Midnight Blue

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Itchy Bones
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Midnight Blue

Unread postby Itchy Bones » Sat Jul 28, 2018 3:19 pm

Great thread started in the Facebook page about how deer see light I started a response there but it got long so I brought it over here. Disclaimer I am not a scientist but I read every deer biology paper I can find. I think this is generally true but I'm not claiming holy authority or anything like that. The next paragraph is a response I started about a claim that "deer do not see light and I proved it to myself last year" anyone feel free to add your observations & knowledge.

Its actually true that deer are not color blind but see shades of blue and green. Deer are Crepuscular meaning active at dusk and dawn. The deepest reflecting color in the spectrum is blues and greens that is why from above deep water appears blue. the light penetrates the water as far as it can and when it reflects it is blue. this is also why the daytime sky is blue. the light penetrates the surface of the water on earth (earth being 70% water) and when the light reflects back to the atmosphere it bounces around on particles and vapor in the air and we see blue. back to crepuscular deer. their eyes evolved to see best when they are most active.... dusk/ dawn, low light conditions. their pupils dilate huge to allow as much light as possible and the rods and cones they have developed are specialized to seeeeee can you guess........ blues and greens because when there is little light available these colors reflect the best..... you know what Ill finish my response on a Beast thread Ill call it Midnight Blue.

continuation:

When you shine a deer at night they go blind because you've flooded their eyes with too much light that is why they freeze and stare they're confused because they don't understand why they've just gone blind. Personally I have observed mature bucks on trail camera that are terrified of cameras and some that don't care at all like its not even there. I've had some bucks on camera once then never again and confirmed later he's still there just avoiding the camera. As far as shining goes, every mature Buck I have seen at night where I'm from has been a glimpse for a split second when he's getting the heck out of dodge and every time he's been with a doe. I'm certain they hear the vehicle coming and can see the lights normally they'd be gone before you have a chance to see them but they just do not want to leave that doe. Im thinking that a flash of light, any light, triggers a sort of response like when they're blinded by a car maybe some have had a near miss or two and learned to BOLT when that happens. As I'm finishing this post the full moon is getting high and the sky is "Midnight Blue" This sort of leads to another interesting topic about deer movement on clear full moon nights. Deer also can see something like a 320 degree field and everything in that field of vision is of equal focus, without depth perception. They do have depth perception but only when they square up both eyes with an object of interest and they've pinned the location. Cue head bobs. This wide field of view without depth perception is masterful at detecting movement, imagine being able to see 320 degrees and 300 yards all at once that would be an incredible experience. Ever notice how a deer can disappear in an instant almost silently running trough thick cover. I think that giant field of view without depth perception must reveal the path of least obstruction in an instant and then they can square both eyes to that path to boogie out. To see what a deer sees :shock:

P.S. I just scanned a link posted on the FB thread and green is a color that appears grey to deer so I was incorrect on that. anyone have anything else to add?


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Boogieman1
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Re: Midnight Blue

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sat Jul 28, 2018 3:43 pm

I'm suspect on any study I read in reguards to deer these days. Seems every study I'm come across seems to have been funded by a group who would profit off such findings. As far as blue goes, maybe they can see it better than other colors I dunno but I've killed my share in grungy blue jeans so it can't be that to big of a deal.

How much blue naturally appears in nature, that a wrangler wearing Hunter could blend in with? Again I dunno but I do know I would much rather be caught in blue than white! Feel movement and being skylighted is the big culprit not what cargos a guy has on. End of the day If I'm on my way home from work in jeans and wanna go hunting. I'm gonna do so, and don't believe for one bit I'm at a disadvantage.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-
Itchy Bones
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Re: Midnight Blue

Unread postby Itchy Bones » Sat Jul 28, 2018 3:59 pm

Never said you couldn't kill em in blue jeans I've hunted em in cargo shorts and nikes doesn't make a difference to me either but I get your point.
mike perry
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Re: Midnight Blue

Unread postby mike perry » Sat Jul 28, 2018 4:51 pm

Itchy Bones wrote:Great thread started in the Facebook page about how deer see light I started a response there but it got long so I brought it over here. Disclaimer I am not a scientist but I read every deer biology paper I can find. I think this is generally true but I'm not claiming holy authority or anything like that. The next paragraph is a response I started about a claim that "deer do not see light and I proved it to myself last year" anyone feel free to add your observations & knowledge.

Its actually true that deer are not color blind but see shades of blue and green. Deer are Crepuscular meaning active at dusk and dawn. The deepest reflecting color in the spectrum is blues and greens that is why from above deep water appears blue. the light penetrates the water as far as it can and when it reflects it is blue. this is also why the daytime sky is blue. the light penetrates the surface of the water on earth (earth being 70% water) and when the light reflects back to the atmosphere it bounces around on particles and vapor in the air and we see blue. back to crepuscular deer. their eyes evolved to see best when they are most active.... dusk/ dawn, low light conditions. their pupils dilate huge to allow as much light as possible and the rods and cones they have developed are specialized to seeeeee can you guess........ blues and greens because when there is little light available these colors reflect the best..... you know what Ill finish my response on a Beast thread Ill call it Midnight Blue.

continuation:

When you shine a deer at night they go blind because you've flooded their eyes with too much light that is why they freeze and stare they're confused because they don't understand why they've just gone blind. Personally I have observed mature bucks on trail camera that are terrified of cameras and some that don't care at all like its not even there. I've had some bucks on camera once then never again and confirmed later he's still there just avoiding the camera. As far as shining goes, every mature Buck I have seen at night where I'm from has been a glimpse for a split second when he's getting the heck out of dodge and every time he's been with a doe. I'm certain they hear the vehicle coming and can see the lights normally they'd be gone before you have a chance to see them but they just do not want to leave that doe. Im thinking that a flash of light, any light, triggers a sort of response like when they're blinded by a car maybe some have had a near miss or two and learned to BOLT when that happens. As I'm finishing this post the full moon is getting high and the sky is "Midnight Blue" This sort of leads to another interesting topic about deer movement on clear full moon nights. Deer also can see something like a 320 degree field and everything in that field of vision is of equal focus, without depth perception. They do have depth perception but only when they square up both eyes with an object of interest and they've pinned the location. Cue head bobs. This wide field of view without depth perception is masterful at detecting movement, imagine being able to see 320 degrees and 300 yards all at once that would be an incredible experience. Ever notice how a deer can disappear in an instant almost silently running trough thick cover. I think that giant field of view without depth perception must reveal the path of least obstruction in an instant and then they can square both eyes to that path to boogie out. To see what a deer sees :shock:

P.S. I just scanned a link posted on the FB thread and green is a color that appears grey to deer so I was incorrect on that. anyone have anything else to add?


Some great information there
Aim small miss small


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