Eye contact with deer

[curtintex]

Always squirt in bow blind until full draw. Eyes dead give away.

Well.....It's your blind. You can do what you want.

[lovetohunt]

I think it spooks them to. I look at something on the ground in between me and the deer. That way I can still see what the deer is doing with my peripheral vision.

[Artos]

It's worse when using a scope too...now you got a big ole exaggerated eye ball & had deer bolt from blinking.

I prefer high power on my main rig to look for details like kickers & broken tines. I move my aiming point off the deer when they look my way.

[gneimeth]

I thought about this last year, and I saw reference to it this morning, and it got me thinking about it again.

I've had deer look right at me. I froze. Didn't move at all, but I was staring right back at them. They spooked and took off.

That got me thinking - Do our eyes give us away?

So last year, every time a deer would stop and look my way, I'd close my eyes quickly, and then just barely open slowly to a squint to see what they were doing. I wouldn't open my eyes fully until they turned away or stopped looking in my direction. I didn't have a single deer spook and take off when I did that.

So do our eyes give us away?



"Don't spook until you see the whites of their eyes!"

All the best,
Glenn

This is what I do!

[stxslayer]

I believe they do see our eyes. I almost close my eyes and watch and they calm down. You are correct.

[jerp]

I agree. I wear glasses and I think that makes it worse, maybe because of the reflection. I take my prescription sunglasses and wear them so they can’t see my eyeballs (as long as there’s enough light.)

[Playa]

For sure. I usually lower my head so the brim of my hat covers my eyes

[rbsears]

That’s what my dad taught me to do when they look your way. “Windows to the soul’. I know that’s a figure of speech, but.....

[Black-N-Red]

I believe this explains why that doe yesterday was acting the way she was. We looked eyes twice & buddy she was worked up. She didn’t bust off & run but walked away stomping & blowing. Then she came all the way around me & come in behind me still stomping & blowing. Made a full circle around me. Now I know.

[WRasco]

For sure. I usually lower my head so the brim of my hat covers my eyes

This

[slicktricker]

Well.....It's your blind. You can do what you want.

Made me chuckle

[brokeno]

Never make eye contact.

[okrattler]

Never have heard of that before or seen one run from looking at it but maybe. I had a ten point looking right at me and I was staring right back at him at about 15 to 20 feet or probably closer than that even, two years ago and he never knew it until I moved so I have my doubts.

I mean....we're talking about an animal that gets hunted by people wearing bright orange....so....

[Hobbs]

How many times have you been in a room of people and "felt" someone staring at you and you look around and you were right. Same concept. I think they can sense it rather than actually seeing your eyeballs.

[Jimbo47]

When deer are close I never make eye contact.