Who all is already thinking about their 2025 rut cation?? I know I am, just wrestling with days to take off. I have 7 vacations days available to me to take off this year (more next year as I get an extra week of vacation). Currently I have off 10/27, 10/28, 11/3, 11/6, 11/7, 11/13 and 11/14, plus weekends of course...In my areas of 2G and 3B in Lycoming County after about the 16th/17th, rutting activity is about over, so that's why I am not taking any days off that week. My dilemma currently is I am wondering how much the full moon on 11/5 will effect daytime movement in the 2-3 days before and after the 5th...I know breeding occurs the same time every year, but I decided to make this post to see how others feel about daytime movement during a full moon. I definitely think weather plays a big factor in movement. That being said, I am definitely going to have the 27th and 28th of October off, last year I saw my #1 target buck out of bow range, locked down on a doe already, which is 1-2 weeks early for my area. That being said, what are everyone's thought's on the full moon and how it effects or doesn't effect daytime movement?
2025 Whitetail Rut
ebarnes1993
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Yeah that definitely concerns me for early season. I may leave work early the first Monday the 6th just since it's early season, but I'm not taking any full days off until October 27th. I agree with you 100% about the cold!
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Yes. Last year it was first 30 seconds of the season on a stand I hung the day before due to trail cam intel.
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Cold snaps don't mean anything. Full moon or a bright moon is associated with crappy hunts in the morning because you spook deer walking in. Otherwise the moon doesn't affect movement.
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I can see that being true about full moons. And to add a windless quiet morning... I hunt really thick stuff so you know if there's no wind to mask sound somewhat they can hear you moving a mile away it seems.
Really subjective topic. Many different opinions. Truth is not all hunters have the same time, experience or observations from the tree let alone the “right tree”. Therefore not all data has the same metrics. You can generalize the basic run of the mill tactics but like said before from oct 25 to Nov 25 be in the woods every chance you get no matter the wind weather moon holiday time or occasion. Time in stand trumps all. Until you gain confidence in what works for you and on what dates, opinions on this mean nothing other than confusion and second guessing and of course a little debating
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It happens. But maybe not noticable if you're hunting small areas with lots of doe. I remember you bringing this up last year.
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No doubt it happens. They way some guys talk, though, its madness in mid October.
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I've never seen it either. Most of my group go out in Oct but don't hit it too hard. The last two weeks of archery is the time to be in the woods.
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I don't pay attention to much except my own experiences—I bowhunt in western PA. The past four have been killed in October. Something is shifting, and I have no idea what it is, but I'd take the last week of October over the first week of November if I had to choose. I didn't use to feel this way.
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Inquisitive minds would like to know... Morning hunts, evenings? i don't go crazy in October but I've definitely seen more during the mornings. So much so that I've mostly stopped evening sits during October.
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Neighborhood foot traffic and dog walkers keep them moving around our hunting grounds rut or no rut..
okay….to each his own! Not my experience over the last 43 years of bow hunting. Hey that s why I enjoy hunting we can all do it the way we like!
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One in the morning, three in the evening. I typically don't hunt mornings unless one is on a suicidal pattern.
Any cold front from the 15th of October on can be phenomenal but you have to have your i’s dotted and t’s crossed. Observation and camera intel proves that mature bucks move in daylight in October particularly on scrapes. The original post is about the rut, there’s a big difference in hunting late October and early November. Like tbrom I’ll take last week October any day.
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You aren’t the first person who’s said this. I’m off 10/27 and 10/28 this year
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I agree on the last week of October. Halloween has been very good to me.
As for the moon; it's not the phase it is timing. When the moon is high in the sky during daylight hours deer are often on the move.
Power grunting the last week of October can be killer.
As for the moon; it's not the phase it is timing. When the moon is high in the sky during daylight hours deer are often on the move.
Power grunting the last week of October can be killer.
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If you have flexibility, hunt when its cold. If you have to take off, I am not sure it really matters between last week of Oct through 2 weeks of Nov. Just spend every moment possible in the woods.
I didnt hunt last week of Oct much last yr due to heat. Had a scrape with 5 shooters on it in one day and the biggest buck on camera, hit the scrape in day light 3 days in a row. So temp isn't everything, but definitely affects movement in my experience.
Dont over look the last week.
All that to say... Just hunt!!
I didnt hunt last week of Oct much last yr due to heat. Had a scrape with 5 shooters on it in one day and the biggest buck on camera, hit the scrape in day light 3 days in a row. So temp isn't everything, but definitely affects movement in my experience.
Dont over look the last week.
All that to say... Just hunt!!
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