Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: SWHUNTER on February 12, 2009, 05:18:47 AM

Title: 1
Post by: SWHUNTER on February 12, 2009, 05:18:47 AM: 8)
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: Guy on February 12, 2009, 07:21:42 AM: Last year I camped without a tent, just a bivvy bag - and I felt it was bright enough for me to read in the middle of the night! Well, almost... ;)

Thanks for the info. I may just have to take some time off in September for a little backpack hunting trip again...
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: Justin C. on February 12, 2009, 07:28:25 AM: That's great! Last year I only saw a small 4x4 ( maybe 140 ) and a small bear :'( so this year should be much better.
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: CP on February 12, 2009, 07:31:48 AM: How were the mosquitoes last year?
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: Ridgerunner on February 12, 2009, 08:09:19 AM: While that is good news I don't think the full moon is the only reason guys had a tough time last year.
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: Pathfinder101 on February 12, 2009, 10:12:58 AM: I would LOVE to do this hunt, but I already bowhunt for elk in the Blues during that period. I could force the dates to work, but I doubt my marriage and my career would both survive...
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: MichaelJ on February 12, 2009, 01:38:42 PM: Why do you say that Brian? In my opinion it was the combo of Heat, dryness, and full moon... The first night my brother said he probably heard 30 deer walk by our camp while we were sleeping. Some within 10 yards or so and they were coming through all night... yet during the day we saw 6 deer total during the entire 3 days... Looking back on that trip I know exactly where we should've been.... Just cause the country looked right doesn't mean they were there. We were only 1/4 mile from where those bucks went I guarantee it.... :bash:

Michael
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: huntnphool on February 12, 2009, 05:08:08 PM: Quote
In my opinion it was the combo of Heat, dryness, and full moon...

I'll take that every year if I can hunt in the middle of November. The poor harvest had more to do with the season starting and ending in the middle of Oct. than it did with the full moon or dryness. :twocents: We took four nice bucks this year with a dry, full moon situation except it was in November :dunno:
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: MichaelJ on February 12, 2009, 05:20:25 PM: Quote from: huntnphool on February 12, 2009, 05:08:08 PM
Quote
In my opinion it was the combo of Heat, dryness, and full moon...

I'll take that every year if I can hunt in the middle of November. The poor harvest had more to do with the season starting and ending in the middle of Oct. than it did with the full moon or dryness. :twocents: We took four nice bucks this year with a dry, full moon situation except it was in November :dunno:

Phool, read the thread title... he's talking high september buck hunt.... ;)

Michael
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: haugenna on February 12, 2009, 09:16:33 PM: The moon phase is pure hogwash. Where I hunted.....the deer were as thick as mosquitos. All bucks. We saw 13+ legal bucks the first day.

When they are up....they are up!

Last year we saw 1.
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: MichaelJ on February 12, 2009, 09:21:23 PM: The area where we hunted was too dried out from the heat... the bucks just weren't where they were in August... I'm still figuring out this whole high hunt thing!

I think the heat and moon combined really had 'em bedded in the thick stuff but that's just my opinion... ;)

Michael
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: Ridgerunner on February 13, 2009, 06:54:04 AM: I think the heat played a huge part as well, anytime you've got it that hot up there in September and a full moon thats a bad combo for hunters.
Title: Re: 2009 High Hunt......No Moon
Post by: Pathfinder101 on February 13, 2009, 08:42:22 PM: That's because bear don't go nocturnal when the shootin' starts. They are busy trying to get as fat as possible before the snow. Deer have a tendency to be nocturnal anyway. The full moon and the shootin' just gives them more of an excuse...
that's the way my dad used to explain it anyway... Maybe it's a wives-tale, but has always seemed to be true for me.