The moon phases can affect not only your hunt but what the animals are doing during the day and night.  Not only is the deer hunter and the deer effected but the moose hunter, bear hunter, elk hunter and many other species are affected directly by the moon.  Rut itself is controlled by light.  Many a hunter believes that by studying and adjusting to the moon phases they can improve their own success.

Moon phases change daily, caused by the position of the sun, earth and moon. As the amount of light on the moon, moving from right to left, is increasing, the moon is said to be waxing. When the amount of light decreases (or the darkness increases), the moon is said to be waning. This is only true in the Northern Hemisphere; it's the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere.

John Alden Knight came up with the So lunar Theory. He found the sun, moon and tides affected fish and wildlife activity. Knight published his Solunar Tables in 1936. The tables, now published in many sporting magazines and online, provide the best times for fishing and hunting.  The Solunar Theory states the closer you are to the sun or moon, the stronger the influence. The day of a new (dark) or full (light) moon provides the strongest influence each month.

Hunters know that game tend to feed during dawn and dusk. What increases wildlife activity is the effect of a moonrise or moonset along with the specific monthly phases of new and full moons. When a Solunar Period falls within 30-60 minutes of sunrise or sunset, it's good. When there is a moonrise or moonset during that same period, it's better! The peak time, however, is when all of those times occur during a new or full moon.

How does the moon affect The BackLand Film Crews hunts?  Here is my own personal opinion of the full moon.  “First after getting burned year after year, hunting the up slide of the full moon.   I have made some major shifts in scheduling based on a business decision.   We will no longer schedule hunts during these times.  Why? It is this simple,  we have the option to hunt peak times, not only is it less effective hunting during the wrong moon phases, but it is very costly to sit stagnant day after day with little or no animal movement. 

Does this mean that you can’t score on an animal on these days?  You can have success any day within any minute, if you are in the right time at the right place.  As a rule we don’t hunt ungulates from the 5 day period in front of the full moon, on the slide after yes we will hunt.  You need to make your own decisions on hunt and time spent a field, this is simply my thoughts.  Something to think about if you are thinking of taking that hard earned vacation time for hunt.  Best odds, Best days, best chances!  Good luck this season and may all your dreams become reality!”

                                                Scott Anderson Designer BackLand Camouflage