What do you think of eye contact?

[kawika b]

Originally posted by eagle24:
Don't do it!  I ended up married and don't get to hunt nearly as much.      

WORDS TO LIVE BY!!!  

[vermonster13]

The front set eyes give us predators our depth perception which is important to us where as prey have eyes set for much wider field of view and motion detection which is of more use to them. So yes if they catch your eyes you are usually busted as a predator.

[kawika b]

have yet to look a deer in the eyes but,,, when spearfishing very wary fish eyeballing them will spook them. they got tinted/polarized goggles to hide the eyeballs now. i'm guessin it's the same with most animals/prey/exwives.

[outbackbowhunter]

Could it be that not watching the deers eye, ie, where its looking, is a great way to get busted moving when you shouldn't...?

[Ben Woodring]

In my mind that's the rub.....you have to keep track of them so you can take advantage of their position, body language etc....and have the discipline to not let your eyes go to theirs.....I like the response above that says just watch where the arrow is going to go....even if that's 20  minutes while you wait for your chance at the animal.....

My second thought is to also start using a bit of camo paint...as an ex soldier I hate the stuff..but a little light green in the eye sockets will take away the two dark holes common to the predator....if you look at a special ops soldier you'll notice their camo reverses the human form..in that it puts a light color in the lows (eyes) and dark colors on the highs (cheek bones)

[Ben Woodring]

Let me ad that I hate equating military tactics to hunting...but in this case it applies and doesn't retract from the sporting nature of the stick and string.

[Izzy]

I think they do sense it.I only take quick glances to check if theyre already eyeballing me or not.I focus on the spot.

[bowdude]

My experience says do not look them in the eye.  I also believe they have that 6th sense of knowing or feeling watched or that something is wrong.  We know that power is out there and that it is stronger in some people, why not animals?  I have seen enuf big bucks change directions when I have the wind and escape being shot at by just myself to convince me its possible.  Don't ask me why but since I started thinking of strawberries when I see bucks they come by me much more regular.    

[Ben Woodring]

It is interesting that the folks posting to this query haven't discerned between the "do they see or smell something that bothers them" or sense it...One fella talked about a cat that although asleep could sense his presence....hmmmm.  Do critters share the elusive 6th sense most of us have experienced in some way...is it indeed something innate we can't explain or a reaction to environment we cannot perceive on a conscious level.

[Ben Woodring]

I like it!  and I won't say I'm a beliver but I'm going to try that..with any luck I'll something to report tomorrow.  Thinking of strawberries....it could work!

[gilf]

Originally posted by Jedimaster:
No one ever taught me not to look them in the eye, but I learned a long time ago that they somehow know if you do.  In my experience turkeys are just as bad if not worse. I guess there eyesight is better. Infact, if a turkey is facing me, I won't even blink.  They are just that sharp sometimes.

Yep, Turkeys have brilliant eye sight.

[dino]

I think you guys are giving them too much credit.  I've looked into their eyes on several occasions without ill effect. Every deer that I have taken I looked into their eyes before shooting.  Without exception.  Even ones I let walk too.

If deer have an elusive 6th sense that their being given credit for, then even picking a spot behind the shoulder, looking at a horn, or watching their tail movement would kick in their sense that they are being watched by a preditor.  They would bolt or get neverous with even us sighting them in the woods.  This is simply not the case.

There is no doubt that deer are very perceptive of their environment and key in on the smallest movements and noises.  But in 25 years of hunting I've never seen anything that would lead me to believe that they have a 6th sense.  dino

[loco_cacahuate]

Last year a few times I stared deer in the eyes on purpose, without any effect.
I think if you are looking them in the eyes, you are the one that blinks first so to speak, you ain't gonna win a staring contest with a deer. So I think it's more you getting nervous about it than the deer sensing it.

[dino]

Loco,
Thats it!  

[Herdbull]

I don’t know the correct answer here, but I don’t like the feeling I get when looking directly into deer’s eyes. I don’t recall every having bad out come directly related to doing so, but I just get this eerie wave or shock that goes through me when I do. It only happens when I have direct contact when I have a bow in hand. I can look at them eyes all I want through the video camera lens or binoculars it doesn’t do anything to me.

[Voodoofire1]

Just last week, as I reach full draw on a relaxed, quartering away, upwind 8 pointer at 15 yds, he turned his head around and looked directly at me, I was in a deadfall wearing my ghillie, this deer never knew I was there and never moved till the arrow hit the ground on his other side,and then only went about 3 yds. seems I grazed a twig which sent my arrow about 1" over his back, I never made a sound and the bow is the quietest one I've ever shot, I have no doubt in my mind that this buck "felt" me there, I believe they have a sixth sense, but as with all creatures, they are sometimes pre-occupied with other things and just don't pay attention to everything around them, I learned a long time ago to never look a deer or other quarry in the eye, better safe than sorry.

[Kevin Bahr]

I try not to look them in the eye, sometimes it happens.  Nope, you aren't going to stare one down.  Also, if you're looking them in the eye, you're not looking where you should be if you are intending to shoot.  I've stared at caribou racks before and guess where the arrow ends up going?  Right through the rack.

[ArrowAtomik]

I experimented with a curious fawn a couple seasons ago.  I was on the ground at 80 yards from her and froze.  I called her a bit (Aaaaaa) and then looked away watching only with the very corner of my eye.  When I looked away she would walk towards me calling back.  When I turned towards her she would stop.  Look away... she continue walking.  I kept calling her and it was like a robot.  I could make her stop or start on demand by how I looked at her.  10 minutes of this stuff and eventually she was at petting distance (or bowie knife distance if I were hungrier).  I looked at her to try a petting, and she huffed and circled around me before putting a safer 20 yards between us.

I now sometimes try to watch with my peripheral vision if I think they are on to me.  If they've picked you out, they may see if you are staring them down or not and may behave differently if you seem disinterested in them.

I know another guy that claimed the act of switching from "wide-range vision" (focusing on your periphery to see the entire forest for movement) to normal focused vision on the target has caused a sudden 6th sense jump in a deer.  Amazing creatures we hunt.