# deer feeding times?



## jross31455 (Aug 11, 2011)

What's everyone's opinion on how true the deer feeding times are, and is it honestly the best time to hunt during the time the chart says?


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## jpippin (Jun 13, 2012)

The solunar charts help a lot. I hunted by primary times last year and generally saw more deer than my daylight/dark buddies. It just made me hunt harder and longer I reckon.


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## simpleman (Oct 20, 2007)

if u are talk about deer in a pen or some were thay dont get hunted for what ever the reason i would go bi the feeding time. But the deer most of us hunt u can throw it out the window. The deer will feed when thay feel the safest


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## jross31455 (Aug 11, 2011)

This is the first year that i am following the lunar charts so far i have seen more deer at the times it suggested


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## jpippin (Jun 13, 2012)

They def do. They are not the ultimate solution but they help. If primary was around like 1130 to 130 in the middle of the day last season, I would do a short mornin hunt, sit the primary time, and then hunt the eve. Saw lots more deer this way. I was always in the woods during primary hours. Killed two 8 points last season after 11 during primary times.


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## tyler0421 (Jan 10, 2008)

Which charts are y'all using? Is there an app that has it?


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## lettheairout (Mar 11, 2008)

Time2hunt. Is good app


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

Scoutlook is an ok app. 

But usprimetimes.com works well on the phone too.


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## jpippin (Jun 13, 2012)

Time2hunt is good. But I look at the solunar tab on it. The overall one is not that good.


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## EmeraldGhostJr (Aug 21, 2012)

Solunar tables are great to follow, especially during the beginning of the season before they really get pressured. Though it's not always foolproof. First week of bow season was a new moon and the deer did move more during the major feeds. However time will vary based upon whether you hunt the Winn-dixie (food sources), Motel 6 (bedding areas), or the trails they walk on. Solunar tables are just a guideline, but you also need to consider other factors as well (moon phase, pressure, weather, etc).


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## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

the only time i find they're in the ballpark of accurate is when it predicts they'll feed between 6am to 9am. or 4pm to 6pm. and i don't think any of us need an app to guess that.


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## jpippin (Jun 13, 2012)

They work better than some give them credit. Again, I killed two mature bucks last year late season during the middle of the day during major feeding times.


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## usprimetimes (Dec 7, 2012)

Hey Everyone...a little late but:

I'm the guy who developed and tested usprimetimes.com and really do live in the middle of the Helena National Forest, Montana (satellite could be better). Of course I think mine is better, but the data sure is. Also most of the sites folks spend their times in the field with guides, on weekends, or in their trucks. I do not. 

Providing the weather is good, when hunting Predators I prefer working my way at least a mile past where there is any human sign, with early morning overhead times being the best. With Deer, a couple of hours before or after a moonrise or set seems to also get them moving, especially early or late in the day. For Elk or heavy pressured areas when solely hunting for huffed food, I'll find a choke point (or what I call a Safe Corridor, normally only used when critters are moving to a new area) where other hunters spook them my way. (BTY: I do not generally use solunar for Bear or Elk, if anyone has success, let me know).

Feel free to let me know if there is anything you would like on the site that isn't or you don't like.

Take care,

Mark


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

pretty good info here.The only thing i do not understand is why the info doesnt match.for example i have scoutlook and time2hunt on my phone and check the best hunt times on time 2 hunt and they dont match scoutlooks and are usually way off from usprimetimes so which one is right?


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

for instance right now for clarksville florida usprimetimes gives 2 30 pm to 5 08 pm the best time for success with only 2 stars for sunday forecast.
time 2 hunt is saying 4 stars with 6 44 am to 9 02 am the best time using the solunar tab for sunday forecast.
They are completely opposite forecast and usually always different.Why so different if the data being used is based on the position of the moon.I dont get it.


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## FISHBOXFULL (May 9, 2008)

it depends on how late he stayed up chasin tail, might sleep in all day if he took her out and had a big meal


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## bamaman08 (Dec 22, 2008)

The best practice is finding something you believe in that will keep you in the stand longer. I honestly don't feel like charts help any more than anything else...but maybe that's just me. I have started going by my trail camera's now. I put them out for the week, check them the next weekend, and try to be in the woods at the times that I have the most pics. This has helped me to adjust my morning hunts lately, so that when they are moving late I will get there at 8:00 and sit as long as I can rather than daylight.


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

bamaman08 said:


> The best practice is finding something you believe in that will keep you in the stand longer. I honestly don't feel like charts help any more than anything else...but maybe that's just me. I have started going by my trail camera's now. I put them out for the week, check them the next weekend, and try to be in the woods at the times that I have the most pics. This has helped me to adjust my morning hunts lately, so that when they are moving late I will get there at 8:00 and sit as long as I can rather than daylight.


+1 i have a camera on a plot that rarely gets morning action.Pretty much guaranteed deer all over it after 4 pm


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## usprimetimes (Dec 7, 2012)

TatSoul said:


> for instance right now for clarksville florida usprimetimes gives 2 30 pm to 5 08 pm the best time for success with only 2 stars for sunday forecast.
> .


The Stars in the tables on usprimetimes solely reflect the overall influence of the moon on that day. Technically, it is computed from the moon distance, phase, and up times. Closer distance is stronger, for Phase the closer it is to a new or full moon the stronger. The Stars next to the graphs are determined from many additional factors (like how long and when the moon was up the night before), though are generally in the ball park. 

I assume some other applications base their Star ratings on less data or say how close an overhead period is near a sunrise, etc. From field experience and research, usprimetimes results will be much more conservative than others. I tried to put as many factors as "reasonable" into the software that I do when determining the best time to be in the field from a combination of successes while hunting and what was documented on all the camera traps. It is also important to note that more than a fair share of websites and apps fundamental computations are off. It can be verified by doing a google search on Sun Moon Data for Day U.S. Naval Observatory. For example, If you see a moon overhead not occurring for more than a day, there's something wrong.

"Reasonable" meaning: For example on Weather, In Arizona when it got cold I knew the predators would be roaming for food. In Montana when it gets cold (for montana, minus double digits), they stay in bed longer. In AZ during morning overhead periods I observed more overall animal movement including Deer. In MT the camera traps showed consistent movement of Deer near moonrise and set times. Some professional offshore fishermen have also told me that good catches can occur at rise/set times as well. 

A good way to look at solunar is an additional tool, if its cloudy (wear clothing w/o brighteners, even with dirty clothes predators will see you far away, deer will too), cool, the wind isn't too strong and in a steady direction, and its been that way overnight. Conversely, if its been windy all night and it dies down a couple hours before sunrise. Go out at sunrise no matter what the tables say, especially pre-front, you'll see something if your field craft is right.

Hope that wasn't too wordy,

Mark


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## usprimetimes (Dec 7, 2012)

PS. For U.S Observatory data checking, Moon Transit = Moon Overhead


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## TailRazor (Apr 25, 2011)

Honestly i started using http://www.solunarforecast.com/solunarforecast.aspx thinking it was BS myself but i've seen a lot more deer with less time in the woods. Not saying it's good or bad but when you have to choose morning or afternoon this will give you the better option.


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## bcbz71 (Dec 22, 2008)

I keep good notes on my hunts and I don't see a correlation between solunar prime times and actual movements. Deer are crepuscular, so hunt mornings and evenings and you will have the best chances if you like to bet the odds. 

YMMV, but this is what I have found on the subject.

From another site:
"Dr. Mark Connor had a great seminar this year at the QDMA convention in Nashville about moon phase and deer movement. He did a radio collar study of about 10 bucks 2 years old and older. He noted weather, temp, moon phase, etc. As I remember, he said he found no relationship between the moon and buck movement. Rut,weather/temps, will get them on their feet. And of course forced movement. 
I'd already concluded that it has little effect, if any."

Pretty extensive study showing moon phases have no effect on deer movement:
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijeco/2010/459610/

Previous studies have used variable-pulse activity sensors to monitor white-tailed deer [14, 49] and mule deer [24] activity patterns relative to moon phase. None of the aforementioned studies found an affect of moon phase on deer activity patterns. These findings are similar to ours in that moon phase had no influence on deer movement patterns.


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## usprimetimes (Dec 7, 2012)

bcbz71 said:


> Previous studies have used variable-pulse activity sensors to monitor white-tailed deer [14, 49] and mule deer [24] activity patterns relative to moon phase. None of the aforementioned studies found an affect of moon phase on deer activity patterns. These findings are similar to ours in that moon phase had no influence on deer movement patterns.


Both of the assertions mentioned have been noted in several studies, most notably a ten year study in MN, especially with rut times. Looking at Phases only is like looking only at the top speed of a F1 race car compared to lap times. More often than not the slowest lap times have the highest top speed in F1. Our five year study in non-disturbed areas with 9 camera traps in the Helena National Forest (with 2 years of Alpha present) indicated moonrise and set times as well as moon transits combined with moon illumination and other data indicted 'most likely' movement times for Deer. 

There are a huge number factors which combined determine usprimetimes ratings and chart flows that other solunar sites don't even consider, like the timing of moonrises or sets the night before, among may others including moon illumination. Phases, technically are not considered, illumination is, as well as the timings of it. My oversight in not making that clear, thank the wife for pointing that out.

The ratings in the most basic form; We are 'more likely' to see more and varied wildlife, or catch fish, when the weather is good and the rating bars are high good to excellent than if we went out under the same conditions (or appear to be) and the bars are low. 

Though it is far from black and white and there is no magic bullet, I'm confident that it well help more times than not. 


Take care,

Mark


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