Can coyotes see color?

[Injunear]

Hello to all, I'm new on this board. I have a question that maybe someone can answer. Can coyotes see colors? Studies say that deer can only see in black and white, but I haven't heard of or read about any scientific studies on the coyote. I have done some experimenting with my digital camera while out hunting taking pictures of my Natgear and ASAT jackets in black and white against weeds,brush just to see how they would appear to a deer. It would be interesting to know what the coyote sees.

Curious in IL.

Injunear

 

[Elkhunter]

Welcome to Hunt Talk Injunear, I was told some time back that animals that have reflective eyes, like from your headlight, see in black and white. Don't know how true this is, just what I was told years ago.

 

[yoteler]

Dr. Vaughan played a role in this well-known study of color vision in dogs published by J. Neitz, T. Geist, and G.S. Jacobs (1989), "Color vision in the dog", Visual Neuroscience Vol. 3, pages 119-125.

As a result of this study, it was found that dogs indeed lack the same color vision as humans. Humans have three types of color receptors in their eyes. Each color receptor picks up a small portion of the visible light spectrum. Dogs were found to have only two of these three types of color receptors in their eyes. This means that while dogs do see color, they are only able to differentiate a limited number of colors. This is very similar to a human who is colorblind. They are unable to differentiate between certain colors or shades.

Dr. Vaughan summarized the findings of the study by saying,

“These experiments showed that dogs do see color, but in a more limited range than that seen by normal humans, who see the rainbow of colors described by "VIBGYOR": Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red (plus hundreds of variations on these shades).

Instead, dogs see "VIBYYYR" (Violet, Indigo, Blue, Yellow, Yellow, Yellow, and Red). The colors Green, Yellow, and Orange all look alike to dogs; but look different from Red and different from the various Blues and Purples. Dogs are very good at telling different shades of VIB apart. Finally, Blue-Green looks White to dogs
So, What does this mean to the average hunter? Probably not much since we tend to buy what we feel looks "really cool" as much as what is functional. What this does mean is that we don't necessarily need to be so picky about the exact color of our camo. It is also a great argument in favor of using hunter orange to prevent hunting accidents. Since dogs (and probably deer as well) can't distinguish between orange, green and yellow, you can very easily get away with blaze orange gear because it will blend into all of the other greens and browns in the environment.
As Dr. Vaughan stated, there are more elements to a dogs/coyotes ability to detect a hunter in the wild. While color can play a factor, it is most likely not the most critical factor in going unnoticed in the field. We'll examine those other factors in other articles.

In the meantime, stay upwind and don't move.


Good Hunting!

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-10-2004 09:52: Message edited by: yoteler ]</font>

 

[Doug]

Coyotes see in the blue spectrum. That means that things like blue jeans are easy for them to see. They don't see much of the red spectrum and that is why a red light works well to hunt with when night hunting. I'm not sure if domestic dogs and coyotes have equal vision or see in the same color spectrums or not.
Doug

 

[Injunear]

Thanks for the info. It's about time for me to get serious about coyote hunting. This is the last weekend for bowhunting deer and turkeys. It's hard for me to take a gun out when it's bow season. Next weekend is handgun deer season here in IL., then it's full out coyote hunting till spring turkey season in April. I've been curious about coyotes and colors for a long time, but have never seen anything on the topic. I was hunting deer in Missouri several years ago (orange vest and cap) and watched a coyote come down a cow path in the distance. I could only see the tips of his ears and once in a while the top of his back. He had his head down the whole time. I got my gun up and into position so I wouldn't have to move when he came from behind some brush between he and I. As soon as the coyote came around the brush he picked me off in a heart beat. I hadn't moved and the wind was in my favor. I was also sitting in front of a big Oak tree. Well, he wasn't fast enough, I shot him with an 8MM Rem.Mag.at about 45 yards. If you want to keep the hides,I wouldn't recomend this caliber. It kinda' tore him up. This episode was what made me think that coyotes can see colors. Thanks again for sharing your info.

Injunear

As I tell my sons,"When you go hunting, take a handfull of bullets and a bucketfull of patience".

 

[SONG DOG]

Hey! Glad to see ya here. Did I tell you that Chaunda found that I purchased the NATGEAR wardrobe. I wasn't in too much trouble. Actually she didn't even care too much. Shoot, I should have ordered the AR I was telling you about for another toy.
As she would say, does the toys ever end and I say NOPE, LOLOLOL!!!!

God Bless,

SONG DOG

 

[Injunear]

Songdog, you're getting here trained well. I don't tell my wife about getting a new gun etc. She'very busy and I don't need to bother her with the "little things". She'll see a new gun and ask "Have I seen this gun before?" and I'll say " Oh, I've had it awhile". I just don't tell her that I've had it only 2 days. You know, "little things". No point bringing that little detail to her attention. It makes for a better marriage.

Injunear

A Doctor and a hunter have one thing in common. To be sucsessful, you both have to have patience (patients).

 

[Slydog]

Hell my wife still don't know my middle name and we have a 26 year old son and we get along just fine. I'm with you boys no need bothering her with small stuff...LOL

sly

 

[Krustyklimber]

See also:

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/k9colorvision.html

Krusty

 

[Delw]

Hey Krusty LTNS....


Thats a pretty cool link thanks


Delw

 

[Krustyklimber]

Yeah Del, I don't come around much anymore, I stop in once a week or so, to see if anything has happened... and I wanted to see if my membership had expired.

It's odd how some forums, on some sites, can just stumble to a halt like that?

Thanks really go out to Wolverine @ Work, he obviously spent some time researching and writing that article, I learned a LOT (and now I wear my blaze orange bibs when it's cold, instead of freezing my @ss off in my regular camo) the photos were everything to me...
You can talk about blue, but until you're blue in the face, it's just not as easy to understand as it is to see.

I am doing well, I hope all you guys are too!

Krusty

 

[Tom]

http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/LA/DrP4.htm has the color spectrum as we see it and as a dog sees it. That predator master's link is good too. Don't wear blue, eh.

 

[Danny Batastini]

Hummmm, don't wear blue? I've always had on blue jeans when predator hunting, the predators didn't seem to mind. For that matter, I don't even use camo. I'm not really sure if predators see color or not, all I know is what works for me. How does anybody really know for sure what a coyote sees except a coyote? Just asking lol.

 

[Tom]

Science, that's how they know. Cones and rods, remember that from school, they've figured it out in animals. We have 3 colors, they have 2 colors, that's why red and orange looks black to them and bright to us.

Click on the links, look at the pictures, blue lights up big time and gives you away more often.

Here's the method used in the dog vision paper if you want to read it,

http://www.mcw.edu/cellbio/colorvision/cvdog.pdf