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Deer Vision and its Science

stevenjackson

By stevenjackson,
in Deer Hunting

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Doc Experienced

Doc

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I have seen several sources try to depict exactly what deer see, and I am surprised at how each one seems a bit different. Since no one has better credentials than the other, you have to wonder just how literal you should take any of these pictures.

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OnHoPr Newbie

OnHoPr

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The science of how a deer sees has been around to my knowledge since the 60's - 70's. At first they thought that deer just seen in shades of black, whites, and greys. Then in the 80's and early 90's the researchers discovered that the deer had different rods and cones structure then previously believed and could see UV light shades. Then certain types of soaps and camo (dyes) was developed to help camo. This is just a little more advanced of the evolution of deer sight science. As technology increases so does the aspects of determining just possibly what a deer really sees. I know I don't use any type of colorfast detergents on my hunting clothes. I have seen on occasion, "no way they seen me", like standing in a tree stand 18 feet up (occasional stand) like a statue in a pine with cover and be 45 yards away and through thicker pine branches with 15 mph winds from them to me look right at me and turn and head back the way they came. I am not sure, but I am not a scientist either.

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Doc Experienced

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I have had a few occasions where I sat against a tree in my head-to-toe blaze orange suit and had does walk right past without ever seeing anything out of place. And this was done right in the middle of a very high pressure gun season when they were all on super high alert.

 

And then there has been times when I have been sneaking up over a ridge and got picked up just as my blaze-orange hat came into view. So, who really knows what is going on. I have assumed that the blaze orange does show up different to the deer, but does not bother them unless there is movement involved. I would be surprised if the reflectivity and intensity of that color doesn't stand out in some fashion. After all, it is almost like a light source. It may not be the color that is noticed, but rather the features of intensity. I don't know, I haven't found a deer that I can discuss all this with so I am just guessing.

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nyslowhand Enthusiast

nyslowhand

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The OP's supplied link was basically an advertisement for a specific camo pattern/mfger.

 

Have seen a better presentation of how biologists & vision experts assumed  the deer's vision processed colors on a older episode of D&DH. Also discussed how a deer's vision might not be able to distinguish different camo patterns, they do see outlines or profiles of the hunter that might not be natural to their environment. The fact that deer can not process BO was also attributed to the different shading they see in the red spectrum as a distinct outline of an unrecognizable shape. BO camo was only slightly less recognizable as a shape, mostly due to beaking up the shape. So, assuming the worst case, unproven scenario for the deer & best for the hunter, a deer is completely color blind and unable to process UV shades. They still could distinguish shapes, variations in shading, determine what's naturally occurring or a possible threat and see the slightest movement  in those shapes/profiles! So the next time you're walking through the woods in your high tech camo or BO, thinking you're invisible...think again! Now back to our sponsors Mossy Oak & RealTree....

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Doc Experienced

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I didn't watch the video, but here is a great article on deer vision.  Dr. Karl Miller UGA has done great research on deer vision.

 

http://www.qdma.com/articles/can-deer-see-blaze-orange

Ok, the illustrations in this article clearly show that blaze orange show up as yellow .... another bright color that also looks totally out of place in the woods and is very attention-getting as well. This all backs up my theory that deer may not see blaze orange as blaze orange, but the color still appears as a stark, attention-grabbing, flashy, visual. Certainly the color does not blend in with anything else in the woods.

 

I am not trying to discourage anyone from wearing blaze orange during gun season. I am a fanatical proponent of the material as a life-saver. I also have seen a few situations where the color didn't seem to attract their attention. But I do believe that we are not invisible to the deer either. Blaze orange absolutely is a very worthwhile trade-off made in an attempt to keep from being shot at (my personal choice). But I think it is wise to couple this with extra caution about movement and concealment if we expect to fool a deer's eyes.

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josephmrtn Enthusiast

josephmrtn

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I have had a few occasions where I sat against a tree in my head-to-toe blaze orange suit and had does walk right past without ever seeing anything out of place. And this was done right in the middle of a very high pressure gun season when they were all on super high alert.

 

And then there has been times when I have been sneaking up over a ridge and got picked up just as my blaze-orange hat came into view. So, who really knows what is going on. I have assumed that the blaze orange does show up different to the deer, but does not bother them unless there is movement involved. I would be surprised if the reflectivity and intensity of that color doesn't stand out in some fashion. After all, it is almost like a light source. It may not be the color that is noticed, but rather the features of intensity. I don't know, I haven't found a deer that I can discuss all this with so I am just guessing.

 

that is my opinion after all why dont bowhunters wear it? its because at such a close range it would show movement much better...

:)

 

Ok so it was designed to sell a product, cool video still. 

 

One could - hang their favorite clothes in a stand, against some brush, then take a look 50 yards away.

also try it w binos... and do it from like 200 yrds

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Doc Experienced

Doc

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that is my opinion after all why dont bowhunters wear it? its because at such a close range it would show movement much better...

:)

 

I am thinking the reason that blaze orange doesn't pose a problem during gun season is that with a gun, most of the "positioning motions" are done before the deer gets super close. So basically before the deer is at a point where you are ready to shoot them, you may be dressed in a head-to-toe blaze orange material, but you are not making any significant movements. That works.

 

With a bow, you have no option but to draw your bow while the deer is in close proximity. Couple that significant movement with bright colors that don't blend well with the surroundings, and the deer is gone before you can release the shot. That is what camo is all about during bow season. Even with full camo, the drawing motion required with a bow can get you busted. Trying to do that with some kind of highly reflective bright material would be a guarantee of being spotted.

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Doc Experienced

Doc

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i've always felt i had better luck with my gillie suite than anything. i believe it to be less about colors and more about breaking up your outline or silhouette. during turkey i've had them walk up less than 5 yards from where I was sitting.

Nothing beats a ghillie suit. I have performed a few experiments with having people trying to spot me while I sat in the woods with my ghillie suit on, and with just a very little brush. Even though they were consciously knowing exactly what they were looking for, it took one heck of a long time for them to spot me. And that was only at 50 yards. It is an amazing way to break your outline and nearly become invisible. The only problem I have is figuring how to draw and shoot a bow with all that crap all over me. It Is nearly guaranteed to foul up in the arrow or bowstring or limbs in some way .... lol.

 

I have a good thought for an invention that hasn't occurred to anyone that I know of. Somebody needs to market a blaze orange ghillie suit for gun/crossbow deer hunting. I think that if done right it could be deadly deer hunting camo while still having the safety effects of being obvious to other hunters. I'm thinking of color combinations of several shades of orange to still provide that image-breaking pattern and yet have the colors that catch the eye of other hunters. Kind of like camo blaze orange done with the ghillie design.

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josephmrtn Enthusiast

josephmrtn

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i've always felt i had better luck with my gillie suite than anything. i believe it to be less about colors and more about breaking up your outline or silhouette. during turkey i've had them walk up less than 5 yards from where I was sitting.

ive had turkey so close i could have reached out and touched them... and i was just in reg camo

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Five Seasons Grand Master

Five Seasons

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The only problem I have is figuring how to draw and shoot a bow with all that crap all over me. It Is nearly guaranteed to foul up in the arrow or bowstring or limbs in some way .... lol.

 

 

what i did, and maybe you can tell from the picture, is cut all the leafs off my left breast side and inner forearm. because i agree, you don't want anything messing with your arrows.

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Doc Experienced

Doc

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Another feature of my ghillie suit is that it is super hot. All those layers of those little leaf thingys seem to act just like insulation. That's good news when you are in the later stages of the bow season. But this year with an Oct 1 start, we could be looking at T-shirt weather.

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Nomad Grand Master

Nomad

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what i did, and maybe you can tell from the picture, is cut all the leafs off my left breast side and inner forearm. because i agree, you don't want anything messing with your arrows.

Hum in Greek Mythology the Amazon women warrior had their right breast removed so as to throw a spear better.

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