Deer are the most hunted animals from many decades ago, both for the meat and leisure. Deer meat has high nutritional value and very rich in protein. In most regions, however, this activity is regulated to protect the species from becoming extinct. Before going out to hunt for deer, you should first ask yourself, are deer color blind. The answer to this will determine how successful your hunting mission will be.
So in this article, we will first attempt to answer the question, are deer color blind? And if they are, is it complete or partial? If partial, what can they detect, and what can they not see? These answers will help you know what you can wear to the forest when going deer hunting.
Is Deer Color Blind?
Because of the uncertainty surrounding this issue of whether a deer can recognize colors, researchers have tried to bring the debate to rest. A team anesthetized ten deer and analyzed their response to light by observing the reaction to their eyes when light is directed to the retina. They discovered that the deer’s eyes have fewer cone cells. Cone cells are responsible for color vision.
Despite the few cones, deer’s eyes have more rod cells, which allow them to see well in dim light. This feature is a survival mechanism that covers the inability to recognize color. Deer can see very well at night, at dawn, or dusk.
From the research conducted, it was discovered that the deer is not color blind per se. They only recognize color differently than we do. Just like some of us, deer have limited color vision and can only identify middle green wavelength and short blue wavelength.
What to Wear
For a hunter wearing a reflective orange coat, the deer might perceive it as a gray object which most likely will camouflage in the forest environment. The fact that the jacket is reflective, however, will sell out the hunter since it will pick out the radiance. This is to say that even as you wear the orange outfit to the forest, ensure it is not reflective.
After this study was conducted and the conclusions made, Most hunters had to reconsider their hunting outfits. Deer hunting is best carried out either at dusk or dawn when the deer are most active. During this time, UV reflection is very intense because it is still dark. With this in mind, hunters took to washing their hunting clothes with anti UV detergent to kill the reflection.
While focusing on whether the deer is color blind or not and deciding the color of the clothes you will wear to the hunting grounds, you should also remember that every living creature adapts to its environment. The deer faces many preys in the course of its day, and it will only be lucky to be alive by the end of the day. If the hunter does not kill it, it will be killed by another animal for food.
Deer are created to survive in such an environment, and this includes in its vision. Much as it has been established that the deer is color blind, it has other survival tactics. One of the most essential is the location of its eyes, which gives it a 310-degree view. The other interesting fact is that deer can detect the slightest movement from a distance. They also have this impressive ability that allows them to stand dead still. The location of their eyes will allow them to follow the predator’s movements for a long stretch without the need to move their necks.
So while hunters are shifting their focus on buying UV killer detergents to wash their hunting outfits, they should also practice how to remain still and focus. The deer might not see them but can detect their movement from very far. You should also never forget how fast a deer can run. So, what are the other factors that will determine whether your hunting ventures will be successful or not?
Control the scent in your hunting clothes as much as you can because the wind in the forest blows your scent a long way. You can use natural soaps with no smell to take a shower and wash your clothes. You should always store your clothes in the hunting bag so that they don’t catch scents from other clothes. Also, make sure you take a bath with scentless soap immediately before going for hunting.
You can also use a scent eliminator, available in the stores, to spray on yourself and your clothes. You will need to tag a bottle along to the forest.
Pay attention to the direction of the wind
Every time you are out hunting, you should consider the direction of the wind. You need to position yourself at a place where the wind will not blow in the direction of the deer. To achieve this, you will first need to know the location of the deer in the forest, including where they sleep, feed, and the routes they use. Once you know this, you can now map out all the possible points where you can be hunting from, depending on the direction of the wind.
Keep technology at Bay
When you are out hunting for deer, it is not the time to update your status on social media. Remember, the deer can detect the slightest motion. If the motion doesn’t give you away, the light will. If by mere luck, they fail to catch the movement and the light, there is also a chance that you will be too distracted to notice a potential catch. The bottom line is, keep your gadgets away when you are out hunting. After all, you are always using them throughout the day.
In conclusion, deer hunting is a fun activity. It can, however, be frustrating if you try so many times without getting a kill. For a successful venture, the hunter will first need to ask themselves, are deer color blind? This will guide their outfit decision, and if you incorporate with the other tips, you will always detect and hit your target.