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How far do you think a deer can see.
- Thread starter MattMan81
- Start date
I can't disagree, but I have no way to validate that. I may be really underestimating their sense of touch too. They have to know which way that small waft of breeze came from and that has to be transmitted through their sense of feel somehow . . . again we can only try to imagine how they make sense of their world.
To compare. Not all humans see well. Also we don't really know if we all see the same. So maybe possible deer are similar. Some see better. Maybe their eye sight can fail with age?
Who knows.
The more I hunt the less I understand ungulate eyesight. I've had my mind bent too many times on both sides of getting busted. Stay as still as you can and don't look them in the eye in close are my two hard a fast rules.
As to how far they can see, I feel in the open it's somewhere around 400-800 yards +/-. That's where I feel in open country they'll start to pick up on a slow walk and spook. More than a half mile unless you extremly skylined or otherwise contrasted, you're pretty safe. That said more of my experience is in the woods than open country.
As to how far they can see, I feel in the open it's somewhere around 400-800 yards +/-. That's where I feel in open country they'll start to pick up on a slow walk and spook. More than a half mile unless you extremly skylined or otherwise contrasted, you're pretty safe. That said more of my experience is in the woods than open country.
Research out of the University of Georgia points to deer vision being in the range of 20/200, which means a deer should be able to see detail at 20 meters that a human eye can see at 200 meters. That’s the same as a legally blind person.
I'll add also I think of about 20-50 yards as the red alert bust zone (from a tree). This is deeply empirical, and my logical attempt to explain it is due to angles and field of view.
They are close enough they are still extremely adept at picking up the slightest movement, but far enough they have a wider field of view.
50+ as long as you have any cover, you are usually ok with slight movements (normal treestand hunt scanning movement).
They get inside 20 and especially inside 10, depending on where the terrain guides the deers focus, you can sometimes do jumping jacks in the tree and not get busted.
How that plays out is when I'm looking at fine tuning setups down to the perfect tree, struggling a bit to put into words, but I try to avoid having deer hanging out in blind spots in the bust zone. And I try to set up my shots inside the bust zone. Really it's just stepping back and looking at where the deer's focus will naturally be directed by the terrain and try to steer clear of the worst of that.
They are close enough they are still extremely adept at picking up the slightest movement, but far enough they have a wider field of view.
50+ as long as you have any cover, you are usually ok with slight movements (normal treestand hunt scanning movement).
They get inside 20 and especially inside 10, depending on where the terrain guides the deers focus, you can sometimes do jumping jacks in the tree and not get busted.
How that plays out is when I'm looking at fine tuning setups down to the perfect tree, struggling a bit to put into words, but I try to avoid having deer hanging out in blind spots in the bust zone. And I try to set up my shots inside the bust zone. Really it's just stepping back and looking at where the deer's focus will naturally be directed by the terrain and try to steer clear of the worst of that.
I’m in both camps, they can see movement I’d imagine out to about 150-200yds and not as easily past that. But also I’ve had them 10 yds away staring at me and was able to come to full draw and down it, twice this has happened most of the time they bolt. Also I’d like to add when they’re close I’m mindful of my eye movement, and have avoided direct eye contact. I’ve noticed that if they lock eyes with you they seem to immediately realize. I would imagine most deer alive are in pretty good working order bc if they weren’t they would perish. Humans are the only animal that coddles its weak.
I am also in the "avoid direct eye contact" camp. Even when a deer spots me in the tree, if I can stay still and avoid direct eye contact I'd say 9 of 10 times the deer will just eventually pass by. Under the same circumstances but with direct eye contact I feel like 9 of 10 times the deer bolts.
I think there's a connection made with direct eye contact and even believe its part of a deer's defense mechanism. Like movement, I believe its one of the things they're looking for when looking into the trees. I consciously stare at their hind quarters when they look up so I can avoid the direct eye contact while still keeping track of what they're doing.
I think there's a connection made with direct eye contact and even believe its part of a deer's defense mechanism. Like movement, I believe its one of the things they're looking for when looking into the trees. I consciously stare at their hind quarters when they look up so I can avoid the direct eye contact while still keeping track of what they're doing.
Have you tried not looking so hongry?
Vision vs recognition (seeing) are two different things.
-signed a basketball official
-signed a basketball official
3x direct eye contact. It’s bananas. They can be staring me down from 6-8 yards and if I just don’t move but avert my eyes they go back to browsing. Have great phone videos of deer I wasn’t going to shoot that astonish my dad, “its like they know you are there but can’t prove it so they give up.” But they don’t give up easily, one video I have is boring as can be cause there are 2 minutes and 8 seconds (I just looked) where it is a stare down. No movement. If it wasn’t for the timer and wind noise I’d think the video froze.
I use the sameish trick as @boyne bowhunter but I use a hoof, if I don’t focus super small I miss big.
I use the sameish trick as @boyne bowhunter but I use a hoof, if I don’t focus super small I miss big.
Speaking of videos:
I was up about 15ft up on tree, Sun behind me and trunk is much thinner than me so my silhouette definitely noticeable ( huge mistake in choosing position), however still had a doe approach me to 10 yards away. Later into video you can see her bobbing her head to try to get a better view.
I was up about 15ft up on tree, Sun behind me and trunk is much thinner than me so my silhouette definitely noticeable ( huge mistake in choosing position), however still had a doe approach me to 10 yards away. Later into video you can see her bobbing her head to try to get a better view.