Can deer see infrared light?
No! Deer cannot see infrared light and this makes It possible for the hunter to use infrared illumination with night vision when hunting. This, however, doesn’t always mean that it’s impossible to spook the deer, because there are other ways it can recognize danger.
This article explores some of the ways in which a deer can be able to identify the person spotting it, as well as why deer cannot see infrared illumination, sometimes referred to as hunting light.
What is Infrared(IR) Light?
Visible light is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum with a wavelength of approximately 400 nanometers (nm) to around 750nm. Different colors have different wavelengths and frequencies, with higher wavelengths corresponding to lower frequencies and vice versa. When many of these wavelengths are combined, they produce white light.
| Color | Wavelength |
| Red | 625-750 |
| Orange | 590-625 |
| Yellow | 570-590 |
| Green | 500-570 |
| Cyan | 490-520 |
| Blue | 440-500 |
| Violet | 380-435 |
Conversely, Infrared light lies on the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than visible light but shorter than microwaves. It lies just beyond the red end of the visible spectrum, hence the name “infrared” (meaning “below red”). The wavelength ranges from around 800nm to 950nm
The Eyesight of a Deer
Just like humans, deer can perceive almost similar wavelengths (to around 750nm) or even lower. Some studies suggest that deer can see wavelengths of light up to around 570 nm, which corresponds to colors in the blue and green range.
They are most sensitive to light in the blue (around 450 nm) and green (around 540 nm) parts of the spectrum, which means that they don’t even come close to seeing infrared lighting. Deer unlike humans however are more sensitive to their surroundings with characteristics such as;
Wider field of view
The eyesight of a deer has a field of view of around 300 degrees angle allowing them to see a huge area around them.
Sense of smell
Deer’s olfactory system is highly developed, allowing them to detect scents from a long distance. Deer have up to 290 million olfactory receptors, compared to approximately 5 million in humans, allowing them to detect mild smells. This adaption is useful not just for recognizing danger, but also for finding food.
Noise
Deer have big cup-shaped ears, that can rotate independently to pinpoint the direction of sounds, allowing them to detect even faint noises from a considerable distance.
FAQs
Can Deer see the color Orange?
No. Because the eyesight of deer is only sensitive to light of lower wavelength, they aren’t likely to detect colors of higher wavelength such as Orange. Sometimes the eyesight of deer is considered dichromatic and they perceive colors like orange and red as shades of gray or brown
Conclusion
Deer cannot see infrared light. Their eyes are only capable of detecting a restricted range of wavelengths in the visible light spectrum. This is not to say that as a hunter, you cannot spook deer. Deers have a variety of complex techniques for detecting danger, including a hunter holding an infrared light.
Related