Can deer see color? Do they have peripheral vision like humans? Can they see with their head down? Some hunters may swear that whitetail deer have x-ray vision like Superman after getting busted in their stand. Fortunately, scientists study whitetail deer like other subjects and we get accurate information instead of opinion, like at deer camp.
Like Other Animals
When considering deer vision, think about where its eyes are located. A robin has its eyes on the side of its head- the reason that it tilts its head toward the grass to spot a worm. Humans have their eyes on the front of their head which enables them to focus on what is in front of them. Whitetail deer have eyes like some farm animals that also have been widely studied. If the animals have similar eyes, we can assume that they have similar vision traits.
According to the Doctor
Dr. William Miller is a veterinary “eye-doctor” at the University of Mississippi and he walks us through just how deer see, separating opinion from scientific research:
Anyone who hunts deer quickly learns that the animal’s primary survival tool is its remarkable ability to accurately detect and identify even the most subtle smells. Let a deer pick up your scent and it’s game over. And benefiting from its mobile, oversized ears, it can quickly detect the slightest of sounds — such as clothing brushing against a small branch as a hunter moves, or the click of a gun’s safety being released. Given, the deer’s sense of smell and hearing (to a lesser extent) is far superior to ours, but what about its eyesight? How does it really see the world, especially when compared to Humans? Can deer detect orange? Are they color blind? Do they see in just black and white? Is their vision good or poor?
https://www.realtree.com/all/articles/what-deer-really-see
