Is Peak Breeding of White-tailed Deer Phased by the Moon?
By T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors In the past several years several different writers (including two who are deer biologists) have suggested that peak breeding of white-tailed deer is related to the phase of the moon. Their predictions are based on the theory that the amount of light during particular phases of the moon affects melatonin production, which in turn regulates the production of hormones. Three of these writers (including the two deer biologists) feel that peak breeding of whitetails in the northern part of their range should occur from 5 to 7 days after the November full moon. A fourth writer feels that peak breeding should occur from 5 to 7 days before the new moon. To make things more difficult this writer predicts that peak breeding will occur from 5 to 7 days before the second full moon occurring after the fall equinox (which occurs on September 21). That generally means that peak breeding should occur from 5 to 7 days after the November new moon. At first gla
