Deer Activity Index

2005

By Allen "horntagger" Morris

BY ALLEN “horntagger” MORRIS

Definitions

September

October

November

December

January

Other interesting facts

Moon Facts and Opinions

Current Moon Phase

Pre-rut starts from the second new moon from the fall equinox and last for about 7 days with the Main Rut starting at the first quarter moon phase and lasting 7 more days to the New Moon with the Post Rut lasting for 8 more days during the New Moon.

Definitions:

Pre-rut = (Seeking/Rubbing/Scraping) Bucks chasing Does.
Rut = (Chasing/Tending) Bucks Tending Does
Post-Rut = (Breeding) Bucks Searching for Does

THE MISSOURI SPORTSMEN DEER ACTIVITY INDEX

Deer Season FY 2005

Daytime Movement Only

Based from 460 Daylight Deer Sightings in Missouri of 100% Free Ranging Whitetail Deer

NEW MOON – FIRST QUARTER -- FULL MOON – LAST QUARTER

LOW __ - HIGHEST _ - _LOWEST -_HIGH

15% --------- 39% ---------- 14% -------- 32%

% of movement is on the rise or fall as the light increase or decrease with the light phase of the moon.

(MA) = MORNING ACTIVITY – No dark transition from night to morning. Moon still in sky as sun rises extending feeding times till after sun rises.

Highlight the days below that you see deer for your own records.

LOW	LOWEST	HIGH	HIGHEST
15%	14%	32%	39%

Highlight the days below that you see deer for your own records.

September
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network

Deer Activity Index for September =

A. Majority of velvet shedding takes place and is finished this month.

B. Antler velvet is generally shed in a day. Even antler sparring among bucks begins right after velvet sheds and starts during the full moon September 17th.

Might even start finding scrapes and rubs by the end of the month from the dominant buck in your area.

DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR SEPTEMBER
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

September 15^th First Quarter – Highest 22%
(Bow Season Opens)
September 16^th First Quarter – Highest 18%
(Sat) September 17^th Full Moon – Lowest 14%
(Sun) September 18^th Full Moon – Lowest 16%
(MA) September 19^th Full Moon – Lowest 19%
(MA)September 20^th Full Moon – Lowest 21%
(MA)September 21^st Full Moon – Lowest 23%
(MA)September 22^nd Full Moon – Lowest 25%
(Fall Equinox)
(MA)September 23^rd Full Moon – Lowest 28%
(MA)(Sat) September 24^th Full Moon–Lowest 30%
(MA)(Sun)September 25^th Last Quarter–High 32%
(MA)September 26^th Last Quarter – High 30%
(MA) September 27^th Last Quarter – High 28%
(MA) September 28^th Last Quarter – High 26%
(MA) September 29^th Last Quarter – High 24%
(MA) September 30^th Last Quarter – High 21%

October
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network

Deer Activity Index for October =

A. Sparring and rubbing peaks last few days of the month through the first few days of the month through the first week of November.

B. Majority of rubbing activity starts bucks of all ages.

A. Most Scrapes Opened by end of the Month.

B. False Rut October 10th thru October 16th.

Cooler Temperature’s from the North will also increase activity this time of year

DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR OCTOBER
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

(MA) (Sat) October 1^st Last Quarter – High 19%
(Fall Turkey Season Opens)
(MA) (Sun) October 2^nd Last Quarter – High 17%October 3^rd New Moon – Low 15%
October 4^th New Moon – Low 18%
October 5^th New Moon – Low 22%
October 6^th New Moon – Low 25%
October 7^th New Moon – Low 29%
(Sat) October 8^th New Moon – Low 32%
(Sun) October 9^th New Moon – Low 36%
October 10^th First Quarter – Highest 39%
(False Rut under way, Open Mock Scrapes Don’t Forget Overhanging Limb.)
October 11^th First Quarter – Highest 35%
October 12^th First Quarter – Highest 32%
October 13^th First Quarter – Highest 28%
October 14^th First Quarter – Highest 25%
(Sat) October 15^th First Quarter – Highest 21%
(Sun) October 16^tFirst Quarter – Highest 18%
October 17^th Full Moon – Lowest 14%
(MA) October 18^th Full Moon – Lowest 18%
(MA) October 19^th Full Moon – Lowest 21%
(MA) October 20^th Full Moon – Lowest 25%
(MA) October 21^st Full Moon – Lowest 28%
(MA) (Sat) October 22^nd Full Moon – Lowest 32%
(MA) (Sun) October 23^rd Full Moon – Lowest 35%
(MA) October 24^th Last Quarter – High 32%
(MA) October 25^th Last Quarter – High 29%
(MA) October 26^th Last Quarter – High 27%
(MA) October 27^th Last Quarter – High 24%
(MA) October 28^th Last Quarter – High 22%
(MA) (Sat) October 29^th Last Quarter – High 19%
(Youth Firearms Season Starts)
(MA) (Sun) October 30^th Last Quarter – High 17%
(Youth Firearms Season Ends)
(Daylight Saving Times Ends)(Move Clocks Back)
(MA) October 31^st Last Quarter – High 14%
(Fall Turkey Season Ends) (Halloween)

November
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network

Deer Activity Index for November =

A. Does in estrus 24-hour period.

B. Peak of rut – Dominant bucks tending does, subordinate bucks trying to.

C. 80 to 90 percent of does breed during first rut.

D. Bucks lose up to 25 percent of body weight during breeding season.

E. Some rubbing activity will continue until January.

DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR NOVEMBER
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

November 1^st New Moon – Low 15%
(Second Full Moon)(Pre Rut Starts)
November 2^nd New Moon – Low 18%
November 3^rd New Moon – Low 22%
November 4^th New Moon – Low 25%
(Sat) November 5^th New Moon – Low 29%
(Sun) November 6^th New Moon – Low 32%
November 7^th New Moon– Low 36%
November 8^th First Quarter – Highest 39%
(Rut Starts)
November 9^th First Quarter – Highest 35%
November 10^th First Quarter – Highest 32%
November 11^th First Quarter – Highest 28%
(Sat) November 12^th First Quarter – Highest 25%
(Firearms Season Opens)
(Sun) November 13^th First Quarter – Highest 21%
November 14^th First Quarter – Highest 18%
(Wife’s Birthday send Gifts)
November 15^th Full Moon – Lowest 14%
(Post Rut Starts)
(MA) November 16^th Full Moon – Lowest 16%
(MA) November 17^th Full Moon – Lowest 19%
(MA) November 18^th Full Moon – Lowest 21%
(MA)(Sat) November 19^th Full Moon– Lowest 23%
(MA)(Sun)November 20^th Full Moon–Lowest 25%
(MA)November 21^st Full Moon – Lowest 28%
(MA) November 22^nd Full Moon – Lowest 30%
(Firearms Season Ends)
(MA)November 23^rd Last Quarter – High 32%
(Second Half Bow Season Opens)
(MA)November 24^th Last Quarter – High 30%
(Thanksgiving Day)
(MA) November 25^th Last Quarter – High 28%
(Muzzleloader Season Opens)
(MA) (Sat)November 26^th Last Quarter– High 26%
(MA)(Sun)November 27^th Last Quarter-High 24%
(MA)November 28^th Last Quarter-High 21%
November 29^th Last Quarter-High 19%
(Son’s Birthday send Gifts)
November 30^th Last Quarter – High 17%

December
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network

Deer Activity Index for December =

A. Second estrus by does not previously bred 30 days from first rut.

B. 10 to 20 percent of does breed during second rut.

C. Some rubbing activity will continue until January.

D. Turkey’s will be in large groups during this time of year.

E. Some gobbling will take place.

DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR DECEMBER
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

December 1^st New Moon - Low 15%
December 2^nd New Moon – Low 18%
(Sat) December 3^rd New Moon – Low 22%
(Sun)December 4^th New Moon – Low 25%
(Muzzleloader Season Ends)
December 5^th New Moon – Low 29%
December 6^th New Moon – Low 32%
December 7^th New Moon – Low 36%
December 8^th First Quarter – Highest 39%
(Second Rut Starts)
December 9^th First Quarter – Highest 35%
(Sat) December 10^th First Quarter – Highest 32%
(Antlerless-Only Firearms Season Opens)
(Sun) December 11^th First Quarter – Highest 28%
December 12^th First Quarter – Highest 25%
December 13^th First Quarter – Highest 21%
December 14^th First Quarter – Highest 18%
(MA)December 15^th Full Moon – Lowest 14%
(MA)December 16^th Full Moon - Lowest 16%
(MA)(Sat) December 17^th Full Moon– Lowest 19%
(MA)(Sun) December 18^th Full Moon–Lowest 21%
(Antlerless-Only Firearms Season Ends)
(MA)December 19^th Full Moon – Lowest 23%
(MA)December 20^th Full Moon – Lowest 25%
(MA)December 21^st Full Moon – Lowest 28%
(MA)December 22^nd Full Moon – Lowest 30%
(MA)December 23^rd Last Quarter – High 32%
(MA) (Sat)December 24^th Last Quarter – High 30%
(MA) (Sun)December25^thLast Quarter High 27%
(Christmas Day)
(MA) December 26^th Last Quarter- High 25%
(MA) December 27^th Last Quarter – High 22%
December 28^th Last Quarter – High 20%
December 29^th Last Quarter – High 17%
December 30^thNew Moon – Low 15%
(Sat) December 31^st New Moon - Low 18%

January
Deer Activity Index
Missouri Sportsmen's
Information Network

Deer Activity Index for January =

A. Third & final estrus by doe deer not previously bred 30 days from second rut could occur from January 6^th – January 13^th

B. Movement is limited

C. Deer switch to daytime activity, moving around when it is warmer.

D. Bedding and feeding on southeast exposures.

E. Yarding Activity ongoing.

F. Antler shedding by younger bucks.

DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR JANUARY
By: Allen "horntagger" Morris

(Sun) January 1^stNew Moon – Low 22%
(New Year’s Day)
January 2^nd New Moon – Low 25%
January 3^rd New Moon – Low 29%
January 4^th New Moon – Low 32%
January 5^th New Moon – Low 36%
January 6^th First Quarter – Highest 39%
(Third Rut Starts)
(Sat) January 7^th First Quarter – Highest 36%
(Sun) January 8^th First Quarter – Highest 33%
January 9^th First Quarter – Highest 30%
January 10^th First Quarter – Highest 27%
January 11^th First Quarter – Highest 23%
January 12^th First Quarter – Highest 20%
(MA) January 13^th First Quarter – Highest 17%
(MA) (Sat) January 14^th Full Moon – Lowest 14%
(MA)(Sun) January 15^th Full Moon – Lowest 16%
(Bow Season is over)

Deer activity index is affected by the moon, location, weather (temperature, rain, etc) and hunting pressure which affects it the most. All this must be taken into account when using the following index.

My index is based off 11 years of personal observation records and 7 years of photos from surveillance camera and other resources.

MA = MORNING ACTIVITY with the moon in the sky as the sun comes keeps the deer feeding after the sun comes up and later into the morning. This affected greatly by cloud cover.

Keep this in mind while preparing to hunt that morning.

Verify all hunting season dates.

Before you go, no matter what the activity of Deer are, when you get a chance to hunt is still better than the chance you have sitting in the house. Plus the fact some of us only get to hunt the weekends. Good Luck. Hope to see you in the woods or on the water.
Allen “horntagger” Morris

Another interesting fact is that.

Based on 484 Whitetail Deer
297 Whitetail deer or (61%) are Sun Rise to Noon Sightings.
187 Whitetail deer or (39%) are Noon to Sunset Sightings.

Another interesting fact is that.
Based on 640 Whitetail Deer
435 Whitetail deer or (68%) moved during the nighttime hours.
205 Whitetail deer or (32%) moved during the daylight hours.

THE MISSOURI SPORTSMEN DEER ACTIVITY INDEX FOR PREVIOUS YEARS:
Daytime Movement Only
Based from Daylight Deer Sightings in Missouri of 100% Free Ranging Whitetail Deer

NEW MOON – FULL MOON – FIRST QUARTER – LAST QUARTER

Deer Season FY 2000 – 100 Whitetails ------17% -------------- 19% ----------- 29% ------------- 35%
Deer Season FY 2001 – 188 Whitetails ------14% -------------- 16% -------------- 33% ---------- 37%
Deer Season FY 2002 – 274 Whitetails ------14% -------------- 19% --------------- 33% ---------- 34%
Deer Season FY 2003 – 317 Whitetails ------13% -------------- 17% -------------- 35% ----------- 35%
Deer Season FY 2004 – 460 Whitetails ------16% -------------- 14% -------------- 40% ----------- 30%
Deer Season FY 2005 – 484 Whitetails ------15% -------------- 14% ------------- 39% ------------ 32%

You can also go to the Missouri Sportsmen’s Information Web Site and read the

(Moon Facts and Opinions)

www.mosportsmen.com

Check out South Missouri Sportsmen’s Information Web Site and read the Moon Facts and Opinions
MOON FACTS