Buck Moon myths and facts: What actually happens during July's Full Moon

This year, July’s Full Moon will shine bright in the night sky on July 29, 2026. This is often called the “Buck Moon”, a nickname that comes from the annual life cycle of male deer. While bucks actually shed their old antlers in late winter or early spring, they are actively growing new ones around this time of the year. By July, these impressive new antlers are covered in a velvety coating, which makes them easy to spot. Based on this, the Algonquin people gave the July full moon its nickname. Over the years, though, this simple name has picked up many myths and folk beliefs. Here's a look at some of these myths and the truth behind them.

Myth: The Moon controls deer movement and aggression

Since the 1940s, hunters have believed that timing their hunts around the Moon phase will give them better odds. In fact, a social media survey found that 83% of hunters believe the Moon affects deer activity in some way, as per research conducted at Mississippi State University. But that’s not the truth. For this study, researchers tracked 48 white-tailed deer bucks using GPS collars over more than two years. What they found ran directly against the popular belief. As the research paper put it, "The moon has no effect on buck activity."

The researchers also found that the Moon's phase, its position in the sky, or any combination of the two had no measurable effect on movement or any other typical daily deer behavior. To put it simply, the study noted, "The Moon changes position over 25 hours—it rises and sets, sometimes it is overhead, and sometimes it is under our feet. Apogee and perigee moons are when the Moon is closest or farthest from the Earth. We considered all these positions and found that they do not cause our bucks to become more or less active."

Myth: A Full Moon looks bigger or sits closer to Earth

You've probably seen many of those photos where there’s a beautifully glowing moon right behind a skyline or a stand of trees, looking almost too big to be real. While NASA has an answer as to what happens, they are the first to admit they still don't definitively know why it happens. The thing is, it’s a trick of our own brain, known as the Moon Illusion. A leading theory suggests that when the Moon sits low on the horizon, nearby objects like buildings or trees give our brain something to compare it to, and that comparison makes the Moon look far bigger than it actually is. However, NASA officially maintains that a rock-solid scientific explanation for this illusion remains elusive.

NASA has even shared a simple way to bust this myth: “Hold up your outstretched index finger next to the Moon. You'll find that your fingernail and the Moon are about the same size. Or try looking at the Moon through a paper tube, or bend over and look backward between your legs. When you view it like this, the Moon will be nowhere near as big as it had seemed.”

Myth: A full moon is a rare “mystical” event

We've all heard a version of this and seen plenty of folklore connected to the full moon in movies and TV shows. Some connect the event to werewolves, while others tie it to magical powers or even fertility. In reality, though, a full moon is simply a natural phenomenon. This year, the Buck Moon also falls on Guru Purnima and Asalha Puja, two spiritual events that are celebrated by many people around the world. But that's simply a coincidence on the calendar.

In one study examining the effects of the lunar cycle on the frequency of births, researchers found that "An analysis of 5 years of data demonstrated no predictable influence of the lunar cycle on deliveries or complications. As expected, this pervasive myth is not evidence-based."

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