Welcome to the
​2018 Whitetail Daylight Deer Activity Index Web Page

DEER HUNTERS! JUST RELEASED!
2018 WHITETAIL DAYLIGHT DEER ACTIVITY INDEX 
Paperback – June 29, 2018
​Author: Allen “horntagger” Morris –

Well here it is. Easy-to-follow guide that hunters can use to plan their hunting strategies for September 15th, 2018 thru January 15th, 2019. With 29 years’ worth of data and based on over 4000 daylight sightings of free ranging deer in Missouri. I have compiled this information into a Whitetail Daylight Deer Activity Index, this is the 18th year of providing this information to hunters.
 
From 1999 to 2005, I published calendars and articles for magazines and websites.

From 2006 to 2017, Whitetail Daylight Deer Activity Index was published by Bass Pro Shops in their King of Bucks Calendar.
 
Available on Amazon ONLY: 2018 season come to end.

I kept Journals of every whitetail I viewed hunting going back to 1989 to 1996 on family land.

From 1996 to 2017 I have kept Bow Hunter Observation Records.

Big game changer was 1998 when I bought my first Game Camera - 35mm Camtrakker lasted 1998 to 2013 on two different farms. 1998 was big year also got a computer and both those became game changers on keeping records.

From 1999 to 2005 I published Calendars and Guides, made them as gifts for friends and sent them to Celebrity Hunters that I would interview on my Radio Show. Also would get request from hunters around the country for them.

Started publishing Guides in my columns and for multiple different magazines also.

Started working for Bass Pro Shops Corporate Office in 2005 and was asked by top TV Host to allow Bass Pro Shops to publish it. First Appearance in 2006 was online only.

First time in print for Bass Pro Shops was the 2007 Calendar - King of Bucks Collector's Edition 

Continued each year after that with Bass Pro Shops until end of 2017 and contract finally ran out.

Game Cameras have come a long way since then.
Little Game Camera History at the Turkey Buzzard Ranch
 Bought property in spring of 2007.
 2007 - 632 photos
2008 - 8,746 photos
2009 - 24,064 photos
2010 - 14,692 photos
2011 - 159,115 photos
2012 - 172,446 photos
2013 - 229,290 photos
2014 - 303,572 photos
2015 - 391,008 photos
2016 - 327,093 photos
2017 – 414,477 photos
2018 – 52,494 photos and counting

  (Moon Facts and Opinions)
BY ALLEN "horntagger" MORRIS
Part of the collection have been left out and can only be found in the book.
I decided instead of hunters trying to find all this information I have collected over the years I would put it all together in one nice package.
(My statements will be in book or red)
Broken down into four subjects:

​Rhythms found in book

BIOLOGICAL FACTS ABOUT WHITETAIL DEER  
WHITE-TAILED DEER Ecology and Management, Halls. 1984  
Reproduction
Over Most of the whitetail range, does come into estrous (heat) in autumn. These does experience several ovulatory cycles if not successfully mated initially. Onset of breeding activity is governed by photoperiodism, latitude, genetics and nutrition. Reproduction is directly controlled by the endocrine system. (Halls. 1984)
​ 
Photoperiodism reason in book.

  Endocrinology
Follicles in the ovary produce estrogen - the hormone responsible for the doe's mating urge. Another ovarian hormone, progesterone, apparently acts in concert with estrogen to promote optimum heat - the time when a doe will permit copulation. A rise in estrogen greatly increases the secretion of the luteinizing hormone by the pituitary, causing the release of a mature egg. (Halls. 1984)

The corpus luteum, a specialized gland, develops at the site of the ruptured follicle at ovulation. If the shed egg is not fertilized the corpus luteum degenerated in about three weeks, and the entire cycle recurs at regular intervals until conception takes place, or reproductive activity ceases in late winter. (Halls. 1984) 

​Decline and Increase of Hormones are in book.

  The chart from WHITE-Tailed Deer Ecology and Management shows Follicles in the ovary produce estrogen the hormone responsible for the doe's mating urge. Another ovarion Hormone, progesterone, apparently acts in concert with estrogen to promote optimum heat - the time when a doe will permit copulation. A rise in estrogen greatly increase the secretion of luteining hormone by the pituitary causing the release of a mature egg. (Halls. 1984)  

To describe some similarities with the Moon phases. The chart shows a 7-day decline of the progesterone. During the same 7 days an increase of estrogen takes place then a sharp peak in the luteinizing hormone at the end of the 7-day decline of progesterone and the 7-day increase of estrogen, which are characteristics of estrus onset and ovulation in whitetail deer. (Halls. 1984)  

A doe remains in heat for approximately 24 hours.(Halls. 1984) 

Similarities are in book.

Melatonin, a substance secreted by the pineal gland (the "third eye"), influences the release of sex hormones from the pituitary. Many of the seasonal effects of the photoperiod are dependent therefore on an intact pineal, since it presumably serves as a mediator of transducer of photoperiod cues into chemical or endocrine information. Pinealectomy dramatically alters the timing of many seasonal physiological events in deer (Halls. 1984)

The pineal gland is located in the brain. This organ - the so-called "third eye" of vertebrates - is a transducer of photic information to the pituitary or "master gland"(Halls. 1984)   Photoperiodism
The rutting season is tied to photperiodism. A diminishing ratio of daylight to darkness triggers the start of the reproductive cycle. Photoperiodism serves as a time-giver for the inherent (endogenous) rhythm, the so-called "biological clock"(Halls, 1984)

Since photoperiodism is related to latitude, the rut progresses more or less as a continuum from November in the North to January or February in far southern ranges. Variation within a region possibly is due to genetic differences or hybridization. (Halls, 1984)  

Yearling does generally achieve estrus later in the rut than older females. Doe fawns come into estrous after most adults have bred. (Halls. 1984) 

Does that do not become pregnant at their first estrus will come into estrous again 28 days later (Halls, 1984)  

​The Moon's lunar cycle is 29.53059 days (New Moon - New Moon)- (NASA) 

RESEARCH FACTS ABOUT WHITETAIL DEER

  Texas Tech University biologist Steve Demarais and Whitetail management consultant Bob Zaiglin radio-collared 25 trophy bucks and monitored them from 1984 through 1987 in South Texas. The pair's extensive background enabled them to interpret and express their data in hunter-friendly terms, first published in the September 1991 issue of Buckmaster.

  I started keeping records in 1987 but did not have enough detailed information and the resources to keep better records till about 1996 and in 1998 I also bought a Camtrakker to help me study the Whitetail better. Taking each year by itself the following numbers have come to be what I live by.

Another great book is Hunting Whitetails by the Moon by Charles J. Alsheimer. By the way if you don't do anything else get this book. I don't agree with everything in it, but it still a very interesting read. 

Crepuscular - Active at twilight (Webster's Dictionary)

  Radio tracking data indicated greater deer movement during both daylight and dark hours when the moon was in the light phase. (Halls, 1984)

  In summarizing activity rhythms, White-tailed deer tend to be most active at dawn and dusk. (Halls, 1984)
 
Crepuscular and Longer Low Light Conditions in book

HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT WHITETAIL DEER

  Typically we deer hunter's believe we know a lot about the Whitetail and for good reason. The person that knows the Whitetail most typically spends more time pursuing them year round. I believe most of us would agree with this.

  So you would have to agree that the American Indian would know more about the Whitetail than anyone.
  Since the Whitetail Deer were harvested first and foremost for food, clothing, by the American Indian. 
 

  The American Indian gives special names to the full moons in each month.
These are examples of the ones that deal with the Whitetail Deer.
  Eastern Cherokee Moons
11th Moon = Harvest Moon
12th Moon = Hunting Moon
 
Cheyenne
November Moon = Deer Rutting Moon
 
Omaha
September Moon = Moon when deer paw the earth.
 
Sioux
December Moon = When deer shed their Horns
 
Cree
October Moon = Harvest Moon or Hunter's Moon
November Moon = Hunter's Moon
 
I believe the American Indian new more about when deer movement took place and tied it in with what was always there clock "The Moon" because their lives depended on it.

HUNTING FACTS ABOUT WHITETAIL DEER  

First Predators (Coyote/Bobcat) hunting whitetails.

Doe Gestation, Predators and Fawns in book

   Do you think when the moon is full coyotes and other predators are on the move more at night?

 Since I started scoring deer I have records to use as a reference and comparison on the date harvest.  With the help from ARCHERY BIG BUCKS OF MISSOURI OFFICIAL RECORDS. (Also a special thanks to Archery Big Bucks of Missouri Club and Claudette Roper Recording Secretary for providing me with these records.) I have results on Record Book Whitetail Deer taken with a bow in Missouri.  620 record book whitetails taken with a bow from 1990 thru 2000.

 Since hunting pressure is less during Bow season it made for a great comparison of numbers.

With the help from MISSOURI SHOW-ME BIG BUCKS OFFICIAL RECORDS. (Also a special thanks to Missouri Show-Me Big Bucks Club and Dale H. Ream Jr. Director of Records for providing me with these records.) I have results on Record Book Whitetail Deer taken with a bow and mainly rifle in Missouri.  1915 record book whitetails taken with a bow and mainly rifle from 1990 thru 1999.

Deer activity is affected by multiple factors but one more than any. Reference in the book

​Are you interested in
WHITETAIL DEER MANAGEMENT & THE WEEKEND HUNTER
Real Life Approach for Whitetail Deer Management as a Small Landowner
Paperback – February 9, 2018
by Allen "horntagger" Morris (Author)