Hunting deer during the rutting season with a combination of the perfect camouflage can make bagging a buck an easy reward. The tricks are all in the advantage over a buck’s eye and the risky behaviors that take place during the rut. Buck are on the chase during rutting season with some unusual behaviors that make them slightly more vulnerable. If you’re thinking about hunting during the rut, understanding deer behavior and your camouflage can make all the difference.

The Rut

The rut is that awaited season when the real thrill of the hunt begins. Like every buck out there, they are ready to risk it all for the sake of mating. The risky rituals and behaviors begin as early as the end of September, and can last all the way through the winter months. The changes in deer behavior require that a hunter adapt for the ultimate score.  Deer step into the open during daylight hours and scrape the velvet from their antlers on the trees.  This makes them an easier target.  The combination of the rut and our camouflage make the difference in what we bag.

Our Camouflage

The eye of a mammal contains two different types of light receiving cells, rods and cones. Cones perceive color well in the daylight. We know that deer have more rod cells than cones, making it easier to see at night than the day. During the rut, deer become more active during the daylight hours, even wandering out into the open under light conditions that limit their vision. However, deer can see a little more than we commonly believe, making our camouflage an important part of the game.

The Color of Our Camouflage

Just as there are many wavelengths of light we cannot see, such as ultraviolet and infrared light, deer have a different perception of color. Surprisingly, research indicates that deer can see and differentiate colors near the violet end of the spectrum very well. This important information tells us they can see blue better than a human eye, and most likely even see ultraviolet light. This is where hunters find the advantage with their camouflage. When the deer are taking chances during the day, the right color camouflage gives the advantage.

With deer wandering out into the open during the day, it is important to understand what a deer cannot see. Since deer favor the violet end of the spectrum, they have difficulty perceiving green, orange, and red. These are the colors that appear to a deer as different shades of gray or as commonly believed, black and white.   BuckedUp Realtree camo, orange and green are a safe bet during the rut. With the perfect combination of camouflage and the risky rutting behaviors, all a hunter needs to do is worry about their scent.