The plan was to throw the camo on, grab the bow, and pussy foot around for a while looking for sign and a couple of locations for tree and ground stands. It was warm already, in the high 50's. The woods were absolutely crazy with activity. Red and grey squirrels practically ran me over as I made my way up a partially grown over fire road. The birds were really loud as huge flocks gathered for their annual trip south and I walked under the trees where they rested. I heard it was good luck to get pooped on, but I by just as soon avoid it if I could.
I was almost to the top of the hill when motion caught my eye. There were still plenty of leaves on trees and bushes so it took a few moments to see what had drawn my attention. Finally, I saw the familiar brown hair of a deer moving through the brush. And I saw horns. He was maybe 60 yards off and the trail he was on would have him pass hopefully within my self imposed 25 yard limit. Luckily the small breeze that was blowing was perfect and I doubted he would smell me.
I kneeled down real slow, knocked my arrow and attached the release. Raised my head real slow above the low scrub to see where he was. The deer had changed course and he was walking almost directly at me. I waited until he was behind a tree and stood up. I can see him clear as day now, and he's getting close and still coming almost directly at me. Looking ahead I could see where he would pass behind another tree. As soon as he got there I drew.
He cleared the tree just as I got to full draw, and he was only 15 yards away. Somehow he hadn't made me yet. Now I start praying the opposite of most hunters pray for. PLEASE turn so you don't walk into me! At maybe 6 yards he goes slightly to the right and avoids a collision. I let him pass a bit to get a quartering away shot and let fly. Even though I held low on him I still hit high (got to practice those 4 yard shots more).
He took off into the thick stuff but he dropped about 60 yards away where I could barley see him and he thrashed around for 15 seconds before the end came. It was a year and half old 5 pointer. No trophy but a good eating deer and great start to the hunting season.
I doubt a big ole buck would have walked right up on me that close, but this hunt illustrates how 'blind' deer can be when a hunter stays still and is at least partially obscured by brush. Research has shown that a deer's eyes are designed to catch motion and see well in low light conditions.
A hunter whose outline is broken up and is perfectly still might as well be invisible to a deer. A secondary benefit in this hunt was the deer was walking basically right at me. Their forward vision is very poor because of the fact their eyes are on the side of their head (I was taught as a kid that those who eat meat have eyes on the front of their head and the meat that gets eaten has eyes on the sides of their heads).
The simply lesson is that the less motion you make, the more likely you are to connect on your deer. If you are on the ground make sure you do not stand out like a statue. Pile some blown down branches around you and stuff leaves in between. If you're hunting a field with a bow a portable tent style blind works. Just be sure to set it up a last a couple of days ahead of time so the deer get used to it.
If hunting from a tree stand, deer will still see you if you are making motion. When you do move go real slow as the deer is a lot less likely to pick you up than if you move quickly.
Scott Peters is an outdoor enthusiast, hunter, and sportsman. For rifle scopes he likes, please see Nikon Monarch Scope for details on some of his favorite hunting and shooting optics.
Tags: vision, hunting, deer, leisure, outdoors, recreation, sight, whitetail, motion