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Outdoor / Sports Tech

MoonGuide

Hunting Intelligence Platform Powered by Lunar Data

QStart Labs built the mobile applications and web backend for MoonGuide, a hunting platform that combines moon phase science, weather analytics, and location intelligence to help deer hunters maximize their success in the field.

Visit MoonGuide
Photorealistic device mockups of the MoonGuide app ecosystem: an iPhone displaying the moon phase hunting calendar with Red Moon predictions, beside a tablet showing the interactive map with hunting locations and wind particle mapping, set against an outdoor forest and nature backdrop in warm MoonGuide earth tones. Cinematic dusk lighting and soft rim light that honors the earth-tone palette, shallow depth-of-field, subtle screen reflections, gentle shadows, and crisp modern UI. Photorealistic, high detail, no placeholder text, no logos.
Client
MoonGuide logo - outdoor hunting brand
IndustryOutdoor / Sports Tech
TimelineOngoing partnership
Team Size3 engineers
ServicesMobile App Development • Custom Software Development • AWS Cloud Architecture

About MoonGuide

MoonGuide is a mobile hunting application designed to optimize deer hunting success by combining lunar data with location intelligence and weather analytics. The platform's signature "Red Moon" predictions help hunters identify the best days and times for deer activity.

Beyond moon phase analysis, MoonGuide offers wind particle mapping for scent tracking, a nationwide land owner database, hunting journals for tracking observations, and a community forum called "The Rub" where hunters share experiences and tips.

Target Audience

Whitetail Deer HuntersTrophy Buck HuntersHunting OutfittersLand ManagersOutdoor EnthusiastsHunting Clubs
Natural photography of a deer hunter in the field at dawn or dusk, checking the MoonGuide app on their phone, with a forest or open field in the background bathed in warm golden-hour earth tones. Cinematic lighting, shallow depth-of-field, and a premium editorial feel. Photorealistic, high detail, no placeholder text, no logos.

The Challenge

Building a hunting intelligence platform required solving unique technical challenges.

Complex Astronomical Calculations

The app needed to calculate precise moon rise/set times, transit positions, and illumination percentages for any location, factoring in timezone and seasonal variations.

Rich Mapping Experience

Hunters needed interactive maps with property boundaries, custom markers, measurement tools, and wind visualization — all working offline in remote areas.

Multi-Source Weather Integration

Accurate hyper-local weather forecasts required integrating multiple weather APIs and presenting data in a hunter-friendly format.

Offline-First Mobile Experience

Hunters often lack cell service in the field, requiring robust offline capabilities for moon data, maps, and journal entries.

Our Solution

We delivered a comprehensive mobile and backend solution optimized for hunters.

React Native Mobile Applications

We built cross-platform iOS and Android apps using React Native, delivering a native experience with shared business logic for moon calculations and hunting predictions.

  • React Native 0.78 with React 19 for modern performance
  • Redux state management with offline persistence
  • SunCalc and Solunar libraries for astronomical calculations
  • SQLite local database for offline zipcode lookups
  • Firebase integration for analytics and push notifications
Photorealistic smartphone mockups of the MoonGuide app floating on a deep charcoal near-black background, showing the moon phase calendar with Red Moon predictions, the daily hunting forecast with activity levels, and the hunting journal interface for logging observations, with the apps own warm earth-tone palette intact. Soft rim light and gentle QStart accent glow only where it does not clash with the earth tones, shallow depth-of-field, subtle screen reflections, gentle shadows, and crisp modern UI. Photorealistic, high detail, no placeholder text, no logos.

Interactive Mapping & Location Intelligence

Implemented rich mapping features using Mapbox GL, giving hunters powerful tools to scout and plan their hunts digitally.

  • Mapbox GL integration with custom styling
  • Turf.js for geospatial calculations and area measurements
  • LandGrid API for property boundary data
  • Wind particle mapping visualization
  • Custom markers, lines, and shape drawing tools
Photorealistic tablet mockup of the MoonGuide map interface floating on a deep charcoal near-black background, showing property boundaries, custom hunting stand markers, area measurements, and wind direction visualization overlaid on satellite imagery in the apps warm earth-tone palette. Soft rim light and subtle QStart accent glow only where it does not clash with the earth tones, shallow depth-of-field, gentle screen reflections, soft shadows, and crisp modern UI. Photorealistic, high detail, no placeholder text, no logos.

Spring Boot Backend Platform

Built a robust Java backend to handle user accounts, subscriptions, content management, and synchronization between devices.

  • Spring Boot 3.4 with Java 21
  • MariaDB database with Hibernate ORM
  • JWT authentication with 1-year token expiration
  • Apple App Store and Google Play subscription validation
  • RESTful APIs for mobile app synchronization
Clean minimal isometric architecture diagram on a deep dark background showing the Spring Boot backend connecting to a MariaDB database, AWS S3 for media storage, and the mobile apps over REST APIs, joined by precise brand-blue (#0b5cff) accent connector lines with subtle violet glow. Engineering-grade layout with generous negative space. Clean editorial illustration, high detail, no text.

AWS Cloud Infrastructure

Deployed the platform on AWS with automated CI/CD pipelines, ensuring reliable performance during peak hunting seasons.

  • AWS S3 for media and image storage
  • Docker containerization for consistent deployments
  • AWS CodeBuild for automated CI/CD pipelines
  • AWS CodeArtifact for dependency management
  • CloudWatch logging and monitoring
Clean minimal isometric AWS architecture diagram on a deep dark background showing S3 buckets, an ECR container registry, a CodeBuild pipeline, and an RDS database within the us-east-2 region, connected by precise brand-blue (#0b5cff) accent lines with subtle violet glow. Engineering-grade layout with generous negative space. Clean editorial illustration, high detail, no text.

Platform Capabilities

MoonGuide offers a comprehensive suite of features for serious deer hunters.

Red Moon Predictions

Proprietary algorithm predicting optimal deer activity based on moon transit times relative to sunset.

Wind Particle Mapping

Visualize scent travel and airflow patterns to optimize stand placement.

Hunting Journal

Log sightings, weather conditions, and photos to identify behavioral patterns over time.

The Rub Community

Social forum for hunters to share experiences, tips, and hunting predictions.

Land Owner Database

Nationwide parcel ownership data to research properties and contact landowners.

Weather Forecasting

Hyper-localized 10-day forecasts with radar visualization for hunt planning.

Technology Stack

We selected technologies optimized for mobile performance and offline reliability.

React Native React Redux Spring Boot MariaDB Mapbox AWS S3 Docker Firebase

The Results

MoonGuide helps thousands of hunters plan more successful hunts.

iOS + AndroidNative mobile apps
102+React Native components
50 StatesLand data coverage
$24.99/yrSubscription model

Key Takeaways

1

Domain Expertise Matters

Understanding the hunting community's needs was essential to building features that actually help hunters succeed in the field.

2

Offline-First Architecture

Designing for areas with no cell service required careful planning around data caching, local calculations, and sync strategies.

3

Complex Calculations, Simple UX

Translating astronomical algorithms into intuitive "Red Moon" predictions made advanced science accessible to everyday hunters.

Building a Mobile App with Complex Data?

We specialize in apps that combine rich data, offline capabilities, and intuitive UX. Let's discuss your project.

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6233 Riverside Drive, Suite 2S, Dublin, OH 43017 (Columbus metro) · serving clients nationwide

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