Folks, a post on another thread prompted this question: What colors do deer/elk see most readily? I have heard that the color blue (i.e. blue jeans, etc) is like a beacon to these animals, and because of the ultraviolet spectrum that blue reflects. Is there any truth to this? I know there's UV blocker detergents that are marketed to wash your clothes in, and I'd have to believe that all colors have some UV reflection, but is the color blue worse than others? Or, is it just that there aren't many natural blue colors (other than the sky) out in the wilds and therefore animals don't see blue as natural? Responses solicited!

According to a book I have, deer see in B/W, and shades of grey in between, not color. The book is The Complete Book of Deer Hunting by Bryon W. Dalrymple, published in 1973, so maybe someone has learned something different since then. Elk weren't mentioned.

The text goes on to state that movements which don't blend into the background are what catch a deer's attention. It also mentions that if the shade of grey contrasts, or is much lighter or much darker than the background, then movement of said color will stand out more.

I've read that recent research confirms that they see blue.

Brainwaves..etc.

Put away the jeans or you'll stand out like Daisy Duke in a beer hall full of camo'd hunters.

what about gray camo, would you even remotly think that a deer or any other big animal would see you.

I've read that recent research confirms that they see blue.

Brainwaves..etc.

Put away the jeans or you'll stand out like Daisy Duke in a beer hall full of camo'd hunters.
Hmm, does that mean those pretty blued rifle barrels glow to the eyes of a deer? or is that shade of blue too dark. Well, it's not like I wave it at them trying to get their attention :p, and it's not likely I'll change that barrel's color anyhow.

No leverite, you've got it wrong ... just bring Daisy Duke along for the hunt, and all those bucks in the rut will fight over who gets shot first :D.

Hmm, does that mean those pretty blued rifle barrels glow to the eyes of a deer? or is that shade of blue too dark. Well, it's not like I wave it at them trying to get their attention :p, and it's not likely I'll change that barrel's color anyhow.

No leverite, you've got it wrong ... just bring Daisy Duke along for the hunt, and all those bucks in the rut will fight over who gets shot first :D.


I'd add something to your post, but would get censored...so I'll change the subject.

Some claim that the blueing/brightners in normal detergents can really stand out to deer, so I use pure detergent on my hunting clothes...no smells or brighteners.

What deer see is movement, gentlemen - pure and simple.

You can wear plaid shirts and blue jeans to the woods and do well - just keep your movements to an absolute minimum.

Kdub, there you go throwing a cold splash of reality on everyone :p. Yup, too many deer harvested wearing blue jeans and blued rifles to thwart your logic ... but we were having such a good time with the thought of Daisy Duke on the hunt :D.

Seriously though I agree. Unusual movement, sounds and scents are to be avoided.

Go here when you have time to do some studying. These folks will tell you more than I can fully understand about how animals see and smell.

http://www.atsko.com/T15.html

These are the folks that make SportWash, U-V Killer, and Sno Seal, among other products.

Naumann, Thx for the article. Interesting reading, although I've only read a bit. This part is kind of what I'd heard before:

"In daylight, deer see Ultraviolet and blue light as blue, but thousands of times brighter than we see it because the sensitivity of their blue cones is not reduced by the presence of a UV filter."

I guess the lesson here is, avoid blue, but also, don't use a UV-brightener detergent (because even camo will stand out if reflecting the UV spectrum of light). However, I agree with Kdub....movement is probably a more important factor due to the much greater sensitivity of deers eyes to movement.

They are speaking specifically to deer, so I guess we have to assume that elk are at least similar in their eyesight abilities.

And this, after I've read further:

"Deer are much more sensitive than humans to the shorter wavelengths of light. They have a blue cone with peak sensitivity at 455-nm, just 15 nm from the 440-nm peak of spectral power caused by the UV brighteners. This is earth shaking news to a 2 legged predator that can’t imagine the brightness of light he barely sees. This 440-nm light is seen as bright blue by the dichromatic eye of the deer. It occurs on garments of any color from camo to blaze orange if UV brighteners are present. In very low light the deer, like a human, switches to rod (black, white, and gray) vision and the 440 nm light caused by the UV brighteners is seen by the deer as a bright white.

Game animals quickly learn to respond to the glow of brighteners just as they would to the smell or sound of the hunter. If it glows, it’s a human; and the bigger the buck, the less chance you have of seeing him if you glow."

i do know for a fact, from direct experience over the last 20 years that the LAST thing you want to wear is a large black garment... i made this mistake a few times over the years with a black fleece... even before light.. as well as during the day i've had numerous deer pick me out like a sore thumb in the woods.. figured i stunk or was moving.. but honestly i was still as a rock... and i store all of my clothing with a bag of leaves and sometimes apples... i switched to a dark green / olive fleece.. and the problem went away INSTANTLY... i wear red / black plaid woolrich pants and they don't seem to pick that out... so i feel they discern different shapes and shades... but lack the photo receptors to see "color" other than shades of grays, etc... definitely not an expert... but i've had deer close enough that i could literally smell em...

actually had a big doe stick her head in my brush blind about 2 inches from the muzzle of the ruger... looking for those "apples" 2 seasons ago...

After reading the link, I can see how, over the years of hunting, I have probably severely limited my game-seeing opportunities! I will now pay much more attention to what I wear, but also, hunt much more slowly, and adhere to Kdub's closing line...."Keep off the Ridgeline"!!

I cow talked a cow elk to within 20 feet of a guy a couple of weeks ago. Yes the wind was right and he was sitting still but he was dressed in guess what---------- Blue jeans, a very orange vest and a very orange hat. That old cow didn't have a clue that he was there either. I was about 50 yards away standing in some sarvice berry bushes and the silly old girl came a running like I was her lost baby. I was dressed in my Prairie Ghost cammo pants with low and behold :eek: a very orange vest and a very orange hat but standing very still.

I beleave it's the shape of what's moving that gets a deer or elk's attention. For instance a horse shape doesn't seem to bother either an elk or deer but if you put a man shape on the back of a horse it's a whole different story.