Moon Phases for Fishing & Hunting

Hundreds of years ago, when indigenous peoples depended on fishing and hunting to provide their food, they observed that game was more abundant at certain times. The Maori of New Zealand devised a prediction system and drew up charts based on the moon's phases, reports Montana Living. Much later, American John Alden Knight conducted extensive research on the influence of the sun and moon on fishing success. In 1936, he published his "solunar" tables. Fishermen today still consult Knight's tables, as well as the Maori charts.

  1. Fish Feeding Times

    • Most fishermen know that dawn and dusk, when the fish feed, are likely to be productive fishing times. According to David Rose in Moon Connection, the moon has an even stronger pull on the fish, and feeding at the time of moonrise and moonset will probably draw a bigger concentration of fish. Activity is greatest during a 90-minute window encompassing each sun or moon event -- 45 minutes before and 45 minutes after. When the moon phase is also considered, Knight's data shows that 90 percent of the 200 catches documented occurred during the new moon period, reveals Weather.com.

    Deer Activity

    • Analyses of animal activity related to phases of the moon generally focus on deer. Often less active during daylight hours, deer feel safer when dusk falls and begin moving about more under the cover of darkness, according to Moon Connection. Hunters will say they frequently bag more deer during full moon periods. Montana Living reports that both Knight's tables and the Maori charts suggest that the optimal times to find active game are during the new moon phase and in the last quarter of a full moon.

    Breeding Season

    • Deer activity peaks during breeding season, and the odds of finding multiple deer in one place increase. The moon influences a female deer's reproductive cycle, which heightens the chances that she will be in heat the three or four days before and after the second full moon after the autumnal equinox, according to Moon Connection. This will probably happen in November. Outdoor Life acknowledges that this may be true in northern latitudes, but says that the breeding season for southern deer may peak any time between late October and early February.

    Other Influences

    • The sun's power should also be considered. Some scientists credit the diminishing photoperiod, the shortening of days, with the timing of deer mating. In the case of fish, weather changes impact how they feed, explains Moon Connection. Just before a storm comes and immediately following it, many fish will be feeding. If a cold front is on the way, however, fish move to deep water and cease activity. Seasonal transitions are a third factor. Traditionally, winter changing to spring and summer to fall are profitable fishing times.