Stanley wrote:So would the next best thing be tracking buck movement with cameras to determine if buck movement is enhanced on moon days? Lot of the moon guys say this is an irrelevant test? So now we are down to hunters "believing" the buck movement happens. Is this a valid way to determine buck movement on moon days? By my thinking there is not enough real evidence that supports enhanced buck movement on good moon days.
GPS would be the best, ideally as hunters we would want to track all daylight movements of mature bucks and study the conditions they moved during shooting hours or earlier than normal be it weather, rut, moon or other. 5 or 10 minute increments would probably be best. Not sure this is a study that will ever get done but it sure would be fun to pour over the data and try and understand all daytime movements. It would be even more interesting to do it for different groups of bucks around the country and see if there are differences there as well.
Stanley wrote:Another thing to take into consideration if you set up on a buck and get withing site of the bedded buck, what difference does it make if the buck gets up 10 minutes earlier?
This is what I am talking about when I say fundamental differences over the understanding of the moon. You can't see how this could help but as a bed hunter that 10 minutes can make or break your season. Twice in the past 5-6 years I have had shooters in bow range but it was just too dark to make an ethical shot. Had the buck come 5 or 10 minute earlier I might be able to make that shot. The same can be said for distance traveled. Its not like the bucks get up and shoot off in any direction, the can take their time or mill around waiting for darkness. In pressured situations they really don't want to be out of their safety zone when its light out.
Stanley wrote:If you are in position to kill the buck long before he gets up, he either gets up and gives you a shot or he doesn't.
This can happen but it isn't always the case and is just too simplistic of an example, many variables come into play and time on feet and the distance a buck travels during shooting hours can play a major roll.
Stanley wrote:You can't wait for a good moon day with perfect weather, perfect wind, etc. It may not happen. You must hunt when the conditions are perfect regardless of moon phase.
I have asked this question a good dozen times over the various moon threads with no answers, who has every said only hunt moon days or to stay home on non moon days? It is a constant excuse to discard the moon but is not relevant to conversation. So please who is proposing that people stay home because its not a moon day?
Stanley wrote:I always tell young hunters to concentrate on things they have control over. They can only hope all the conditions fall on a good moon day.
I guess I have to ask again who is saying this? It makes no sense to me and I don't know any moon hunters who would give out such advise.