How Accurate Is The Solunar Calendar For Deer Hunting?

Author: Jacob Smith
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Marcus Lashley, a graduate student at North Carolina State University, performed an experiment to see if solunar activity affects the rates of deer movement. He and his colleagues used GPS collars to track the movements of 16 adult female deer, documenting their whereabouts every 2.5 hours. They did all this to learn how accurate is the solunar calendar for deer hunting.

After comparing the outcomes of over 22,000 GPS fixes, they discovered that, on average, solunar predictions were accurate within a three-hour window roughly 25% of the time. They did not discover a statistically significant link between deer movements and solunar activity, to put it another way.

How accurate is the solunar calendar for deer hunting?

A sportsman simply needs a few excursions outside to realize that wildlife is more active at specific times of the day. The most active hours for whitetail deer are normally between dawn and dusk, with sporadic nocturnal surges in activity.

The solar effect confounds a lot of people. I’m glad to clarify this. First, there is anecdotal evidence that deer movement is influenced by the sun and moon.

Because it’s simpler to see in daylight, the sun is significant. Nobody has ever provided a satisfactory explanation for why the moon is significant, but that hasn’t stopped people from having strong feelings about it.

Every day, there are two crucial moments to be outside. There are two instances of this. Because they enjoy staring at the moon, deer do this.

The second is when the moon is directly overhead. This is less well known, but do not attempt to stand if you glance down and notice a big ball (diameter 2160 miles) under your boot. You will lose your equilibrium and tumble out of the tree.

Although there is some evidence to support the notion, it is a little more involved than simply utilizing the moon phase to predict how animals will migrate.

In a recent study, it was discovered that a solunar table could reasonably predict when deer bucks would be most active.

However, it is generally acknowledged that deer movements can be influenced by dawn and dusk hours. Deer were not more active on nights with a full moon than on those with a new moon, contrary to what was expected when trying to determine the total level of deer activity using moon phase.

How does solunar affect hunting?

Fishermen can anticipate when fish will bite by keeping track of the tides, dawn, and sunset. The tides don’t matter to hunters. Hunters utilize the sun and moon’s alignment to predict when deer is most likely to be moving.

What is the best barometric pressure to hunt deer?

Hunting is also enhanced by a high, stable barometer. Our analysis of the data indicates that whitetails appear to move most effectively when the pressure is between 29.90 and 30.30 inches, with the best movement occurring at the higher end of that range, between 30.10 and 30.30 inches.

What’s the best time for deer movement today?

Deer move best in the early morning and late afternoon, regardless of the circumstances. They are most wired to move during that time. They are at their sharpest during that time.

Is Full Moon good for deer hunting?

According to a different belief, deer move more at night and less during the daytime when the moon is full. In spite of the fact that it is not particularly noticeable, I have personally seen that daylight deer activity does seem to decrease during the full moon in my more than 40 years of whitetail hunting and research.

Is solunar theory accurate?

Solunar Theory is now widely regarded as an accurate way to forecast times when deer hunting will be at its most active, and Solunar Tables are readily accessible both in print and online.

Are deer feeding times accurate?

The feed quality and location are also factors that affect how predictable deer migration is. Water, wind, rain, snow, temperatures, and moon phases all have an impact on how deer move, but nothing is more consistent for spotting a big buck’s travel patterns than his stomach’s desires.

Do deer move when pressure rises or falls?

As the weather breaks and the pressure builds, there will be an increase in deer movement and sightings. The secret to your success with whitetails is to make sure you are there for the storm’s break.

What temperature do deer move the most?

Regardless of whether it’s 47 or 98 degrees outside, deer activity will increase significantly. Bowhunting around cold fronts is consistently profitable, particularly in September and October.

Conclusion

A solunar table and the evening weather should both be taken into account. A full moon may enhance activity according to a solunar table, but if it’s cloudy at night or there’s bad weather, wildlife might not be as active as expected.

More so than the actual lunar phase, the full moon’s heightened activity is caused by the increased amount of moonlight that is available. A full moon’s increased light levels improve eyesight clarity, allowing deer to see predators, food sources, and landscape elements more clearly.

In general, a solunar table might be a useful tool for preparing a hunt.

It is crucial to keep in mind that solunar calendars do not give fine-scale adjustments for environmental variance, however they do offer a baseline for times of greater activity.

An expert in deer hunting with 10 years of experience in the field and woods. Certified as a hunter by the State of California. I created Deer Hunting Life as my personal blog to share my experience and tips on deer hunting.