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I was just wondering if a full moon affects cats like it dies deer and elk? Im sure it keeps them moving around. Would it possibly make finding track better? Just curious about it any info would be great and thanks!!

I don't know if it does or not but we got a pretty good moon right now and I have noticed some big toms are movin in the day. I'm interested to hear more on this, I wish I would have paid more attention to this over the years.

They sure move here on a full moon, add a clear night to that and make sure you're out there prior to, during and right after.
I've been told that and now witnessed it for myself.

As relates to the moon and only in the context of Bear and bobbers . My son keeps a journal with a lot of information ,after reviewing it he says we are probably 50-50 on success during the full moon phase. a track is a track I don't think it bothers the hounds any at all

I think he meant the probability of finding track during full moon phases. that's what I was talking about anyway. a track is a track just like you said.

Yes a track is a track but will you find more tracks or have a better chance finding one on a clear full moon? Compared to a night with no or little moon. Will they move all night and hardly during the day? Or does it not do anything to them?

This is very intresting but I had a old timer tell me that lions like to hunt more when its the darkest, or fog, or even during a storm, I dont know how true it is but i have noticed the last time i went out i cut a couple of average tracks moving down towards the deer and they were moving during the snow storm.

well i aint no lion expert but i'll say this, i had a lion cut MY tracks in a snow storm one night last year in california. i couldnt see 2 feet in front of me and didnt know it was there, till i saw its tracks in my boot prints. but it sure knew i was there!

iv'e been told they are most active during a snow storm and the best chances of cutting a fresh track are right after.. and after my experience i sure believe it!

I agree with arizonabeagle. i have seen most lion tracks in the middle of these recent snow storms here in cali. allthough i cant run them it sure is fun to look.....with fox and bobs it seems to be hit and miss. hasnt really made a difference; one night the dogs might only strike one, two days later in the same area they're all over.

hunted the full moon two nights ago. started at dark and drove all night without striking until around 3 am. i know there was fox and bobcats in the areas we drove through for those 8 or 9 hours before we had a strike, but they werent workin the roads at all, which to me means they weren't walkin. around 3 am we hit some brush fields and started runnin. not sure why it took till 3 for them to come out, or if it had to do with the brush vs timber or what. the conclusion backed up what i my opinion from before, that the animals just walk when they do and thats that.

I seem to have better luck cutting tracks after low visibility nights I figure it is easier for them to go unnoticed.

So if lions don't cross a road that means they aren't moving? I think lions are moving whenever even if you don't find a track crossing the roads. If a lion doesn't cross a road it seems like some lion hunters not all but some will be out of business cuz it seems like they rely on a lion to cross a road. Does anyone feel the same?

that is exactly what im saying. where i hunt you dont just get out and start walkin. its straight up and down. when the cats are walkin, its pretty obvious. they will cross the road at some point. there are a lot of old logging roads out here where the cat would have to cross at some point if it wants to go anywhere. i understand you are probably hunting very different conditions, so my statement isn't true everywhere in the states, not even everywhere in california. but it is true in the area that i hunt.

that goes for deer, bobcat, and fox as well.

This is a good post. Foxcat you are right, Im sure not tough enough to get out and walk those places, although I heard there were a few old time hound hunters that sure enough did it. Back to the subject I know that full moon makes for lousy coon hunting but the yotes are sure enough out in droves.

az_hunter wrote:I was just wondering if a full moon affects cats like it dies deer and elk? Im sure it keeps them moving around. Would it possibly make finding track better? Just curious about it any info would be great and thanks!!

I have never been lion hunting with my pack of Nabek dogs but I have heard that a full moon makes the cats even easier to track and tree. They just don't want to stay treed as long and will bail out quicker because of the moon.