How do I know when the best time to hunt is?

The time you choose to go hunting can have a big impact on your success. You don’t always have complete control over when you can hunt, but it’s still best to identify the optimal time. Many hunting guides focus on factors such as equipment, position and shooting skills. These are certainly important, but in order to shoot something you must first see it. This article will focus on deer hunting, but no matter what you are hunting it’s important to choose the optimal times.

The most basic fact to know about deer is that they are most active at dawn and at dusk. For this reason many hunters like to get an early start and get into position before the sun comes up. There is also some research to support the idea that you can hunt deer more effectively by paying attention to the phase of the moon. This is because the moon effects the mating patterns of animals, including deer. Female deer are most likely to be in heat during the full moon, especially in the autumn.

Each year there is something called the rutting moon, the time of year when rutting or mating among deer is especially active. You can find some specific research on the web and in certain books and publications when this time is relative to your location. If you want to time your hunt in a very precise manner to have the best chances of seeing deer, this is worth researching.

Another factor that effects the movement of deer is the weather. A good time to take advantage of this is early in the season, when sudden drops in temperature are common. Animals typically change their behavior when the weather changes abruptly. When a cold front comes through in autumn, deer will typically become more active than usual.
That’s why paying attention to the weather forecast is another way to improve your chances of seeing deer.

When you hunt, you should have as much knowledge as possible about your quarry. This can be very basic, as in knowing what time of day is best to quite esoteric, as studying the phases of the moon in relation to animals’ behavior. Taking the time to do research in this area can improve your chances of success as a hunter.

Call 918.633.4589 today to plan a hunting trip with the Oklahoma Hunting Club!