which animals see color?
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Deer
I don't think that deer can see color because I have been 5 yards from many deer just sitting at the base of a tree or standing in the wide open head to toe in blaze orange. They might notice you but as long as you dont move, and the wind is right, they don't seem to become extra alarmed. I believe a whitetail deer has poor eyesight, but their noses are what you cant fool. IMO
I don't think that deer can see color because I have been 5 yards from many deer just sitting at the base of a tree or standing in the wide open head to toe in blaze orange. They might notice you but as long as you dont move, and the wind is right, they don't seem to become extra alarmed. I believe a whitetail deer has poor eyesight, but their noses are what you cant fool. IMO
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I've read that it's generally the nocturnal (seeing in the dark) creatures that cant distinguish color. Keeping fully in mind this is NOT my scientific discovery 
Perferator
Perferator
Im not sure.
Squirrels will pick out blaze orange. Dont know might just be becuase that color isnt in the woods and they know that or what.
I have had alot of deer walk past me, when I was in orange. Of course I have had more deer walk past me when Im camo'd up.
Antlurz would be the one to ask about color. He used to raise deer.
Dean_311
Squirrels will pick out blaze orange. Dont know might just be becuase that color isnt in the woods and they know that or what.
I have had alot of deer walk past me, when I was in orange. Of course I have had more deer walk past me when Im camo'd up.
Antlurz would be the one to ask about color. He used to raise deer.
Dean_311
Tests were done in the past that prove that deer can pick out the color red, using colored lights and a food reward as incentive to prove it. What that proves, I won't speculate.
As to the comment about a deers vison? The ability of a deer to see motion is literally astronomical. All three of their senses are.
It is their ability to interpret what they see, not the actual ability to see it, that is important to hunting conditions.
To assume a deer doesn't see you because you are wearing como is a mistake.. They see you, but without movement on your part, they don't interpret it as a danger, usually.
Deer are funny critters that are extremely aware of their surroundings. Any change in those surroundings sends up flags to them. If you was to go into the timber and find a well used deer trail, and lean a shovel against a tree near it, then get in a stand a ways off and watch... the next deer that comes down that trail (if it is within his normal territory) will probably instantly recognize that something is different and his guard will go straight up, and his tail will flare..
If you walk into your kitchen and see that someone has moved the table six inches from it's normal place, you may not understand exactly what is different, but you will be alert to the fact that something IS different. Deer are exactly the same.
As to the comment about a deers vison? The ability of a deer to see motion is literally astronomical. All three of their senses are.
It is their ability to interpret what they see, not the actual ability to see it, that is important to hunting conditions.
To assume a deer doesn't see you because you are wearing como is a mistake.. They see you, but without movement on your part, they don't interpret it as a danger, usually.
Deer are funny critters that are extremely aware of their surroundings. Any change in those surroundings sends up flags to them. If you was to go into the timber and find a well used deer trail, and lean a shovel against a tree near it, then get in a stand a ways off and watch... the next deer that comes down that trail (if it is within his normal territory) will probably instantly recognize that something is different and his guard will go straight up, and his tail will flare..
If you walk into your kitchen and see that someone has moved the table six inches from it's normal place, you may not understand exactly what is different, but you will be alert to the fact that something IS different. Deer are exactly the same.
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Antlurz,
Is there a chance with the light test, that one light showed more "light" than the other?
Like, the green lens filter was lighter than the red, allowing more light to go through?
It could be something as simple as that, or they could see color. Either way, it would be a good experiment.
I'm not disagreeing with what you had posted, but I thought of it in a different way.
If one light is brighter, they might remember to go to the darker light for food.
I had a doe about 5 feet from me, stand there and stare at me for about 3 minutes, before I finally had to move. It was an experience I soon won't forget! I let her go, just because of the majestic beauty and magic of that moment.
That definitely brings a new perspective to hunting when something like that happens!
Is there a chance with the light test, that one light showed more "light" than the other?
Like, the green lens filter was lighter than the red, allowing more light to go through?
It could be something as simple as that, or they could see color. Either way, it would be a good experiment.
I'm not disagreeing with what you had posted, but I thought of it in a different way.
If one light is brighter, they might remember to go to the darker light for food.
I had a doe about 5 feet from me, stand there and stare at me for about 3 minutes, before I finally had to move. It was an experience I soon won't forget! I let her go, just because of the majestic beauty and magic of that moment.
That definitely brings a new perspective to hunting when something like that happens!
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Squirrels seeing blaze
This is a good topic. My girlfriend and I are in debate as to whether squirrels actually see color or just run from movement. However, regardless of if they see color we are in agreement that they run from motion. I know from experience that a squirrels eyesight can be as sharp as a deer. I was 40-50 yards from one the other day and I moved to get a better picture of him in my scope and he bolted like a bat out of hell. Oh they see movement really well. That is why there are always articles about squirrel hunting and deer hunting together. Hunting styles are similar. You must have slow movements or you spook the game. Only difference is that squirrels forget quicker than deer and come back out faster while the whitetail will run around the mountain then stare in your direction for an hour until it feels safe. Either way, just be still and you will have better luck. Now if I can only follow my own advice.
The girlfriend says: No matter what colors animals can see (depending on the amount of rods and cones in their eyes) they all see movement and notice when things don't look right. If a squirrel sees you sitting there in blaze orange and you don't move he'll stay but still be wary because how many times do you see a solid unvariated amount of any color in the woods. They pick up on the differences. My advice, wear more camo than orange or wear that blaze orange that is broken up by black lines and stuff. And sit still.
This is a good topic. My girlfriend and I are in debate as to whether squirrels actually see color or just run from movement. However, regardless of if they see color we are in agreement that they run from motion. I know from experience that a squirrels eyesight can be as sharp as a deer. I was 40-50 yards from one the other day and I moved to get a better picture of him in my scope and he bolted like a bat out of hell. Oh they see movement really well. That is why there are always articles about squirrel hunting and deer hunting together. Hunting styles are similar. You must have slow movements or you spook the game. Only difference is that squirrels forget quicker than deer and come back out faster while the whitetail will run around the mountain then stare in your direction for an hour until it feels safe. Either way, just be still and you will have better luck. Now if I can only follow my own advice.
The girlfriend says: No matter what colors animals can see (depending on the amount of rods and cones in their eyes) they all see movement and notice when things don't look right. If a squirrel sees you sitting there in blaze orange and you don't move he'll stay but still be wary because how many times do you see a solid unvariated amount of any color in the woods. They pick up on the differences. My advice, wear more camo than orange or wear that blaze orange that is broken up by black lines and stuff. And sit still.
I belive deer much like other game animals with hightened sences for danger or changes simply react out of survial instinct. This would lead me to belive the best time to use their vision as a disadvantage is sunrise / sunset when the light conditions are changing.
Now motion and scent can blow a shot for you just as well as snapping a twig or vapor from breathing. I can remember being so still in one spot deer hunting while watching a pair of squirrels grab @ss within feet from me. One actually climbed on my boot, cautiously, then I barely blinked and this critter did the 15 foot 1/2 second dash.
Now motion and scent can blow a shot for you just as well as snapping a twig or vapor from breathing. I can remember being so still in one spot deer hunting while watching a pair of squirrels grab @ss within feet from me. One actually climbed on my boot, cautiously, then I barely blinked and this critter did the 15 foot 1/2 second dash.
Viper...
Dunno. You raise a good point. The study I was referring to really didn't go into that much detail, as it was inserted in the article as a sidenote, however they were pretty adamant about it being color induced rather than something else. If one looks hard enough, almost any study ever done on any subject has loopholes in it somewhere...
Blackhawks comments about them staring forever after sensing a problem is right on target. I've watched them stare for twenty minutes at something a quarter of a mile away that they thought was amiss... One thing I noticed, however, was that once they were satisfied that all was well, they never seem to take a second look a bit later like a human would. Once they decide, it's no longer any concern to them.
Here's a little tip. If you are stalking a deer, trying to get closer, and can see him, pay particular attention to his tail. After several years of watching them, I've never once seen an exception to this. If he is grazing away, minding his own business, he/she will ALWAYS flick their tail sideways about a half a second before they raise their head and look around. You have to have good reactions to make it work for you but if you see that tail flick, FREEZE instantly... the head is GOING to come up.
Ron
Dunno. You raise a good point. The study I was referring to really didn't go into that much detail, as it was inserted in the article as a sidenote, however they were pretty adamant about it being color induced rather than something else. If one looks hard enough, almost any study ever done on any subject has loopholes in it somewhere...
Blackhawks comments about them staring forever after sensing a problem is right on target. I've watched them stare for twenty minutes at something a quarter of a mile away that they thought was amiss... One thing I noticed, however, was that once they were satisfied that all was well, they never seem to take a second look a bit later like a human would. Once they decide, it's no longer any concern to them.
Here's a little tip. If you are stalking a deer, trying to get closer, and can see him, pay particular attention to his tail. After several years of watching them, I've never once seen an exception to this. If he is grazing away, minding his own business, he/she will ALWAYS flick their tail sideways about a half a second before they raise their head and look around. You have to have good reactions to make it work for you but if you see that tail flick, FREEZE instantly... the head is GOING to come up.
Ron
I have read that crows see in color.
Yesterday I was in the forest north of the Hayman Burn area in Colorado when I came upon three does. They were only about 25 yards from me. They saw me at the same time that I froze.
Just for grins I stood there, stark still, for about 15 minutes. Two of them never stopped looking at me. One of them went back to grazing.
Then I proceeded at an angle away from them. They stayed in place but watched me the whole time. Had it been deer season I could have had any one of them easily.
Yesterday I was in the forest north of the Hayman Burn area in Colorado when I came upon three does. They were only about 25 yards from me. They saw me at the same time that I froze.
Just for grins I stood there, stark still, for about 15 minutes. Two of them never stopped looking at me. One of them went back to grazing.
Then I proceeded at an angle away from them. They stayed in place but watched me the whole time. Had it been deer season I could have had any one of them easily.
All I could find right now
This is all I could find in about 15 mins. Will look more later
D.
ANIMAL THE COLORS THEY SEE
SPIDERS (jumping spiders) ULTRAVIOLET AND GREEN
INSECTS (bees) ULTRAVIOLET, BLUE, YELLOW
CRUSTACEANS (crayfish) BLUE AND RED
CEPHALOPODS (octopi and squids) BLUE ONLY
FISH MOST SEE JUST TWO COLORS
AMPHIBIANS (frogs) MOST SEE SOME COLOR
REPTILES (snakes) SOME COLOR AND INFRARED
BIRDS FIVE TO SEVEN COLORS
MAMMALS (cats) TWO COLORS BUT WEAKLY
MAMMALS (dogs) TWO COLORS BUT WEAKLY
MAMMALS (squirrel) BLUES AND YELLOWS
MAMMALS (primates-apes and chimps) SAME AS HUMANS
MAMMALS (African monkeys) SAME AS HUMANS
MAMMALS (South American monkeys) CAN'T SEE RED WELL
This is all I could find in about 15 mins. Will look more later
D.
ANIMAL THE COLORS THEY SEE
SPIDERS (jumping spiders) ULTRAVIOLET AND GREEN
INSECTS (bees) ULTRAVIOLET, BLUE, YELLOW
CRUSTACEANS (crayfish) BLUE AND RED
CEPHALOPODS (octopi and squids) BLUE ONLY
FISH MOST SEE JUST TWO COLORS
AMPHIBIANS (frogs) MOST SEE SOME COLOR
REPTILES (snakes) SOME COLOR AND INFRARED
BIRDS FIVE TO SEVEN COLORS
MAMMALS (cats) TWO COLORS BUT WEAKLY
MAMMALS (dogs) TWO COLORS BUT WEAKLY
MAMMALS (squirrel) BLUES AND YELLOWS
MAMMALS (primates-apes and chimps) SAME AS HUMANS
MAMMALS (African monkeys) SAME AS HUMANS
MAMMALS (South American monkeys) CAN'T SEE RED WELL
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