Rabbits Vision

[Axe]

On my last 2 shoots i've tried differeing my tactics in stalking rabbits. One thing I have noticed is that when slowly sneaking towards them I find that they see me at around 25-30m and dive for cover. However, I have noticed that when I continue on past and look back from about 20m, they have come back out and seem unconcerened of my presence.

 

For a while I thought that rabbits were mainly startled by movement as wearing a camo jacket never really seemed to make much difference. But I know wonder if it is actually skin tone that they see. Especially after last night, when I parked up in the entrance to a field and had 7-8 rabbits just sitting there at around 10 yards! But the minute I get out...woosh...they've all gone.

 

We still managed to bag six of the little critters, but could have been more if not for this problem.

 

Anyone got any ideas about this?

 

Regards,

 

Axe.

[The_Craws]

I know birds can see in the infra-red spectrum of light which we all immit with heat.

[Sergeant]

Now that is an interesting point, I have wondered what they can see too. I have turned up at the field and seen a few leg it, then I sit and wait and either one of the local mogs puts in an appearance or they never reappear.

[SNAKEBITE]

I am sure I read somewhere that washing your hunting clothes in fabric conditioner can cause them to give off an "Aura" (sp?) which can be seen by the rabbits. This means they must have vision outside our parameters.

 

I am sure they work on vision and smell. (DOH!)

 

Another thing I read was that if they smell something but cannot see it (e.g. you have been smoking and then hide in a bush) they go with their instincts that there IS something there and ****** off. If you can smell that someone has been smoking imagine what the rabbits can smell as their sense is five times better than ours.

The same must go for deodarants, aftershave and anything else whiffy.

 

However sometimes if they have seen you and you are far enough away they carry on as normal until you move again. The secret here I supose is to move VERY slowly and make no sudden movements. Sometimes you are lucky and other times they move off just as you get into range!

[henry c]

so no farting near the burrows then!!! :thumbs: :( :(

[BOLTA]

I know birds can see in the infra-red spectrum of light which we all immit with heat.

Hi,

 

Are you sure of that ?

 

I both heard and read that the birds are sensitive for UV light and not infra-red. Besides I don´t think they can pick infra-red waves at longer distance without wearing special gear.

Not so many animals can detect heat waves and those I know can only do this a very close range, just a few feet away from them.

 

Cheers - Bolta

[High velocity]

The same must go for deodarants, aftershave and anything else whiffy.

:thumbs: GOT an idea.

 

when gutting your rabbits why not save all the bladders empty them into a spray bottle and give youself a squirt just before you go out bunnie bashing, bet you could get to about 10ft from them. :*)

 

mind you you WOULD be on your own...

[The_Craws]

I know birds can see in the infra-red spectrum of light which we all immit with heat.

Hi,

 

Are you sure of that ?

 

I both heard and read that the birds are sensitive for UV light and not infra-red. Besides I don´t think they can pick infra-red waves at longer distance without wearing special gear.

Not so many animals can detect heat waves and those I know can only do this a very close range, just a few feet away from them.

 

Cheers - Bolta

Infact no. It was UV light. Got totally mixed up. :thumbs:

[Gemini]

On the subject of smell, I washed my cammo jacket the other night and my wife added fabric softener to the last rinse.

Now it did smell really nice, but what I really noticed was how, prior to washing it, I was bothered by all the little bugs and flying insects that seem to be able to find their way in, around and up you nose and ears. But after it had been washed and softened, they didn’t seem to come around me.

Worth a thought!

G.M.

[JJaxeman]

As a avid shooter and heavy smoker I have not had a problem with smoking on shoots as Snakey say's they do have a great sence of smell aswell as vision and sound so common sence should be the key so dont smoke, **** or belch in there direction then you should be ok LOL LOL LOL. (Maybe its the smell of the old Halfzware **** (Drum) that they like LOL LOL LOL)

 

Cheers

 

Jason

[SNAKEBITE]

Off course thinking about it, if you stay up wind of them you can smell like a tarts handbag and get away with it

[Axe]

you can smell like a tarts handbag and get away with it :thumbs:

Are you implying that you have tried this tactic

 

:( :( :( :(

[arjimlad]

When my car came back from its service the garage had stuck one of those cardboard airfreshener wotsits in it to make it pong well.

 

Well, all my cam gear & my gamebag in the boot now pong of this stuff. So I am having to pay a lot more attention to the wind direction.

 

I suppose it could be called Green Tree Camouflage but I had some fresh doughnuts in the boot the other day and they tasted of the stuff as well !

 

Will chuck it out.

[pigeon master]

Bolta,

 

I knew you would add to this post.

 

A rabbits view to very similar to ours but the colour will be much more washed out, this is because the eye is made up of more rods than cones, which assist in gathering visible light and infrared light.

 

Most semi nocturnal mammals are the same, but having this type of eye makes them very good at detecting movement compared to full colour view mammals like Squirrels etc.

 

Just keep doing your best at field craft and you will get as close as you want too.

 

BOLTA, what animals detect heat through there eyes? I will tell you should I,

 

Non…..your maybe thinking of a snake, but these sensory organs are not eyes.

 

The PM

[BOLTA]

Hi pigeon master,

 

Now, you obviously start again - but as usual you do not understand or read what I posted.

 

First, I did not mention rabbits at all !

 

Second, I did not say that animals detect heat waves through their eyes. Again, you should be more careful then reading what other people are writing. And yes, I did think of snakes in this case. Maybe you can mention other animals with this quality ??

 

Third, you say that rabbits can detect heat - well, you better find some solid proof of this before people really start laughing. You say alot of things but proving it seems very hard for you. Don´t ask me why ?

 

At last, I would really recommend you to understand what people are saying before you jump to any conclusions !!!

 

Cheers - Bolta

[hill billy]

One thing though if animals can see in infa red or there abouts in the light spectrum y don't they run away from your lamping vehicle and y don't they fly into trees because they don't give out much heat at all,

[M ROBSON]

From what I've read on the subject humans can see three ranges of the light spectrum, our primary colours.

Birds can also see these colours but at a slightly different range of the spectrum. Blue to us looks slightly different than it does to a Pigeon. Birds can also see in the ultraviolet range. Its all to do with the cones in the retina, we have 3 while birds have 4. For instance the white dot on a pigeons neck might look very striking through a pigeons eye and may reflect uv light very strongly along with the green/purple/pink hue you get from the surrounding feathers if you move them in the light. I was once told that you need to watch which paints you use if you touch up your deeks as some paints reflect uv differently, also if you wash deeks some residue from soaps or detergent also reflect uv. I'm not sure how correct this is, but I've preferred dead birds ever since!

 

I remember seeing a tv program a long time ago that said that Humans and Apes are the only mammals that see colour, so Rabbits must see in black and white. I'm not sure how this works in the dark!

 

Mark.

[HAMMY]

All very interesting, but in my opinion, smell and noise is your biggest risk whilst Stalking any animal. Wind is just about the most important consideration in any shooting disciplines. I don't care what kind of vision they have, if you have decent background and cover and remain downwind and silent, slow, you'll get in range. But if your upwind and standing against the skyline, coughing, your f...ed.

Many times with fox or deer, I've had them standing looking at me, within very close distances, but not seeing me when Cammoed up, always with a face mask.

I don't very often wash some of my gear, specifically for the reason's of smell, never considered the Powder reflecting light etc that has been previously mentioned.

 

Axe,

"Parked up at the entrance to the field" sound's to me as you might be giving them an early warning, try parking a distance away, (they won't hear door's closing etc) then consider the wind and make your approach. Are you covering your face/hands? Are you stalking on your belly or trying to approach on your feet?

 

 

 

 

Hammy

[High velocity]

I don't very often wash some of my gear, specifically for the reason's of smell, never considered the Powder reflecting light etc that has been previously mentioned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hammy

Totaly agree Hammy

 

If any one has access to an ultra violet light you should see what it shows up. After washing clothes in normal washing powder and shining an ultraviolet light on them they glo. :thumbs: use soap flakes and wash little,just when they start to hum.

 

Not so long ago i called a fox in from about 200mtrs and it came to about 15mtrs and it just stopped and looked at me, it was amazing, i had no gun on me at the time but wish i had a camera, you should have seen it run when i jumped up.

Iwas all camo'd up in a net suit and vail sitting in a hedge bottom doing a bit of bird watching.

[Gemini]

Bird watching eh!!….yeah I believe you.. :thumbs: :( :( :( :(

G.M.

[pigeon master]

BOLTA,

 

:thumbs: :( :(

 

I knew I would get you foaming at the mouth...your so easy. :(

 

Just one point though...I didnt say rabbits can see heat, you must be thinking infrared is heat?.

 

Near infrared.....this this light, not heat

 

Far infrared.....this is viewed as heat through a thermal imager.

 

Thougth I would clear that one up BOLTA.

 

I agree with the others, good fieldcarft far outways all the gizzmos to help us stay hidden from our quarry until their final moment.

 

The PM

[Fisherman Mike]

What do rabbits see......? we will never know....

 

However I do know that they have large eyes in proportion to the size of the head which would suggest that their night vision is pretty advanced.

 

I have often sat on top of a burrow and waited quietly for rabbits to emerge and only last week a large doe came to within 6 feet of me and fed contently until I made the slightest movement and then she scarpered pretty damn quick.

 

I think that their eyesight is pretty acute and their hearing moreso... very often they wont bolt straight away once they have detected movement or sound as they have a pretty good secondary defence... 4 quick legs.

 

I dont know if any of you have ever seen a fox walking through a rabbit colony, but they will often stand their ground almost as if they know that they can out run Charlie.

 

 

FM

[BOLTA]

BOLTA,

 

:thumbs: :( :(

 

I knew I would get you foaming at the mouth...your so easy. :(

 

Just one point though...I didnt say rabbits can see heat, you must be thinking infrared is heat?.

 

Near infrared.....this this light, not heat

 

Far infrared.....this is viewed as heat through a thermal imager.

 

Thougth I would clear that one up BOLTA.

 

I agree with the others, good fieldcarft far outways all the gizzmos to help us stay hidden from our quarry until their final moment.

 

The PM

Hi,

 

That was what I were getting at. Heat waves and infrared light is not the same thing !

 

PM,

 

First of all, humans and animals do not emit infrared light waves but only heat waves. Human and animal eyeballs may reflect infrared light from a specific light source but certainly not generate such light. So if no light source is available at night then you do not gain anything from infrared light what so ever.

 

Second, if rabbits should be sensitive to infrared light they certainly don´t mind a powerful IR illuminator to be pointed directly to their eyes BUT visible light certainly get their attention. Why this ? Well, I can only guess at one thing here and that is that they ARE NOT sensitive to infrared light at all !!!

 

So here we are again, Pigeon Master. You say alot of things but there is no head or tail in it what so ever. Where is the proof that rabbits should be able to use infrared light ?? To me and other people it seems you are talking b******* here. It is you that people are laughing at here !

 

Cheers - Bolta

[Axe]

Axe,

  "Parked up at the entrance to the field" sound's to me as you might be giving them an early warning, try parking a distance away, (they won't hear door's closing etc) then consider the wind and make your approach. Are you covering your face/hands? Are you stalking on your belly or trying to approach on your feet?

 

 

 

 

Hammy

Actually, it was an entrance to a field that we don't have permission for and were just looking about whilst waiting to meet up with another buddy before moving on to our shoot.

 

I have always given wind consideration and the horizon however, I currently do not cover my face and hands which is something I come to think about. Generally my approach is standing but do crawl when I dont have a back drop etc.

 

On the last shoot, i was held up over 7 or 8 Rabbits at a distance of about 20-25m. My postion was elevated but had a good back drop. With bi-pods down I waited for a good clean shot on a an adult but I had to adjust slightly and I do mean slightly, but the critter still managed to clock this and pegged it back to the burrow. I'm pretty sure this was sound rather than movement as my bi-pod had sunk into the ground and moving slightly caused it to spring back a little when clear of the ground. At least now, I know those big ears actually work Fortunately, it wasnt long before they came back out and I managed to get a 'text book' shot off, bagging my first for the evening. :thumbs:

 

Regards,

 

Axe.

Edited May 23, 2005 by Axe

[pigeon master]

OOORRRR BOLTA,

 

Your funny, you make me laugh my friend.

 

I have one question for you, what do you know about the electromagnetic Spectrum? Where is your so called knowledge of this subject coming from? You don’t know enough about this subject to even have a decent debate about it so why bother.

 

Where did you get your very very limited knowledge of the subject? If you read about it, it’s a shame, as you haven’t absorbed enough of it to contend a decent conversation on the topic of infrared, or the spectrum.

 

You keep quoting things that I have not even mentioned, such as animals don’t emit IR light, well that’s obvious really, otherwise we would be light bulbs wouldn’t we..LOL.

 

IR light has much less power than visible light hence the lesser reaction from wildlife, that’s obvious also as we can see visible light and Infrared light shows as a low red glow, or in the further frequencies of IR, its not visible to the human eye. Known as black light.

 

Like I said in another post BOLTA, I don’t have the best knowledge of some subjects but when I’m talking about this subject I know more than you will ever know, I’m not buffing myself up its just a fact. Its my job, its my business to know as my income is based on it so give up before you make an even greater fool of yourself.

 

Sorry guys that this is long winded, but Will someone tell this guy to give up, saying that I’m starting to enjoy this..

 

The PM,

 

Come on BOLTA, what do you have next.

Edited May 28, 2005 by pigeon master