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For the first time I can remember I got skunked Saturday. My place had a fair number of birds actually thousands but they would not decoy and if they spooked the simply flew to the next field and set down. All the extra sheet water didn't help. I was running through my mind trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. Then it hit me. There was a bright almost full moon Friday night and a full one Saturday. Just about every poor hunt I can remember having coincided with the full moon. I know the birds feed all night then rest in the day when this occurs. But, I never really thought about how much it affects my hunts. Anyone else notice the same thing?

had the same problem.. had about 100 mallards take one circle and land 150 yards down from us.. never thought about it bein the moon

I couldnt agree more

We had the same problem this weekend along with overcast. Plenty of birds just wouldn't cooperate.

I had the worse weekend i've had in a while

Drove up on Tues night, hunted Wed morning and thought to myself "this is going to be one hell of a week/weekend". Then the full moon happened. Birds seemed to scatter a bit with all of the extra water, and if it wasn't for a teal and a few shoveler I would've gotten skunked on Fri/Sat.

So much for "one hell of weekend". At least I got away from work for a few.

I would tend to blame it on the overcast conditions. I am not sure the full moon played a big role. I am definately not claiming expertise on lunar effects on waterfowl behavior...but I can tell you for sure that when you don't have the shadows to hide in the ducks will slap see your ax.

I have been keeping records for years now in my guide service and Full moons are always less productive. I tell people that and they think I am crazy, but I promise it is true.

Is true Is true. Noticed it several years ago. Go to a field FULL of ducks at 5:00 pm...come back at 6:00 am and nothing but muddy water and feathers.... no shooting. Seen this lots of times. Probably going to see a lil bit of it in the morning!!

Full moon makes hunting very sketchy. Ducks and deer. The gravitational pull messes with the internal clock. Even if it is cloudy a full moon is a real deal breaker.

mossyisland wrote:I have been keeping records for years now in my guide service and Full moons are always less productive. I tell people that and they think I am crazy, but I promise it is true.

in your experience,what have you recorded of the opposite- no moon at all?

Saw some birds in my area fri. morning with water pretty high, a couple guys set up 100 yards behind us and really messed us up. They did well, but he didn't have much luck. The rest of the weekend was a total bust. All the birds we saw just turned and went the other way. Not even close looks to the spread, while we steadily watched the water drop. Hope next weekend is better.

My brother and father had alot of the same problems yall did....Had birds in the air and just would not commit or the ones that would wanted to go and sit in the middle of the overly flooded fields...

I said something to the effect of this hunt is gonna suck to the camp. Nobody believed me until several hours and 2 widgeon later. Decided to sleep in on Sunday. There have been plenty of ducks in the area but with all the sheet water and the full moon the bed sure was comfortable

We got skunked Saturday. only shot three times