Are You Glowing in Your Tree Stand?

Do deer pick you out on the ground or in a tree stand when you’re standing perfectly still?

Maybe the problem is UV brighteners. They do wonders by keeping sports and dress clothes looking ultra clean and white, but they leave an ultraviolet shine that deer can see.

Camo manufacturers go to great lengths to bring out the twigs and leaves of their camo and want those sharp contrasts to stand out for camouflage and eye appeal.

Just as fast-food chains add salt to make products taste better, UV brighteners add extra eye appeal to consumers, but not to deer. Here’s the latest research on the subject and what you can do about it.

Deer See UV Brighteners in Camouflage as Blue Glow

In a recently published study, Dr. Bradley Cohen and a team of researchers from the University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry, trained deer to indicate sensitivity to light by choosing where to go for food. They have confirmed that deer do indeed see ultraviolet-powered brighteners far superior to humans, but are unable to see colors such as red and orange as well as humans, unless these colors contain UV brighteners.

It also suggested that wildlife observers and sportsman should be aware of differences between human and deer visual perception, and that camouflage clothing worn by hunters and wildlife observers should not be washed with laundry detergents containing brightening agents. These agents are seen by deer as a bright glowing blue against an otherwise darker background.

Atsko Inc. has been educating hunters and sportsmen on this science for over 20 years, and has developed products to solve the problem of brighteners in clothing, and the blue glow they cause. These products include a Glow Test Kit that allows the hunter to test new or worn clothing for brighteners; U-V-Killer, which can permanently eliminate the blue glow by covering the brighteners so UV energy cannot reach them; and Sport-Wash detergent, which eliminates odor without adding U-V brighteners.

For more information on this subject and to learn more about Atsko’s products visit them at atsko.com.

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