Full Moon effect..?

[Double Naught Spy]

Have you ever noticed though, that if you see a deer in the early morning twilight or in the evening in the failing light when it is still light enough for you to see they will be afraid and run like hell. But if you shine a light on a deer in the full dark they will be unafraid and not break into a run to get away. Deer act different when it is full dark.

I hunt evenings and nights, rarely mornings. No, I definitely have not noticed that deer are more apt to run in twilight than dark. I see them walk at both times and I see them run at both times. Just maybe, you are doing something different in the dark?

FYI, lighting up a deer at night with a light often does not spook them into running. That is true. You know why? Their eyes are fully dilated to see in the dark. You hit them with a white light and they don't become brave. They become blinded. Their pupils that were full open will let is all the light until they close down. So now you have a temporarily flash blinded deer and even when the blindness fades, it still has nearly closed pupils and with eyes no longer optimized for the dark, the deer won't be seeing very well for for several minutes.

Also, you are dealing with a behavioral freeze as well. Often when deer are scared, they will freeze in place, not because they are brave, LOL.

 

[buck460XVR]

Have you ever noticed though, that if you see a deer in the early morning twilight or in the evening in the failing light when it is still light enough for you to see they will be afraid and run like hell. But if you shine a light on a deer in the full dark they will be unafraid and not break into a run to get away. Deer act different when it is full dark.

Has nothing to do with fear. Has to do with them waiting for their fully dilated pupils to adjust so they can see.

 

[sage5907]

I really brought this thread to life when I posted. I think about deer hunting all year long and I know from experience that the deer where I hunt here in Oklahoma act differently than they do in many other places. Adapting to the moon phases, changes in weather conditions and predictable deer behavior are all important to me. Good to see so many good responses.