Disguising my eyes from deer while on the ground?

[Missouri CK]

This is my first year hunting off the ground with a ghillie suit.  It is really cool and I'm digging it! I even killed a doe off the ground last weekend while in my homemade suit.  Problem is that every deer except a small buck has given me the ole "rubber neck look me over" and subsequently decided to exit the scene. I was able to kill the last doe in line as they left but I'm guessing I'm going to lose more of these than I win unless I do something to better disguise my face.

The reason I think it is my face and more specifically my eyes is that today I was sitting in what was really a natural ground blind and this doe still picked me off.  I think my ghille suit and ghillie booney hat are doing the trick with my body and head but my eyes are still exposed even with my leafy face mask.  How are you ground pounders dealing with this issue?

I thought about using one of those turkey hunting style facemask that covers your entire face but I'm not sure what that would do to my shooting accuracy as I look through the mesh.

I appreciate any ideas.

Chris

[fatman]

give it the ol' Clint Eastwood "eye squint"  

[lpcjon2]

Go Goth!!! like the kids at the mall(coon eyes)

[ksbowman]

Like Kevin said squint. When I am looking directly at a deer, even with spandoflage mask I squint and that usually keeps them from ID the round predator eyes.

[Danny Rowan]

Chris,

Do you wear glasses? If so it may be glare from the lenses.

[Joseph]

I also try not to stair at the animal until I am picking a spot to shoot.  I think they can sense when a predator is giving them the eye so to speak just like peopel pick up on being staired at for a period of time.

[OutbackMan]

This may sound odd, but usually when a deer is that close I close one eye and only look at it thru one eye...My theory is that there are not any one eyed predators out there...

[Zog]

I think eyes are the most important thing to camoflauge.  Of course I'm not a deer so I'll never know for sure, but predators have eyes on the front of their face and ours are very white.

I used a face net.  With a face net, I have gotten elk in closer and had them looking right in my direction and stand there for minutes.

But I had to stop the face net when I lost all sight from sun glare on the net.

Now I use sunglasses that I camo'd over the lenses, being sure my camo eyes are not symmetrical.  My camo'd sunglasses seem to work and get the same results as a face net.

I wish somebody would make camo glasses using the same idea as those car window shades.

[piggy]

I avoid looking at the animals eyes but pay close attention to body language as it is a great indicator as to what the animal is doing.
A lot of hunters gaze at the antlers and get caught that way.

[bicster]

If you use face paint, make sure you paint your eyelids too. I will also close the eye facing the deer and they seem to calm down.
Bic

[wapitimike1]

Camo Contacts!

[Stone Knife]

Just don't lock eyes with them or your made.

[magnus]

I use my peripheral vision till it's rind to pick a spot squint and use my hat brim as well. It's pretty cool being that close isn't it!

Keeping the Faith!
Magnus

[Tom]

I am like Magnus as I use my peripheral until it is time to shoot. By paying mind to the animals' body language you will know when to shoot.

[hvyhitter]

It may be that you still are a big dark strange blob to them, I have sat in blowdowns in plaid jacket,watchcap,solid pants,no face cover and had deer at 10 ft look at me a while(looong while)and just walk away. Movement is usually the biggest give away.

[Terry Green]

Chris.....folks like to make fun of my hat....but it sure works for me.

I just lower my chin and look through the 'leaves' as game approaches.

When you get big game close enough to see their eye lashes.....your doing something right.

     

[Junglecat]

Originally posted by Zog:
I think eyes are the most important thing to camoflauge.  Of course I'm not a deer so I'll never know for sure, but predators have eyes on the front of their face and ours are very white.

I used a face net.  With a face net, I have gotten elk in closer and had them looking right in my direction and stand there for minutes.

But I had to stop the face net when I lost all sight from sun glare on the net.

Now I use sunglasses that I camo'd over the lenses, being sure my camo eyes are not symmetrical.  My camo'd sunglasses seem to work and get the same results as a face net.

I wish somebody would make camo glasses using the same idea as those car window shades.

Actually Berkley does make the the type glasses you are referring to.I have seen them at Walmart before.I only saw one pair and a few days later I decided to get them they were gone.Still kicking myself for not getting them.I think they ran bout $15.They are shown online but out of stock at the moment.

[Hatrick]

A lot of good suggestions. I would say that the eyes will "make you" just about ever time. I always lower the chin, close one eye, and squint out of the other trying not to face directly at the deer unless they're looking down or the other way. This is about when the adrenalin rush starts.

[landman]

I think Joseph is right.   Imho ditch the hat and why stare at them?    If you see him close, watch his eyes and shoot him and be done with it.

[Molson]

They pick out your outline, movement, contrast, or wind long before they get your eyes.  Most of the time the eyes just confirm what they've already seen.  Not that I don't think there is that predator/prey connection with the eyes because there is. But... if they're looking at you then something in your setup is wrong and you probably weren't gonna get a shot anyhow.  When you're on the ground the first good shot opportunity is the shot.  After that things usually go downhill.