What Colors Can Deer See?
BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 5 months ago
My goodness this summer is hot where I am (that smoke from all the fires Trudeau is starting doesn’t help either). Fall and winter can’t get here fast enough. I’m already day dreaming about being in the bush on a hunt. Speaking of this, F&S has a useful image concerning what deer see.
Compared to humans, deer do not see reds and oranges well, but they do see greens and blues. Of course, green and brown are colors in the bush, as well as red and orange during the change of leaves. But the stark reminder is that you simply don’t wear blue. Pretty much everything else looks pretty bland to a deer.
Keeping your orange hat on is probably okay, if you don’t mind the lack of pattern (I usually wear mine to the stand or wherever else I’m hunting and then shed it for a better one – DNR will cite you with a violation if they see you traipsing around the bush without orange on somewhere, but for upland bird hunting it simply doesn’t matter what you wear as long as your legs can stand briars). This also means that little red strip attaching gaiters to your boots or other company logo they like to put there (red symbol on camo shirts) won’t be seen by deer.
On July 7, 2023 at 9:12 am, IAB said:
My father sees colour much as a deer does; for years he wore a beloved shooting jacket, and it wasn’t until he asked my mother ‘where’s my green jacket?’ that we realized that the classic black and red plaid of the American woodsman appeared to him as a greyish green. As you say, blaze orange seems to escape their notice, though I have found that a solid-coloured cap or jacket of the stuff seems to attract their attention. I wear either orange and black camo, or an orange ‘net’ sleeveless jacket, allowing the clothing beneath to show, while still giving (to most human eyes) a flash of orange.
On July 8, 2023 at 3:15 pm, Bibsuruncle said:
Deer see in a complete different part of the light spectrum. For instance washing your camo suit in regular detergent with phosphates makes the camo look like a neon sign. My understanding camouflaging yourself when hunting deer is more so about what they see in their spectrum not color.
On July 9, 2023 at 11:51 pm, PJ said:
I once had a pair of deer approach me within 10 feet, but they did not know I was there because the breeze was constant toward me. I even managed to very slowly bring my rifle from my lap to my shoulder, then back down again, while they kept eating acorns. Then the wind shifted and they were out of there like a shot.
I don’t think color matters much if at all. Movement and smell are everything.