Deer vision at night

[Mungo]

I’m starting to be very curious about just how well deer can actually see in the dark.

Until recently, I’d largely assumed their night vision was ‘excellent’ - though never really stopped to think about what this means.

But since starting to night shoot I’ve started to question this. When using a thermal spotter and a thermal scope, I’ve got extremely close to deer without much effort. Not even on particularly dark nights or with a great deal of cover.

Occasionally they do pick me up a way off - especially if skylined. But otherwise, I’m beginning to think their night vision is not all that different to ours.

What do people think?

 

[Essexsussex]

I don’t think they see well in the dark. I’m often out just before legal first shot and like you have found I can get close.

Or maybe they aren’t expecting to see us, and can but think it couldn’t be humans in the dark.

 

[Donkey Basher]

The old keeper that first got me into stalking taught me his party trick one evening - we’d stalked into an old cover strip & sat watching & waiting to get a shot at a roe doe in a group out on some winter wheat. As time ticked by there was no safe shot as no backstop where they were. As it got to the point where the light was about gone the old boy got up with his sticks & rifle & walked straight out into the field towards the roe. Instead of legging it they actually walked towards him as if to see what he was, I was amazed as he then selected a doe that had moved to where a shot would be safe & took his shot.

Have since used the trick myself both on roe & fallow.

Last season, after I’d shot a couple of fallow, I was about to climb out of a ladder to get the truck & two roe came out of the wood between me & my exit route - I got to within about 10 yards of them before they caught my wind & decided to move off.

 

[Nickb]

I've found it depends on the weather and how much pressure/disturbance they are under.

I have seen them very spooky and clock you at 200 yds away and other times been very close and they are not too bothered.

 

[wytonpjs]

I have seen them very spooky and clock you at 200 yds away and other times been very close and they are not too bothered.

^^^ Exactly this although on my MOD land if the training pressure has been high, they can lift at 400m! Let it settle a couple of weeks and normality prevails.

 

[Mungo]

^^^ Exactly this although on my MOD land if the training pressure has been high, they can lift at 400m! Let it settle a couple of weeks and normality prevails.

Even at night?

 

[Camdig]

When out foxing its definitely interesting how close I can get to deer especially Sika, just the other night I was 50m off a young stag he was completely oblivious of me standing upright in middle of field, ive also seen a group of Sika hinds take off at the sound of a gate opening 500m away in the dark.

 

[Mungo]

When out foxing its definitely interesting how close I can get to deer especially Sika, just the other night I was 50m off a young stag he was completely oblivious of me standing upright in middle of field, ive also seen a group of sika hinds take off at the sound of a gate opening 500m away in the dark.

Sounds is a whole different thing, especially with sika.

One tiny clink or creak out of place and they’re gone.

Hares on the other hand: they seem to be absolute wizards at night. They seem much jumpier than in daylight, and rather than sitting tight, seem much more likely to bolt.

 

[Tim.243]

I’m starting to be very curious about just how well deer can actually see in the dark.

Until recently, I’d largely assumed their night vision was ‘excellent’ - though never really stopped to think about what this means.

But since starting to night shoot I’ve started to question this. When using a thermal spotter and a thermal scope, I’ve got extremely close to deer without much effort. Not even on particularly dark nights or with a great deal of cover.

Occasionally they do pick me up a way off - especially if skylined. But otherwise, I’m beginning to think their night vision is not all that different to ours.

What do people think?

I shoot a lot of my deer in the "last hr" also shot hundreds of foxes in the early days with a lamp so they certainly know you are there!
A lot is to do with the human shape if you are on foot also I have no roe so the frequent big deer is Fallow (and they are sharp) also their instinct is tuned in from thousands of years, don't forget you will get close when the wind is right as this is what we do in the daytime "stalking"
Their eyesight and instinct is excellent but take yourself 10' up a high seat now your profile has disappeared with the wind blowing their way then go home.
I have had lots of deer walk towards and across me at night coming back as the "last hour" has past with them.

From all of this I would say the younger also ones with less pressure will see "something" and not leg it, a lead doe and a few of her "sisters" will clock you leaving your house lol

 

[Camdig]

Sounds is a whole different thing, especially with sika.

One tiny clink or creak out of place and they’re gone.

Hares on the other hand: they seem to be absolute wizards at night. They seem much jumpier than in daylight, and rather than sitting tight, seem much more likely to bolt.

The hares up here dont bother at all, they just move around you as you walk through the fields.
When younger and playing about with a buttalo trying to get a fox to come in, I was amazed at how many Roe came steaming in from all directions bucks and does, right up to 10m away, I have never managed to get that response in the legal shooting hours.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Hares on the other hand: they seem to be absolute wizards at night. They seem much jumpier than in daylight, and rather than sitting tight, seem much more likely to bolt.

It's my experience that hares are almost nocturnal, very active at night, sitting tight in their forms during daylight, unless they are doing their mad March boxing... although I was watching some on one field two nights ago giving it large with the boxing matches.. cold with a good breeze.

 

[Hazlett]

In the last few years on one site, when I’ve been out night shooting (not for deer) in September, a couple of times under a cloudless half-moon, in the middle of a field with a group of 20ish fallow lying up cudding, not even one has got up when I’ve fired a shot from about 70m away.

After the rut, it’s a different story and we’re now several years in to tackling fallow does by night licence. The first year was fairly easy but now I don’t bother unless it’s less than 50% moonlight intensity, preferably cloudy as well. Buddy & I go out dressed, gloves & faces totally in black. If we get skylined/silhouetted, then it’s hopeless. We’re typically approaching doe groups of 20+ over open grassland. If we can move straight towards them, then we can usually get to 100-120m without problems, even if one or two appear to be looking at us intently. Moving across their arc of vision alerts them even against a dark hedge/wood background, so we can only ever do that successfully when all the heads are down. If the deer are spread out grazing, then you'll be moving across the vision of at least one, so it can take some time to approach them. We have learned always to cover the eyepiece of thermals and I always switch off the C50 before moving my head back. 850nm illuminators give me about 10 seconds before they’re gone. So it’s limited to 940nm now.

Single fallow bucks, on the other hand, have walked straight past us occasionally, seemingly with no idea of our presence. Similarly, we have walked past a couple of roe does lying up in the middle of a field, maybe 30m away, and they’ve not moved a jot.

 

[VSS]

I wonder sometimes whether they can't see us or whether it's that they think we can't see them.

 

[purdeydog]

I think it’s poor. Movement is your enemy

 

[Bo Diddley]

and I always switch off the C50 before moving my head back. 850nm illuminators give me about 10 seconds before they’re gone. So it’s limited to 940nm now.

Time to switch to a thermal rifle scope then.

 

[JockStalk]

Hearing and smell not so much vision at night, to a large extent same in daytime.
If quiet and downwind you can get right up to them browsing or couched up on a dark night, thermal assisted of course.

 

[Brittany boy]

Early December last year was out shooting rabbits with NV and 4 roe laid up in the middle of the field. As I walked the field edges the roe stayed put at some stages only 40 meters away from me with silenced .22rf. This farm doesn’t allow the deer to be shot so I think shooting pressure may play a part.

 

[weblyish]

I think it’s poor. Movement is your enemy

Due to their wide set prey eyes deer have limited binocular vision and hence reduced depth perception compared to us

At night that makes it hard for them to perceive your movement if your line is directly towards or away from them, especially if the floor is dark and uniform

As someone said above. Marching straight in on a direct line has a far higher chance of working than you would expect

 

[wellyboot]

Their eyesight is debatable, mostly i think their reactions are based on their learnt experiences....

The first few winters on the night license was ok, getting close to most groups of fallow, but very quickly the wiser, older fallow does became super suspicious of anything and could clearly see the 850nm illuminator and so i used the 940nm on my wicked lights illuminator which has 3 wavelengths built into one lamp, which helps, albeit lesser visibility/distance.

Roe don't seem overly bothered by being approached, but then they aren't being targeted at night, so aren't under pressure and have no reason to learn and adapt.

 

[Tim.243]

Their eyesight is debatable, mostly i think their reactions are based on their learnt experiences....

The first few winters on the night license was ok, getting close to most groups of fallow, but very quickly the wiser, older fallow does became super suspicious of anything and could clearly see the 850nm illuminator and so i used the 940nm on my wicked lights illuminator which has 3 wavelengths built into one lamp, which helps, albeit lesser visibility/distance.

Roe don't seem overly bothered by being approached, but then they aren't being targeted at night, so aren't under pressure and have no reason to learn and adapt.

In this clip the second one recovered over the ditch line (funny enough the manager of that land had said fine to despatch/recover deer that morning)
I am in legal light and 20 yds to left the chap filming, a group of hinds had walked past about 50 yards 5 mins before so these bucks were following with a clear path to the pair shot sub 90 yds to them.