# THE ABSOLUTE BEST WAY TO HUNT DEER



## TRMichels (Apr 2, 2008)

Okay - the title was just a means of getting you to open this thread, but, I do intend on turning this into a LEARNNG EXPERIENCE for all of us - provided you play along.

I originally got interested in deer research in 1987, after reading several deer articles and books, and talking to, my good friend Dr. Ken Nordberg.

To further my knowledge of deer, and learn how to conduct a valid deer research project, I contacted well known and well respected deer biologist and rsearcher, and outdoor writer, Dr. Larry Marchinton, who was a professor of wildlife at the University of Georgia, and who I consider the "father of whitetail biology and behavior as it applies to management, and to hunting".

Larrry sent me dozens of his research papers, and then put me in touch with many of the top deer biologists of the past two decades, and they each taught me something. And they all received my 10 or so deer and elk research papers of my 10 year deer research project, and commented on them - and asked me to keep them updated.

Although I have not personaly met most of them, we have all become friends as a result of our interest in deer biology and behavior. I enjoy learning about deer biology and behavior...

Anyhow, here is a question - that you can all answer, and we can come to some conclusions on deer behavior and biology at the end of it ...

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE DAYS IN NOVEMBER - DO YOU THINK ARE CLOUDY IN YOUR AREA???

10% - 30%

31% - 50&

51% - 70%

71% - 100%

God bless,

T.R.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

their is no such thing as ABSOLUTE BEST WAY TO HUNT DEER. 
It depends on what type of terrain is in the area, if it is crop land or big woods.
Lots of deer over running the area or just a few deer that the wolves keep in check.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE DAYS IN NOVEMBER - DO YOU THINK ARE CLOUDY IN YOUR AREA.
This is also subject to the weather pattern in the area you hunt and many times changes from year to year.

 Al


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## TRMichels (Apr 2, 2008)

Evidently I did not make the "jist" of the post clear ...

It has nothing to do with the title.

What percentage of the days of the month of November are overcast/cloudy in your area???

God bless,

T.R.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I don't know, but I will take a shot at it if it gives you some kind of idea your looking for.
Since November and March are the two big snow months for North Dakota I'm going to take a SWAG at 31 to 50%. Were sunny most of the time, but maybe we get to 34 or 35 percent. I'm sticking my neck way out on this guess.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

I repete there is now real answer to the queston because....
This is also subject to the weather pattern in the area you hunt, and many times changes from year to year.

 Al


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## TRMichels (Apr 2, 2008)

I am not looking for a defin itive scientific anser, just your guess ( say for last year, or any y ear, or all years combined).

It makes no difference what area you are in - in fact the fdiversity of areas deer are in - is part of the "argument" to the conclusion.

We need more answers - before I will conclude this. Say 20 ...

Just guess....

God bless,

T.R.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

I remember reading somewhere that Nov is the cloudiest month in most of N. America.

Fall of 2007 I would venture to say that in my area, it was cloudy 30-50% of the time.

This past fall, 2008, with the predominant wet weather conditions, I would say we were at least 50-70% cloudy.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

I have been keeping a daily weather jorunal since April 2007

I have refined it some what over time to include how it looked out the window as I was entering the information off my weather station, IE, sunny cloudy raining or snowing.

Example:::*8:41 AM 11-1-08 November already.

36F feels like 36F, humidity 87%, wind N @ 2 MPH, sunny.

Yesterdays high 68F, a beautiful indian summer day.*November first 2008 starts half way down the page of page 85.

Our firearm deer season starts Nov 15th every year. I stopped posting on the 14th till Dec 1st when deer season ended.

 Al


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## Crazy Horse RVN (Aug 31, 2006)

Perhaps I'm ignorant on the matter, but just exactly what does a cloudy and overcast day have to do with deer hunting?

Do your findings show a significant increase in the success ratio of deer harvested on cloudy days as opposed to sunny, snowy, partly cloudy, or rainy days?

What exactly are you trying to conclude?


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

It's all about the willingness to learn, read his next post.

 Al


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## Crazy Horse RVN (Aug 31, 2006)

*I'm all ears.*


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## moneyshot27 (Jan 13, 2009)

i'd say that this past november 40% of the days were overcast, or at least they started that way. i was hunting the black hills to the north of sundance, WY. my memory may not serve me correct.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

I have never noted in the 50 years of deer hunting if I harvest more deer on sunny days or cloudy days. I record the morning temp just as we walk out. I record the area we hunted the day. I record how many deer we see each day and the sex if possiable, some button bucks are hard to tell if they don't turn just right. I also record the hight temp of the day and the moon phase.
Some time I place notes like saw 4 youtes on the beach or maybe a bear in the cramberry bog.

Biggest thing is if you set in the house, cabin or bar you won't see to many deer alive to harvest.
About every one tkes the big one to the bar right?

 Al


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

I dont know if ive harvested more animals on couldy days vs sunny. But I do know that there is much more deer activity during "daylight" hours on cloudy days as well as peak movement periods (dusk and dawn) get extended on these types of days. Give me a cloudy late october/early november day!


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## TRMichels (Apr 2, 2008)

Crazy Horse RVN said:


> Perhaps I'm ignorant on the matter, but just exactly what does a cloudy and overcast day have to do with deer hunting?
> 
> Do your findings show a significant increase in the success ratio of deer harvested on cloudy days as opposed to sunny, snowy, partly cloudy, or rainy days?
> 
> What exactly are you trying to conclude?


I just saw this, sorry.

Other guys have answered the question of WHY to hunt cloudy days. You should, because deer may come out up to 20 minutes earleir in the evening, and stay up to 20 minutes later in the morning, thana on days with no clouds. The cloud cover alters the "available amount of light" from the sun to the point that deer "feel" like it is later (in relation to actual sunset) than it is in teh evening, and they feel like it is later than it is in the evening, giving you more time to hunt, especially for bucks.

BUt, here is the other point I was trying to make. We've all heard about the hypothesis - that the phase of the moon affects, or triggers, the time when deer breed. NONENSE.

There is generally so much cloud cover in November, taht ther is not enough light form the FULL MOON PHASE - to affect the deer - and I was the firsr person to porve the hypotheis wrong.

That's righ t- I said I proved it.

For some reason - I am not getting notified of your posts and questions here, so please, if I do not chime in when I should, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected], and tell me to get over here.

God bless,

T.R.


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## Jmnhunter (Feb 9, 2009)

In your first post you mentioned you are friends Dr. Ken Nordberg; and reading his articles in Midwest outdoors- He hunts off of the Moon phases and is a big believer in the moon phases

Then you said this was non-sense; what does Nordberg think of your hypothesis?

The moon phases research has always got my interest and would like to read more on the moon phases and such.
-JN :beer:


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## TRMichels (Apr 2, 2008)

Whoa, you may be confusing things here.

What I am referring to here - is whether or not moon phase affects peak breeding, and only peak breeding - which research by me, and Dr. Karl Miller, at the University of Georgia (who at my request - followed up on, and his studies of 900 deer in 10 states, from FL to MA and TX to MN) proved did not correlate with ANY phase of the moon. My conclusions came as the result of the 1600+ pregnant doe survey here in MN, over an 8 year period. It was the largest study ever done on deer breeding dates.

As far as I know, Ken did not (ever?) study the moon's effects on deer. And I guarantee I know him better than most.

But, I'm not saying that deer are not more active during particular moon phases than other moon phases - because research before me - shows they are, and my reasearch supports it.

Come to think of it, Ken has my book, and may have read it in there.

Now, if you want to know which phase of the month deer are most active in- all you gotta do is ask. But, you may not like the answer.

God bless.

T.R.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Interesting TR. I have been lazy about keeping records. I have always hunted when I can, clear or cloudy. Just a guess, and perhaps not pertinent, but I would estimate that 60% of my deer have been shot the legal 1/2 hour before sunrise to the 1/2 hour after sunrise. another 25% have been shot the last hour of the day. Especially in the last few years when I have been doing longer range shots. Not only is the early morning good for deer, but it's about the only time around here I don't have to deal with wind on long shots.


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## Crazy Horse RVN (Aug 31, 2006)

*That justifies my mid day naps in the sunshine. * I knew I was doing the right thing.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Crazy Horse RVN said:


> *That justifies my mid day naps in the sunshine. * I knew I was doing the right thing.


Count me in on that one too. I darn near need an alarm clock in the field these days.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

Again it depends on where you hunt. With many hunters not bothering to carry a small lunch mid day is one of the very best times to be awake in the woods at Mid day In Michigan. I have shot a bunch of bucks between 11:00 AM and 3:00PM. 
During the short firearm season it is cold many can't sit still so decide to still hunt back to the parking area and cabin for a bit of lunch and a short naps maybe. They will then either walk derectly back to the chosen spot and kick deer up as they go or they try to still hunt back.
Problem most hunters just don't have the slightest clue of what still hunting really is. Still hunting is moveing so slow it takes you several hours to just cover a few hundred yards not miles.


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## Chinwhiskers (Jan 13, 2008)

TRMichels said:


> .
> 
> Now, if you want to know which phase of the month deer are most active in- all you gotta do is ask. But, you may not like the answer.
> 
> ...


I'd like to know the answer to this TR. Please tell.


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## TRMichels (Apr 2, 2008)

Deer, including bucks, are most active during the Full Moon.

But, the rut, hunting pressure, forage availability, non-hunting human activity, and especailly the weather, can and often does override any influence the moon may have on deer. So, during the hunting season, in November, dont' worry about it - just get out and hunt.

God bless,

T.R.


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## Crazy Horse RVN (Aug 31, 2006)

> "...dont' worry about it - just get out and hunt."


So the bottom line is we're back to square 1.

This treatise has provided me justification to include in my deer hunting kit a small blow-up pillow for a much deserved noon-time, sunshine filled nap in the deer woods. :beer:


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I fell asleep until after dark one time out in the refuge, made for an interesting walk out. :beer:


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## NoDakGuy (Mar 29, 2009)

I can tell you the worst way to hunt deer. Hanging out the window of your white chevy truck up by buxton while me and my step dad are walking a shelter belt. You know who you are. Luckily two does ran out, if they were bucks Im sure the dumb hillbilly hanging out the window would have popped of a few shots. Hes probably the same guy on here saying hunting was horrible this year. Try setting down your beer and get out of your truck. You might see more deer.


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