It seems ridiculous that such a large animal is able to appear and disappear in the woods at a moment’s notice, but whitetails are notorious for vanishing like ghosts.
Have you ever wondered how many deer walk right by your deer stand without you blinking an eye? (We won’t even include the ones missed during a quick afternoon nap.)
You’ll see more deer by learning to look into and through the bush instead of at it. Try to pick out bits and pieces of a deer in the forest, rather than the whole animal.
Look for something different that doesn’t quite fit the surroundings: a blotch of color, a horizontal line, a moving shadow or an out of place shape are good clues. All it takes is a few inches of antler, a white horizontal belly, or the shiny blackness of an eye, and suddenly the entire animal begins to take shape.
Learn to reconize whitetail deer markings. Check out this article, Know Your Deer Sign
In this video, Dr. Grant Woods, wildlife biologist explains how a whitetail deer's eyesight works and how hunters can use it to their advantage.
Deer photos copyright by Denver Bryan / Images On The Wildside 2016
By Larry Whiteley, Host of the award winning
Outdoor World Radio
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