Deer Hunting Tip: Don’t Wear Blue (Or Solid Green)

A 2003 article in the Wildlife Society Bulletin sheds light on whitetail vision and what it might mean to the hunters who pursue them.

In their research, the scientists outlined an eye composition that permits deer to see sharply at full and low light. The article also focused on the ability of deer to see some ­colors–although they may not see them as colors at all, but as shades of gray. Basically, whitetails are sensitive to blues and greens, and less so to reds and oranges. The extent to which orange or red appears distinct from the surrounding environment depends on luminance or brightness.

The takeaways? Low light penalizes you more than it does them, so it pays to slow down even more. And avoid wearing blues and solid greens–but don’t fret the orange. Your movement is more likely to give you away before your wardrobe does.

_From the October 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

Photo by Charles Alsheimer_