Deer Movement
however, may indicate that they are more circadian because
of the digestion process.
Conclusion
Just like my thoughts on how the moon phase affects the rut, I
A study by QDMA sheds some light on how deer sleep. They think that a lot of other factors affect deer movement on your
state that deer sleep in short periods that are followed by
property. Obviously, a common one is food. The number,
alert phases, flowing in a repeating cycle. This sleeping style closeness, type, and size of the food sources on your property
also suggests that deer are more active throughout the entire are going to affect when deer move. If the food sources are
night, because unlike us they don’t need significant amounts farther away and the deer are bedding on your property they
of sleep for their bodies to recover.
may have to move earlier to get to those foods sources. If you
have a significant source of mast crops on your property like
Which Phase is Better?
acorns, the deer on your property may hold up in those areas
A study by Texas Tech University in 1985 found that deer
before moving to the agricultural fields later in the night. If
activity was more prominent during dawn and dusk when the the size of your food plots are small, it may also affect when
moon phase was ¼ to ¾. The full moon and moonless phases deer move. Early on in the season deer may come to your
lessened this activity. So why are some phases more
food sources on a regular basis very early because the food
successful than others? It may have to do with comfort level. plots act as a staging area. But once they eat through your
The quarter moon phases produce less light during the night food plot, it may no longer act as an early staging area.
then the full moon phase. This means that deer are going to
I also think the main component of deer movement is
feel safer in the low light conditions. Thus, when there is a full
comfort. A deer isn’t going to move anywhere or at any time,
moon, the increased moon shine will cause the deer to feel
if it doesn’t feel safe. Pressure can totally change when deer
less safe out in the open. The assumption for moonless nights
move on your property. If there is enough pressure the deer
is that the darkness makes it harder for deer to see at night.
may move strictly at night, not because they want to, but
So they concentrate their movements during the day.
e
because it is the safest. If you are hunting pressured deer on
Hunters Advantage?
public land or have very active neighbors, hunting the moon
phases may not work to well.
The following paragraph is the suggested theory de \