deer vision at night
01-19-2004, 09:20 AM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fredericksburg Virginia USA
Posts: 13,672
RE: deer vision at night
They see better in the dark than we do, but not with the definition we do. They see movement far better than we do and normally a deer needs more than just a visual to actually spook, they need movement and the ability to make out your outline. The one sense that they will spook on all by itself is smell, if they smell you they are GONE!!!
I have on a few occasions when the wind is right been standing in the wide open and through staying perfectly still when they are looking right at me and moving slowly when they are not, been able to get extremely close to them, within 20 foot, talk about exhilirating!
I have on a few occasions when the wind is right been standing in the wide open and through staying perfectly still when they are looking right at me and moving slowly when they are not, been able to get extremely close to them, within 20 foot, talk about exhilirating!
01-19-2004, 09:34 AM
#5
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Georgetown, Texas
Posts: 528
RE: deer vision at night
JMO but. . . .Deer see much better than we do after dark. Not up on all the technical terms but they have some reflecting stuff in their eyes that works much like your house cat. They don't see reds well at all and I have also read they have trouble seeing green light to. . .go figure.
01-19-2004, 11:44 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sandy Creek New York USA
Posts: 188
RE: deer vision at night
I had hunted an area with plenty of tracks but never saw a deer. I decided to wait at a fairly hidden spot, all night if I had to, to see when the deer came out. After it became pitch black a deer snorted I'd say within 15 or 20 feet from me. I never heard it approach so the sound came without any warning whatsoever. Try as I might, I could not see that deer! Maybe it winded me, but the sound of the snort was so close and seem so focused on me that I'm sure it saw me. I felt the hair on my neck rise on that one,and realized how well deer can see in the darkest of conditions. I know it was truly dark out, and that deer was wandering around without visual impairment.
01-19-2004, 11:56 AM
#7
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location:
Posts: 634
RE: deer vision at night
I scout quite a bit after dark. My nite vision is fairly keen but I know that I am no match for there vision acuity. Only way I get real close is with the aid of the prevailing winds. I post up downwind of trail & trail intersections, scrapes and rub lines. You can learn much by these up-close encounters in their playground. Often, I will not spot them until after I have smelled their musky aroma wafting my way 1st. That really is exciting because you know they are real close and yet not quite visable.
