ABarOfSoap

i was just wondering how good can a deer see at night, because 1 time this year, there were some does under my stand and it got dark, but i dident want to move and spook them, so i sat there and moved my arm a little bit in almost pitch black dark, and one looked right up at me and ran off.

Austin/WI

Better than we can.

Honestly I don't know, besides that they can see very very well. I don't thnk their eyesight is on par with felines (amazing night vision) but it is most deffinately better than ours. Maybe some of the science geeks on here can tells us more (no offense intended - my girlfriend is a huge science AND band geek)

Predator19

I have read that they can see almost as well at night as they can during the day. I think they can see best at dusk. Here are a few links.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstream/hunting/article/0,13199,459240,00.html


http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2001/10/40.htm

atlasman

I have deer in my yard nearly every night............I have never seen any behavior from them that would lead me to think they have trouble seeing at night.

Fieldmouse

Yea but when you shine a big spot light on them it's a whole nother story.

Matt/TN

the way i understand it, deer see the best at first and last night, and they dont see as well during the day. this is just something ive heard, dont know if its true or not.

Hoytteen

My ol' man used to say that if they ate carrots, they could see better in the night[&:]

DaveH

Based on research and by studying the rods and cones they have, it's been determined that they doo see very well at night - esp so at dusk and dawn as already stated. They cannot see in total darkness though--though that's hardly ever a consideration. I have noted though, that they're much less skittish after dark. I had them walk up to my tree after dark and I can't get them to leave. I've even climbed down since I didn't want to spend the night in the tree and they hung around until I started walking. They can see, they just aren't as concerned - they seem to know we CAN't see them!

j_beste

I agree. I have a hard time getting rid of the deer after dark so I can leave my stand. Ive actually had to chuck a stick at some. During daylight, as you all know, you dont have to do much and their gone.

Bulzeye

Ever see one that had gotten his eye poked out by a branch from stumbling around in the dark?

Me neither.
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(here's the geeky answer)

They do need some light to be able to see. Their eyes are just much more sensitive than us day-dwellers. They have a membrane in the back of their eye called the tapetum that bounces light back through the retina, giving the tissue a second chance to register the light. That combined with a profuse number of rods that distinguish black and white images give them a very good ability to discern fine contrasts between shades of gray when it is too dark to see colors.