut.

D.Bucks lose up to 25 percent of body weight during breeding season.

E.Some rubbing activity will continue until January.

DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR NOVEMBER
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

(MA)  November 1st Full Moon – Low 22%
(MA) November 2nd Full Moon – Low 24%
(MA) November 3rd Full Moon – Low 26%
(MA) November 4th Full Moon – Low 28%
(MA) November 5th Last Quarter – High 30%
 (Rut Starts)
(MA)(Sat) November 6th Last Quarter – High 28%
(Youth Firearms Season Starts)
(MA)(Sun)November 7th Last Quarter– High 26%
(Youth Firearms Season Ends)
(MA) November 8th Last Quarter – High 24%
 November 9th Last Quarter – High 22% 
November 10th Last Quarter – High 20%

 November 11th Last Quarter – High 18%
November 12th New Moon – Medium 16%
(Post Rut Starts)
(Sat) November 13th New Moon – Medium 19%
(Firearms Season Opens)
(Sun) November 14th New Moon – Medium 23%
(Wife’s Birthday send Gifts)
November 15th New Moon – Medium 26%
November 16th New Moon – Medium 30%
November 17th New Moon – Highest 33%
November 18th New Moon – Highest 37%
November 19th First Quarter – Highest 40%
(Sat) November 20th First Quarter – Highest 36%
(Sun) November 21st First Quarter – Highest 33%
November 22nd First Quarter – Highest 29%
November 23rd First Quarter – Highest 25%
(Firearms Season Ends)
November 24th First Quarter – Highest 21%
(Thanksgiving Day)
(Second Half Bow Season Opens)
(MA) November 25th First Quarter – Highest 18%
(MA) November 26th Full Moon – Low 14%
(Muzzleloading Season Opens)
(MA) (Sat) November 27th Full Moon – Low 16%
(MA) (Sun) November 28th Full Moon – Low 18%
(MA) November 29th Full Moon – Low 19%
(Son’s Birthday send Gifts)
(MA) November 30th Full Moon – Low 21%

 
December
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network
 Deer Activity Index for December

A.Second estrus by does not previously bred 30 days from first rut.

B.10 to 20 percent of does breed during second rut.

C.Some rubbing activity will continue until January.

D.Turkey’s will be in large groups during this time of year.

E.Some gobbling will take place.

DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR DECEMBER
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

(MA) December 1st Full Moon - Low 23%
(MA) December 2nd Full Moon – Low 25%
(MA) December 3rd Full Moon – Low 26%
(MA) (Sat) December 4th Full Moon – Low 28%
(MA)(Sun)December 5th Last Quarter – High 30%
(Muzzleloading Season Ends)
(Second Rut Starts)
(MA) December 6th Last Quarter – High 28%
(MA) December 7th Last Quarter – High 26%
December 8th Last Quarter – High 24%
December 9th Last Quarter – High 22%
December 10th Last Quarter – High 20%
(Sat) December 11th Last Quarter – High 18%
(Antlerless-Only Firearms Season Opens)
(Sun) December 12th New Moon – Medium 16%
December 13th New Moon – Medium 20%
December 14th New Moon – Medium 24%
December 15th New Moon – Medium 28%
December 16th New Moon - Medium 32%
December 17th New Moon – Medium 36%
(Sat) December 18th First Quarter – Highest 40%
(Sun) December 19th First Quarter – Highest 37%
(Antlerless-Only Firearms Season Ends)
December 20th First Quarter – Highest 34%
December 21st First Quarter – Highest 30%
December 22nd First Quarter – Highest 27%
December 23rd First Quarter – Highest 24%
(MA) December 24th First Quarter – Highest 21%
(MA)(Sat)December25thFirst Quarter Highest17%
(Christmas Day)
(MA) (Sun) December 26th Full Moon – Low 14%
(MA) December 27th Full Moon – Low 16%
(MA) December 28th Full Moon – Low 18%
(MA) December 29th Full Moon – Low 20%
(MA) December 30th Full Moon – Low 22%
(MA) December 31st Full Moon Low 24%

January
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network

 Deer Activity Index for January =

A.     Third & final estrus by doe deer not previously bred 30 days from second rut could occur from January 3rd – January 9th

B. Movement is limited

C. Deer switch to daytime activity, moving around when it is warmer.

D. Bedding and feeding on southeast exposures.

E. Yarding Activity ongoing.

F. Antler shedding by younger bucks.

 

DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR JANUARY
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

(MA) (Sat) January 1st Full Moon – Low 26%
(New Year’s Day)
(MA) (Sun) January 2nd Full Moon – Low 28%
(MA) January 3rd Last Quarter – High 30%
(Third Rut Starts)
(MA) January 4th Last Quarter – High 28%
(MA) January 5th Last Quarter – High 26%
January 6th Last Quarter – High 24%
January 7th Last Quarter – High 22%
(Sat) January 8th Last Quarter – High 20%
(Sun) January 9th Last Quarter – High 18%
January 10th New Moon – Medium 16%
January 11th New Moon – Medium 19%
January 12th New Moon – Medium 23%
January 13th New Moon – Medium 26%
January 14th New Moon – Medium 30%
(Sat) January 15th New Moon – Medium 33%
(Bow Season is over)
(Sun) January 16th New Moon – Medium 37%
January 17th First Quarter – Highest 40%

Deer activity index is affected by the moon, location, weather (temperature, rain, etc) and hunting pressure which affects it the most. All this must be taken into account when using the following index.  

My index is based off ten years of personal observation records and 6 years of photo’s from surveillance camera and other resources.  

MA = MORNING ACTIVITY with the moon in the sky as the sun comes up is affected greatly by cloud cover. Keep this in mind while preparing to hunt that morning.

Before you go, no matter what the activity of Deer are, when you get a chance to hunt is still better than the chance you have sitting in the house. Plus the fact some of us only get to hunt the weekends. Good Luck. Hope to see you in the woods or on the water.
 Allen “horntagger” Morris

Another interesting fact is that.
Based on 460 Whitetail Deer

292 Whitetail deer or (66%) are Sun Rise to Noon Sightings.
168 Whitetail deer or (34%) are Noon to Sunset Sightings.

Another interesting fact is that.
Based on 604 Whitetail Deer

422 Whitetail deer or (70%) moved during the nighttime hours.
182 Whitetail deer or (30%) moved during the daylight hours.

THE MISSOURI SPORTSMEN DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR PREVIOUS YEARS:
Daytime Movement Only
Based from Daylight Deer Sightings in Missouri of 100% Free Ranging Whitetail Deer

 

NEW MOON –FULL MOON –FIRST QUARTER – LAST QUARTER

LOW-MEDIUM-HIGH-HIGHEST

Deer Season FY 2000 – 100 Whitetails ------17% -------------- 19% ---------------- 29% -------------- 35%

Deer Season FY 2001 – 188 Whitetails ------14% -------------- 16% ---------------- 33% -------------- 37%

Deer Season FY 2002 – 274 Whitetails ------14% -------------- 19% ---------------- 33% -------------- 34%

Deer Season FY 2003 – 317 Whitetails ------13% -------------- 17% ---------------- 35% -------------- 35%

Deer Season FY 2004 – 460 Whitetails ------16% -------------- 14% ---------------- 40% -------------- 30%

Check out South Missouri Sportsmen’s Information Web Site and read the Moon Facts and Opinions
MOON FACTS

Hope to see in the woods or on the water.  Allen "horntagger" Morris

 

THE MISSOURI SPORTSMEN'S INFORMATION NETWORK
MOSPORTSMEN.COM


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