The complaint is common: “The moon was too bright; I couldn’t call in a thing.” We have been hearing this for decades. But is there truly a correlation between lunar phases and hunting success? Old-school thought is that coyotes have an easier time hunting during a full moon because they can see their prey better. There is simply no need for them to investigate the sounds we make because they can easily find food on their own. Daytime hunters who experience bad results curse the bright night prior, claiming that coyotes must not be hungry because they ate so well during the night. Let us hold onto these thoughts before converting them to gospel.
The topic of moon phase and its effects on predator hunting comes up regularly in conversations in truck cabs across the country. Like many other factors within our sport, there is no shortage of opposing opinions. So, let’s attempt to shed some light (dare I say moonlight?) on the subject, setting excuses aside and digging deeper to explore how moon phases relate to predator calling.
Prey Response to Moonlight
The notion that it’s easier for predators to hunt during a full moon might not have merit. Initial human logic leads us to believe that because foxes and coyotes can see better during a bright night, they can find their meals more easily. However, research shows that prey species’ nocturnal movements are affected by moon phase and this directly impacts the success rate of hunting predators. The reason is that many of the prey species (mice, rats, rabbits, etc.) exhibit an “anti-predator response” during bright moonlit nights.
During full moon periods, prey species reduce movement rates, shift activity periods, reduce food consumption, forage for short periods, spend more time in dense habitats compared to open habitats and reduce the size of their foraging areas compared to new moon periods. Based on this information, predators might have a difficult time hunting because their prey species are far less accessible during bright moonlit nights.
Predators and the Moon
If prey species movement is impacted by moonlight, can the same be said about predators? To answer this question, I dug into as much research as I could. What I found were conflicting results from various research studies. For example, one study completed in 2020 showed that coyotes demonstrated uniform movement patterns across four lunar phases (New Moon, 1st Quarter, Full Moon and 2nd Quarter).
A 1975 study showed an increase in movement by coyotes as moonlight intensified, which seems logical because coyotes used sight as their primary sense for hunting. Yet another study showed that since predators are more likely to be seen during a full moon, they are much less active as they are on a night with no moonlight. This is especially true in open areas such as harvested agricultural fields. Overall, the studies found that the magnitude of moonlight effects on activity level were large enough to indicate that moon phases likely have a major impact on the feeding rates and habitat use of many species.
Studies on red foxes showed that moon phase clearly affects this canine’s nocturnal movements. Foxes showed twice as much activity during the new moon phase compared to full moon nights. They were also found to be more productive hunters under a new moon, as they depleted food resources more thoroughly on darker nights compared to moonlit nights. Rabbits and mice were eaten less often on full moon nights than during the other moon phases. By volume, carrion was less common in the diet on new moon nights. No significant moon phase effects were found for the consumption of other food groups, such as amphibians and birds. One study on red foxes reported that they altered their hunting preferences according to moon phase. Individual foxes selected the same prey species during the same moon phases and shifted prey selection when the moon phase changed.
Have you ever wondered about how the moon relates to coyote howling? Do coyotes howl more during certain moon phases? Many researchers have pondered this issue. Studies found that the frequency of coyote vocalizations was affected by moon phase. It was discovered that coyotes vocalized more often during nights without moonlight than on nights with a full moon. It is believed that the increased vocalizations on nights without a moon might have compensated for a presumed reduced ability to see other coyotes during lower light conditions. A Canadian study was conducted in July and August 1992, and from June to August 1994, in the Cypress Hills region of southwestern Saskatchewan. Coyote howling was surveyed immediately following dusk for 90 to 120 minutes, and was categorized by lunar condition. The results showed that group howling and group-yip howling were negatively related to increasing moonlight, but there was no relationship between lone howling and moonlight.
From the Horse’s Mouth
While the scientific data is educational and can increase knowledge base, I thought it would be beneficial to also include input from hunters across the country in this discussion. To accomplish this, I conducted an informal survey on social media and interviewed a few nationally recognized hunters on the topic of hunting various moon phases.
The survey revealed that the majority (70 percent) of the hunters felt that a full moon negatively affects nighttime hunting success slightly or moderately. Twenty percent of the respondents reported “No Effect” and 8 percent reported that the full moon had a positive effect.
A separate question asked, “What is your favorite moon phase to hunt?” Sixty-five percent of the votes indicated a new moon while a full moon received a mere 4 percent. When asked where moon phase fits regarding importance to hunting success compared to other factors such as wind speed, air temperature, precipitation and snowpack, 61 percent responded that moon phase was not as important, while 10 percent indicated that it was more important. When asked if they altered their hunting tactics during a brightly moonlit night, 91 percent reported that they did, while 6 percent reported they did not adjust their hunting style.
Rich Gonzales, Foxpro Pro Staff hunter and videographer, has great success while hunting both during the day and night in his home state of Utah. He observes that coyotes, “Move more in a new moon, but sometimes full moons can bring great results, too.” Interestingly, it is neither of these moon phases that Gonzales calls his favorite. Instead, he said, “Three days before and after a full moon is great, but we get our best results hunting the waning gibbous moon phase.” (Author’s note: This occurs when a full moon shrinks to a half-moon). He added, “I cannot pinpoint why this happens, but our records show that this is our best moon phase to hunt, both day and night.”
Gonzales also says that hunting action can be affected by rising and falling moons. He said, “The action can pick up or drop off rapidly just as a moon rises or falls on any given night. Again, I do not know why this happens, but it is worth grinding out a hunt to experience it.” From this observation, astute hunters might wish to study exactly when current moons will rise and fall in their geographic region and be in the field at those times.
Foxpro Pro Staffer Jeremy Nickels achieves tremendous success while hunting in his home state of Oklahoma. In fact, his nightly totals are often higher than the yearly totals of many hunters. Nickels says he notices a difference in predator response while hunting different moon phases. “The problem is,” he said, “Coyotes seem to move more during a new moon. However, predator response is not consistent during different moon phases. As soon as you think you have things nailed down, something comes up that dispels your theory of moon phase.”
Although Nickels says that he favors hunting the dark nights of a new moon, he said, “There are advantages to hunting under a full moon. For starters, it is easier for me to see as I make my approach. I do not need to rely on a light to get into position, and I can be stealthier when setting up.”
Bright Moon Strategies
Let’s pretend your buddy has called you and wants to hunt this upcoming Saturday night. First, you check your social calendar and it gives you the green light. Then, you check the sonar/lunar tables and notice that the moon will be full on Saturday night. What do you do? Do you decline the invite because prior experience while hunting during a full moon did not meet your expectations? Or, do you press on, figuring that you, “Cannot kill them from the couch?”
Hunting a bright night need not be fruitless, if hunters employ a few altered tactics while calling. During my 40 years of nighttime calling, I would have to say that using different setup tactics is the first step to success while hunting moonlit nights. On a dark night, hunters should have no problem positioning themselves in the middle of a field. On a moonlit night, however, that practice can have dire results. A fully exposed hunter will simply stick out and raise suspicion of any predator that comes to the call. Remember, you are in their “house” now, and anything out of the ordinary will stand out.
Instead of sitting, or standing, out in the open, hunters should conceal themselves. Nickels shares this notion. “Be sure to not skyline yourself and use shadows and terrain to conceal yourself from the curious eyes of incoming coyotes.” Whether the concealment comes from a tree, bush, hedgerow, building or piece of farm equipment, hunters should find a source of shade to call from.
Gonzales echoes this advice and adds, “Treat brightly lit nights like daytime. We want to give ourselves full advantage so we wear camouflage, hide our truck, use a proper approach while walking a little farther to make setups where we find a backdrop to conceal us from the brightness.” He also offers this tip for dealing with coyotes that approach in the brightly lit night. “If the coyote abruptly stops and lowers its head, it is trying to skyline you, so you had better be prepared to shoot quickly before it takes off!”
Earlier, I mentioned that prey species alter their behavior during full moon nights. Part of this means that, while foraging, prey species will stay close to thicker vegetation to remain undetected by predators. Likewise, predators tend to avoid using open areas while hunting so that they, too, go undetected. Hence, a second tactic is to make your setups closer to cover so predators do not have to travel lengthy distances to come to the call. Asking a fox or coyote to expose itself for 400 yards across a wide-open cut bean field might be a little much on a brightly lit night. A better practice might be to alter your setup location based on your knowledge of predator/prey behavior. In other words, hunt where the coyotes are hunting — close to cover!
Daytime Hunting and Moon Phases
Many whitetail deer hunters put great stock in how the moon phase affects their number of deer sightings while on stand. This raises a question: Does moon phase have an effect on daytime coyote hunters? Foxpro’s Jon Collins shared his thoughts on the topic. “I believe that the moon influences coyote movement,” he said. “However, I do not see a negative effect on my daytime calling success. I think the effect of moon phase is not fully understood by hunters because calling results can vary so widely, even during the same moon phases. Some days after a full moon have been bad and other days after a full moon have been great.” Collins notes that he does not notice that moon phase affects success while calling at different times of the day, and that he does not alter his daytime calling tactics based on moon phase.
Geoff Nemnich, best known for the popular Last Stand hunting show and Coyote Craze guide service, offers his views. When daytime hunting, Nemnich does not put much stock in the moon phase. He says that he does not alter his hunting tactics in relation to the moon phase and adds, “I kill more [coyotes] in the middle of the day and it has nothing to do with moon phase and all to do with what coyotes are doing at that part of the day. I do love to day hunt when the moon is visible overhead. Not that it affects coyote movement. It is just so cool!”
Foxpro’s Al Morris states that while he views moon phase as “a hunter’s excuse,” his log books, which span over 30 years, reveal some noteworthy information. For example, under full moon conditions, daytime hunting success seems to be best between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Morris points out that he, “Cannot explain why some full moons are better than others. During some full moons, the action is great and during other full moons, the action is dead.” I asked if there were any monthly or seasonal patterns to determine which full moons provide the best results and Morris said he could not declare that any specific month was better than others. It is just random. Morris adds that quarter moons, either coming or going, seem to bring excellent results while daytime calling.
Morris mentions that his daytime calling tactics do not change regardless of moon phase, but his setup strategies do. He explains, “Under new moon conditions, most early morning and last light setups are made close to coyote feeding/hunting areas. Under the same conditions, midday setups are made near coyote loafing areas. When the moon is full, I set up in fringe/transition areas for longer periods of time because coyotes seem to move and feed more throughout the day.”
Conclusion So, what are you going to tell your buddy who invited you to hunt this Saturday night? Hopefully, you will absorb some of the information presented here to assist in making your decision. Perhaps Jon Collins summed it up best. “No matter what the moon phase is, coyotes need to live their lives. As hunters, so do we! If a certain moon phase gives you confidence, go ahead and plan around the moon phase. On the other hand, if you have time to go and weather permits, no matter what the moon phase is — go ahead and hunt!”
