A deer's eye sees colors and spots movement differently than the human eye, and understanding those differences can make us better hunters. So, what colors can deer see? What colors can't they. Are deer color blind, or does that orange hunting gear give you away in the woods? Learn about what colors deer can see & which they can't.
The Spectrum of Deer Vision Deer have a vision which is different from us humans. While we can see a range of colors from 3 primary colors (red, blue and green), deer can only see 2 types of color receptors. Blue shades appear to be their weakness, as their eyes can't detect objects or movement in the blue spectrum.
This matters. We know that deer can see a limited range of colors, and research shows they can actually see some colors better than humans can. Deer perceive colors differently than humans, particularly red and orange.
Lacking the cone cell sensitive to long-wavelength red light, deer see these colors as muted shades of gray, brown, or yellowish. Deer cannot see the colors red and orange. This is mainly because their eyes are built differently from human eyes and cannot view the entire visible spectrum of color.
By comprehending what colors deer can see, you, as a hunter or wildlife enthusiast, can make informed decisions about clothing, gear, and how to effectively blend into their habitats. By incorporating the right colors into camouflage or using attractants that appeal to deer vision, it is possible to enhance the effectiveness of various activities involving deer. I will explore in more detail the colors that deer can see and how they perceive their environment.
Deer mostly see blue and green shades. They do not perceive red and orange like humans. This vision aids in evading predators and impacts human interaction.
Without talking too technically about rods, cones, nanometers, color spectrums, and short and long light wavelengths, we know this: Whitetails can distinguish blue from red, but not green from red or orange from red. Research also suggests deer distinguish light grays and tans better than dark reds, browns and greens.