Hunting The Full Moon

[uncle buck]

Probably one of the toughest times to call in predators IMO.  You have to call just were it legal...Hunt in the shadows, tree lines in front of a bale of hay etc.  However this is when you go to a yellow lens light too.


However one of the most important things is to wear the right color hunting clothes.....Stay away from the dark camo's or dark clothing. This is when you need to go to light colored camo..... I use Predator Brand:   Fall Gray AKA Fall Grey.  Seems to work for me and my call ins during the full moon have improved greatly since I switched to light colored clothing...

[muttbuster]

Great info UB!

[foxtrot]

 Light colored camo a good idea,could be as simple as some of that old well worn faded camo many of us have laying around.For those of us that wear corrective lenses a ball cap will prevent reflections off of the glass.I have not used yellow light covers but have heard that is the way to go.Are the yellow covers recommended on moonlit snow covered nights also?Do the animals react any differently to the yellow lense?

[Buckwheat]

Foxtrot
The lighter colored yellow lens lets you see more light on the ground and the animals outline better. But nothing gives them away better then a red lens and red eyes from a good red lens. The problem most people have is thinking because they can see there light better on a bright moon lit night with a lighter colored lens it is better. After you pick up there eyes you can go to a lighter colored lens to help you shoot better and see there out line if you red light is not real good and bright. But I would stick to a red lens for scanning even if it is not real bright and if it is bright enough out you will not need any other lens. Hope this information helps you some. The yellow lens to my knowledge does not seam to scare them, but I have been messing with the green lens a little because I think carnivores might be color blind to lights in Green color and another friend said the Green lens seams better. I have put a 400.000 candle power light on a coon with a green lens at 30 yards already and it never even blinked. But school is still on for me with this color lens. But I have high hopes.
Ernie

[scott]

during the full moon i think they see a the red beam because it is darker than the conditions, going to a yellow lense they do not see the light as much, but i have a hard time picking up the yellow eyes for some reason,  toward the end of last year i was using the white light and keeping them at the bottom of  the halo during the full moon conditions. 

[220_Woody]

full moon really doesnt deter that much. just gotta go about your hunt like its daylight out. as UB said...stick to the shadows and move slow. success rates are lower for me though with that big while orb up above.

never tried the yellow lens...might have to give that a whirl this upcoming season.

[Buckwheat]

Scott
 The other colored lens do not reflect back nearly as well IF AT ALL compared to the red lens. That is what I trying to point out and is real important. The dark red lens will not scare them any more then a regular light. Green I see no eyes at all ever reflect back. I hunted a long time with just a white light, so your not going to give me information about a white light I already do not know. Try hunting on a night on snow that is clear calm and real cold and ice Cristal's are on the plants and drifting in the air. You will see more things that reflect back and think that are eyes then you can stand.
Ernie

[Hern]

Woody got it. Go about like you're hunting in daylight.
UB, why would you advise to wear light colored camo then sit in dark shadows? huh?
I agree with Buckwheat...use red lens...red lens lights up eys and is easier to pickup eyes over other colored/white lights. Hit 'em with bottom of red halo.
I am also a trapper. My catch ratio is the same or higher during full moon, fyi.

[foxtrot]

On moonlit nights I think camo is an absolute must whether it is a light camo or dark probably isn't extremely critical, its all about blending into your surroundings.I have called fox in on moonlit nights sitting in an open field with no cover as long as you are wearing camo and have your light on.

[uncle buck]

Why do you hunt the dark shadows during a full moon?  Because as soon as you sit out in a field it over....They can see you.
Also red lens is very hard to pick up the eyes during a full moon...White light and or yellow is better...Problem is that everything has the same color eyes when you use a yellow lens and or white lens.  
The great Dennis Kirk even recommends that you wear your white camo during the full moon....I don't do this since the cops might think there is a KKK rally close by...LOL LOL

However over the years I took what Dennis said and used it but using the Predator Fall Gray...My call in's increased more.

During dark nights over snow yellow lens is better since it's very hard to see fox eyes with a red lens.  This is my opinion. It works for me...Even the Fall Gray in dark shadows or up against a bale of hay hides me where camo's like Advantage or Mossy Oak just does not seem to work ....
Remember when the full moon is out just call where it's legal.  NEVER EVER  GO OUT INTO A FIELD AND SET UP. STAY IN THE TREE LINE OR IF YOU GO OUT INTO A FIELD SIT WITH YOUR BACK TO BALE OF HAY OR DEBRY (old farm equipment) IN A FIELD. However just going out to the spot in the field it could be over for you.

I have called in coyotes when using the Predator Brand Fall Gray during full moon's.    

I have a black SWAT suit...My call ins dropped when I wear this at night time all the time. You would think that all black would be an outstanding thing to wear on dark nights.  Woolrich plaid worked better...  Must be something about the red lens and the black suit the show to the predator real easy?


Your best bet is the red lens for night hunting. However IMO not on a full moon night.  yellow or white shows the eyes better.

[foxtrot]

Good information U.B. I agree that hunting in an open field on a moonlit night is not an ideal situation but sometimes your surroundings force you to try something you know probably won't work.One particular hunt comes to mind when I say this.My friend and I where hunting on a very bright moon lit night ,the field we wanted to hunt had no cover except at the far end,we would have to cross the field with the moon shining on us to get to the cover.Considering the options we sat down in a slight depression in the middle of the field and started to call to our surprise within minutes a red fox approached to within 15 yards and was harvested.That was my friends first experience with fox hunting,he was hooked.

[uncle buck]

sounds like the small depression is all you needed to mask your location.  Moon lit night but something behind you that for sure!!!!!!
Sounds like you lucked out and nothing spotted you going from point A to Pont B.  The nthe depression kind of gave you two some kind of masking.....

[uncle buck]

Recently Predator Extreme had an article on different color lenses..   It gave the red lens the number one rating of course.  However it did talk about the Blue not being so good.  Can't remember what it said about the green..  I will have to see if I can find the back issues and see what it says... However remember too...Just because someone puts something in a magazine that does not mean they are correct....They can be one of them there Arm Chair Predator Callers that write articles and just get a pay check for it...


It might have been in Dec 2008's? If you have the magazine look for the article..I think it's the article on how coyotes see???

[foxtrot]

Sometimes you just have to make the best of a less than ideal situation.Something else I thought of when hunting the moonlit nights and you back up to the brush for cover make sure you can see into the brush,grey fox in particular like the shadows to and very often sneak in the back door.

[Hern]

foxtrot, you're right, Sometimes you just have to make the best of a less than ideal situation.
Make adjustments as you go is the key. Adjust to wind, cloud cover and such.
Without a red lens, you have nothing to hid behind. Movement will bust you with other lights (yellow or wihite lens). Your movement will bust you during daylight hunts. Doesn't matter what color camo, night or day, move and canines turn inside out.
Using a yellow lens or white light doesn't hid your movement. A red lens hids you and your movement.
Hunting from the shadows on a moonlit night, using a red lens will increase your odds to killing Fox.