Predators and Prey, moonlight, nocturnality, and other topics

[SkinnyD]

http://alaska-native-news.com/the-arctic/9664-alaska-scence-forum-by-the-light-of-the-moon.html

This is an interesting article related to mammal movements by moonlight. Have any of you made any observations about whether furbearers (predators especially) are more/less active during full moon phases?

 

[Manokotakbirder]

Not really. Prey may sneak around more carefully or not at all at full moon, but fox and the like gotta eat. Lynx eat on average 2.3 pounds of meat a day, so they are out and about. Werewolves only come out at full moon, so that throws a monkey wrench in the whole thing.

 

[thunder chicken1]

I don't think moonlight has much affect on whether they move or not but I could see where maybe visual attractors like grouse wings etc. may help attract an animal due to the movement etc. during a full moon.

 

[snowcamoman]

Decoys on full moon nights are useful. Predators are out on the move quite a bit at night, however there does seem to be a "dead zone" time that I hit late/early mornings. I'll have to check my logs, but I don't know if I've killed very much in that 2am-4am timeframe. I believe Rick Kinmon talked about it as well in his book.

 

[OldSchool45]

Looking back at my notes from last year. I had 95% of coyote responses (howling back) after 1pm. This year I have had heard coyotes mostly in the morning. Not sure if that means anything but kinda curious to me.