Hunter's Moon, October 25, 2026: A Full Moon for Setting Things Down Before Winter
Some Octobers you feel it in your bones. The year has asked a lot of you, the days keep getting shorter, and there is still a whole winter to go before anything gets easier.
Missing someone this month? Our Samhain ritual for remembering begins at sunset on October 31.
If that is where you are, the full moon on Sunday, October 25, 2026 is a good night to put something down. It is the Hunter's Moon, the second full moon of autumn, and in crystal practice a full moon is traditionally for release: noticing what you are still carrying that you no longer need to.
You do not need to do anything elaborate. Look up for a while. Hold a stone. Let one thing go before the cold sets in.
When is the Hunter's Moon in 2026?
The Moon is exactly full on Sunday night, October 25, 2026. On the East Coast that moment falls just after midnight, so it is technically Monday there.
| Time zone | Exact full moon |
|---|---|
| Pacific (PDT) | 9:12 pm, Sunday October 25 |
| Mountain (MDT) | 10:12 pm, Sunday October 25 |
| Central (CDT) | 11:12 pm, Sunday October 25 |
| Eastern (EDT) | 12:12 am, Monday October 26 |
| UTC | 04:12, Monday October 26 |
Wherever you are, Sunday evening is the night to look. A full moon rises around sunset and stays up all night, and it looks just as full the evening before and the evening after. If Sunday is cloudy or busy, Saturday or Monday counts too.
Why is it called the Hunter's Moon?
The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. This year the equinox fell on September 22 and the next full moon came on September 26, so that was the Harvest Moon. The Hunter's Moon is simply the full moon that follows it, which makes it October's.
The name is old and plain. The earliest written record is English, from a 1710 edition of a periodical called The British Apollo: "The Country People call this the Hunters-Moon." You will often see it described online as a Native American name. The written record points to English country speech instead, which is worth knowing if you like your traditions honest.
Either way, you can feel why it stuck. After the harvest comes the season of getting ready: stocking up, gathering in, deciding what will last the winter and what will not.
What does the Hunter's Moon mean in crystal practice?
A full moon is the peak of the cycle. Everything is lit, nothing is hidden, and the traditional practice is release. Two weeks earlier, the October new moon on the 10th was for planting an intention. If you set one, this is the night to look at it again. (Our October new moon ritual is here if you missed it.)
The Hunter's Moon adds the question of the season: what are you carrying into winter? Not everything is worth the weight. A resentment that has outlived its purpose. A commitment you said yes to in spring that has quietly become a load. A way of talking to yourself that you would never use with a friend.
Name one. That is enough for one moon. Our guide to new moon and full moon rituals covers the whole cycle if you would like the longer version.
Which crystals are traditionally used for the Hunter's Moon?
Moon-white stones for the night itself, and warm autumn browns and golds for the season around it.
Selenite, the moon stone
Selenite is soft, milky white, with a silky shimmer that moves as you turn it. Its name comes from Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon, and it is traditionally used for clearing a space and for a sense of starting fresh.
Our selenite bracelet is from $5.72. One practical note that matters: selenite dissolves in water, so keep it dry. Our guide to crystals that can't go in water has the full list.
Rainbow moonstone, for cycles
Rainbow moonstone is milky white with a blue flash that drifts as you move it. It is traditionally associated with intuition and with the rhythm of the moon itself, and many people keep one for full moon nights in particular. The rainbow moonstone bracelet is from $27.72.
Tiger eye, for the hunter's steadiness
Tiger eye is banded gold and brown, the colours of late October, with a band of light that slides across it as you turn it. It is traditionally associated with grounded confidence: clear eyes, steady feet, the kind of courage that does not need to announce itself.
That is a useful thing to wear while you decide what to let go of. The tiger eye bracelet is from $7.72.
Mahogany obsidian, for the actual letting go
Mahogany obsidian is volcanic glass, black swirled with red-brown. It is traditionally associated with grounding and with gentle release, a softer companion than plain black obsidian.
Our mahogany obsidian angel is about two inches tall and sits comfortably in a closed hand, which makes it a good one to hold for the naming part of the ritual below. $7.74.
Baltic amber, for warmth into winter
Amber is not a crystal at all. It is fossilised tree resin, tens of millions of years old, and it is warm to the touch in a way stone never is. For a moon about getting ready for the cold, it is a lovely thing to wear.
The flower Baltic amber bracelet is Baltic amber as identified by our supplier, from $17.72 in wrist sizes 5.5 to 8.5 inches.
A simple Hunter's Moon release ritual
About twenty minutes. Outside if you can, at a window if you can't.
- Look up first. Before anything else, just look at the Moon for a minute or two. Let your shoulders drop.
- Hold one stone. Mahogany obsidian or tiger eye suit this best, but any stone you have works. Let it warm in your hand.
- Name one thing you are setting down before winter. Out loud if you can. One thing, not a list. A list turns release into a chore.
- Name what you are keeping from it. Almost nothing we let go of taught us nothing. "I am putting this down, and I am keeping what it taught me about my limits."
- If you set an intention at the new moon, read it again. Not to grade yourself. Just to see where it is.
- Leave the stone on a windowsill overnight. Many people leave their stones in full moonlight as a kind of reset. Keep selenite dry and away from a damp window.
Then go to bed. That is the whole thing.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Hunter's Moon in 2026?
The Moon is exactly full on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 9:12 pm Pacific. On the East Coast that is 12:12 am on Monday, October 26. Sunday evening is the night to look, and it will look full the night before and after too.
Why is it called the Hunter's Moon?
It is the name for the first full moon after the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. The earliest written record is from a 1710 English periodical, The British Apollo, which says country people used the name.
What crystals are used for the Hunter's Moon?
Selenite and moonstone for the full moon itself. Tiger eye, mahogany obsidian and amber for the autumn season around it, traditionally associated with steadiness, release and warmth.
What is a full moon ritual for?
Traditionally, a full moon is for release: naming something you are ready to stop carrying. A new moon is for intention, naming something you would like to begin.
If you would like help choosing a stone, our two-minute crystal quiz is a gentle place to start. Free US shipping over $25; we also ship to Canada, Mexico and many countries worldwide, with the rate shown at checkout. We ship from California within one to two business days. Whatever you set down this month, you do not have to pick it back up.