The Science of Effective Camouflage

I hit the woods for my first hunt on October 6th, 1991, with a Darton compound bow in hand and sporting a brand-new one-piece blotchy camo suit. It was my 12th birthday, but even my sky-high enthusiasm and the latest camo pattern couldn’t help me fill a tag that day—or the entire season. I won’t blame my attire, but, looking back, it is fascinating to consider how camouflage has evolved since then.

At that time, the camo industry was in its infancy, but on the cusp of a major boom. Before long, sporting goods stores exploded with new patterns promising such detail that even the smartest buck in the woods would not be able to distinguish between an oak tree and a human. These patterns, and patterns like them, have become wildly popular, but there’s a problem. They were made for a human’s eyes—not a deer’s. So, it begs the question: If a camouflage pattern was made for how deer actually see, what would it look like?

Scientific research has some clues. I recently talked in-depth with Dr. Karl Miller, one of the country’s foremost deer researches, formerly with the University of Georgia, about the nuances of whitetail vision that we now understand as it applies to camo. His work, and numerous other whitetail studies, reveal the vast difference between human and deer eyesight and how that should directly influence your gear choices for hunting.

Related: What Colors Can Deer See?

Deer Vision and Camouflage: What We Know

Chart showing human vision compared to deer vision. — Whitetails do not distinguish colors in the red and orange spectrum well, but blues and whites pop for the them. (Chart/Courtesy of Jay Neitz, Ph.D. – Vision Scientist Medical College of Wisconsin)

Deer Eyes Don’t Focus Like Ours
Unlike human eyes, which are made for seeing detail at a single focused point, deer see a much broader field of view that is a bit fuzzy. A horizontal pupil allows deer to have a 300-degree view of their horizon, helping them easily detect motion and avoid predators coming from most any direction. But they don’t see detail very well.
Deer See a Different Spectrum of Colors
To see the full rainbow of colors making up visible light (ROYGBV), we have three cone receptors in our retinas—red, green, and blue. Deer only have two—blue and yellow. A whitetail, therefore, sees red as gray or black, and orange and yellow appear muted. However whitetail vision capabilities far exceed ours at the blue end of the spectrum, even allowing sight of a wavelength we cannot see, ultraviolet.
Deer Have Night Vision
Ever wonder how deer can sprint through the woods in the dark without tripping or hitting a tree? Their eye’s large pupil size, its horizontal shaped slit, lack of a UV filter, and their enhanced ability to see blue and UV light allows for night vision that’s up to 20 times better than ours. Since deer are crepuscular and prefer to move at dusk and dawn, when these wavelengths dominate the spectrum, this makes objects remitting these colors stick out like sore thumbs. Miller, in fact, pointed out that a deer’s white tail is not this color to them at all at dusk—it glows blue.

A photo of how a human sees deer flagging compared to a deer. — The right side of this photo approximates how a deer sees other deer flagging at dusk. Notice that the image is brighter and the white flags of the deer almost glow. (Photo/Adam Lewis)

So filling your hunting wardrobe with this in mind, and a bit of common sense, will be much more effective than following the latest fad. Here’s what look for in camouflage that will actually be effective at fooling a whitetail’s eyes.

A Modern Camo Guide: 3 Keys to Concealment

far deer eyes twilight color — This photo approximates how a deer would see two different camo patterns. Notice how the one on the left tends to “blob up” when blurred, and how on the right, whites and blues stand out. (Photo/Adam Lewis)

Avoid White and Blue
Although there aren’t many blue colors in modern camo, there are patterns with white patches throughout it. Since deer can see both of these approximately 20 times better than any other colors, and at a time of day when you’re most likely to have a close whitetail encounter (dusk and dawn), you should avoid white in camo patterns whenever there is little or no white in your natural setting. Otherwise, it will stick out to deer.
Pick Macro over Micro
Since deer see their world a bit fuzzy, highly detailed patterns showing twigs, leaves, and branches do little to conceal you. I call these “micro patterns.” At shooting distance, these pattern can “blob up,” forming one big color that stands out. Instead, look for “macro patterns,” with large areas of contrasting colors that break up the human form. Your best bet is trying a squint test. From 10 to 20 yards, squint your eyes until things get fuzzy, and then observe if the pattern has various contrasting shades that break up its shape. If it does, it passes the test. If it blends to one blob of color, it fails and you should choose something else.
Let the Environment Decide
Deer typically don’t know you’re a human when they pick you off. They see a form and distinguish it as different compared to its surroundings. Although we may have been conditioned to think we are always pinned against a tree and therefore should look like bark from head to toe, the reality is there are a wide variety of shapes, colors, and textures as our backdrop when hunting. These could include bark, but also the sky, brush, rock, and grasses to name a few. So if your camo does not blend well with these, the likelihood of a whitetail detecting what doesn’t belong goes way up. So, select a pattern that best matches the environment where deer are most likely to scrutinize you, and even test this out with a buddy or by taking pictures from the perspective of a deer before the season.

A bowhunter in a tree stand in the woods. — Have a buddy take a picture of you in your tree stand so you can evaluate how effective your camo is.

3 Bonus Keys to Concealment

Try 3D
Since patterns printed on fabric are on a flat surface, ones that employ another dimension are much closer to real life and more apt to fool the fuzzy vision of a deer. Ghillie suits and leafy suits help accomplish this. Not all gear has to be 3D, but it is a real consideration for some situations, especially if exposed on the ground or when eye-level encounters are likely.
Use the Wind as “Camo”
No matter what you are wearing, there’s nothing better than wind blowing branches and vegetation to disguise you. It effectively neutralizes a deer’s 300-degree detection, which is largely movement-based. If the wind is up, use it to your advantage for putting on a timely stalk, getting to that hard-to-access stand close to bedding, or being a little more free with movements while on stand. In windy conditions, staying perfectly motionless while things around you are moving will actually make you stand out.
Listen to Your Grandfather
In a recent Field & Stream article, I discussed something called flicker fusion rate (FF), which is a measurement allowing scientists to determine the speed at which an animal can process visual information. It turns out a whitetail’s FF is much higher than ours, making them as much as 4 times better at detecting motion. So, in still conditions, grandpa’s “just shut up and sit still” advice is well founded, and a huge factor in whether or not you get busted, regardless of your camo pattern.

The best camouflage is backed by science, but it’s not rocket science. Mixed with some common sense, it should make getting busted as antiquated as that 90s camo still in your closet.