“Bad Moon On the Rise”

The Full Moon and its affect on Wild Game

By Tom Cannon

Creedence Clearwater Revival had a big hit in the seventies called “Bad Moon on the Rise” and that turned out well for them. Unfortunately, as outdoorsmen and women, sometimes the moon doesn’t seem to treat us as well as those free spirited musicians. A full moon can seemingly make or break an outing. Recently, the full moon of the 2011 Idaho and Oregon Chapter Slay and it was easily the most brilliant moon light many can recall. How did the animals react during the inherently brighter night? Did the full moon allow the typical day light dwellers an extra advantage or did it hinder the abilities of those that hunt at night?

Let’s face it, the lunar cycle has been continually researched since the earliest times. Scientists have proven through centuries of close observation that different phases of the moon affect all sorts of natural living things. Take for instance tides…Mariners navigate by a pre-determined set of tidal charts fore warning of the highs and lows of tides. Certain species of fish feed on a high or low tide and sea turtles, alligators and other tidal animals utilize the full moon and the tidal pressures to know when to seek out a shore on which to lay their eggs for optimum results.

The Farmer’s Almanac predicts the best times to plant, harvest, (and yes even neuter animals) by the moon’s phase. Many horticulturalists believe that certain plants bud out during a full moon phase. Likewise, many sportsmen assert that animals such as deer and fish begin their spawn or rut rituals with arrival of the full moon.

It’s no secret that the moon affects every living creature, yet some seem more under its spell than others. Not all animals see well at night. Some creatures have eyes that require more light than others, (like us humans) so the full moon may be more of an advantage for them. Since a good portion of the animal kingdom is nocturnal, it can be difficult to compare those creatures with typical daylight activists, such as us humans. Still, since the outdoors is our passion and we strive to be more intelligent about our quarry, our panel of “field experts” was questioned about the affects that the full moon has upon their more common prey and how they try and overcome those challenges.

Since the waterfowl season is currently under way in many portions of the nation, we begin with how the moon affects our migratory birds. Our first waterfowl expert is Fred G., co-founder of the Hoy 7 Hunting Team, whose unique blog is quickly gaining popularity with the hardcore young duck and goose hunters.

Fred G. chases waterfowl from early Teal season on up through the final days in January, when greenie forces him to hang up the calls. He is the guy I often find myself calling to check with about theories and how the birds are behaving across town. When asked, he freely admitted he was a firm believer in that ducks and geese often make drastic changes in the behaviors during the full moon period.

For instance, over the years Fred G.  noticed waterfowl would often go out to feed in the late afternoon and not return to their roost at dusk as is the common pattern. In fact, he witnessed them staying in the crop fields after sunset while the full moon was overhead. The moon provided plenty of light for them to feel secure enough to continue feeding during their normal resting hours.

Of course, this behavior had an immediate impact on the next morning’s hunt(s). Rarely did the ducks or geese fly out for their regular A.M. feeding. Warm weather just seemed to amplify this behavior as well. It became such common place that Self began to mark full moon periods on his calendar and would adjust his hunting schedule.

Through a process of elimination, Fred G. found that if the evening of the full moon was clear more often than not, birds stayed out late. It was not beneficial to hunt the next morning, since the birds had full bellies and typically lay up at the roost. Evening hunts (where legal) were more productive and only the last portion of shooting time was activity normally found. Of course, on cloudy nights the full moon may not “light up the night” and wildlife may not be able to feed as late. When the full moon falls during hunting season, this waterfowler will just sleep in and try his luck in the P.M.

A little farther nouth, in the town of Kellogg, Idaho lives Bob DaFolder. Most duck hunters know his bearded face and recognizable east coast drawl from the H7HT videos. “Bob” as he is known in the duck hunting world, is one of the nicest guys to ever pick up a call and he is one of the best callers and a die hard greenie slayer.

When I asked Bob how he dealt with a full moon during hunting season, he answered matter of factly with “persistence”. He explained that the full moon would not keep him out of his cherished flooded lakes, but that things can and do get tough. Still, things didn’t always work out for the worst. Bob mentioned that sometimes ducks and geese will feed hard the night before a full moon. “Come the next morning,” he advised” they’ll want in that timber bad!” Of course, in hunting there is no guarantee and every day has a learning curve. “Sometimes you just have to wait them out,” he chuckled and sometimes you go home empty handed.

A couple tricks that Bob has garnered over the years are that birds that feed all night long will often head to those less pressured areas to rest. Near by reservoirs can be great places to find loafing ducks with full bellies. Much like Fred G., Bob felt that mid day or afternoon hunts were more productive than early morning. “Actually, I like to be out right around noon, when some ducks will mill about some and good hunting can be had!” quipped Ronquest. Keep in mind that lots of hunters leave their hunting areas at or before noon, so this can really be a prime time!