Is it possible to identify a critter by the eyes?

S

SRS 1

New member
I have not done much night hunting, can you tell the difference between animals by the eyes? Also, I know fox generally come to within shotgun range at night, but do coyotes? do most of you use a head lamp/spotlight/gun mounted light/ etc?
thanks
 
Most everyone I know uses a red lens, so every eye shines back red. All the shine is is a reflection of the bars and cones the animal uses to gather light for his "night vision" Some old timers say that a deer is green, coyote yellow and so on, trust me, it is really hard to tell. A lot depends on the conditions. You should probably be using a red lens anyway.Fox do sometimes get into shotgun range and so do most others at times. I've had coyotes and cats both within 5 feet. Shotgun range you might say. Randy
 
Randy,

Does it count when they come up and sniff the tire? Is that shotgun range?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Randy
 
Yeah, if you would quit running the video and gigglin' like a girl long enough to grab the shotgun!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
GIGGLIN' LIKE A GIRL!?!?!?!?!!!!

You said you wouldn't say anything about that. Wait Until I post some of the pictures I have....
 
I have never called in a gator, don't think I want to eather. Just for kicks, I'd say the color changes between male and female, Good Hunting.
 
I'll put in my two cents. One of the main things I look for is, do you see one eye or two. If you see just one eye most of the time its probably a deer. With most predators you will see both eyes. You will many times be able to make out their gait. I also try to determine how high the eyes are off the ground.

As far as color of eyes go, under a white light, I've seen deer eyes that were blue, orange, yellow, white, and just about every thing in between. Racoon eyes mostly have a orange cast and so do grey fox. Bob cats have a green tint. But under a red lense they all look red.
 
Ninehorses, you are so right. NEVER....NEVER shoot at one eye or anything you can't identfy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif Common sense dictates animals of prey have eyes on the side of their heads (that's how you see one eye). Predatory animals have eyes in front of their heads. If you've been hunting at night long enough, I'm sure you've experienced a bobcat or coyote peeking around a bush and only seeing one eye. That's why you MUST identfy before shooting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Good post ninehorses. That's good information for new guys to hear. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Good Hunting.
 
I can't tell the difference in color of the eyes so much as how the eyes move in the darkness. Bobcats usually slink in and are low to the ground where the yotes will generally run or trot in, but have also seen the coyote slink in as well, so it ain't an exact science here.

As has been said previously, don't squeeze off a round until you are absolutely convinced you know what you are shooting at. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Also, the bobcat's eyes seem to reflect more light than coyotes or fox...making them brighter. (I guess this could be due to the fact that they have big eyes to begin with.)

I've called other animals that I initially thought was a bobcat (usually due to wishful thinking /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif ) but whenever I call in a cat, I KNOW it's a cat right when I see it. There's no mistaking a cat's eyes at night.

Rusty Holt
 
In my experiences you can pretty much tell what animal you have coming by 75 yards for sure.Greys are head up and jittery(back and forth), reds come in fast to about 50 and either walk back and forth , sit down , or start hoppin in air to try and get a visual(latter happens alot) coons come in low and slow or run up a tree to check out situation.Coyotes around here just sort of show up out of thin air around 80 - 120 yards and stop dead for about 20 seconds then they disappear in the same fashion.Most greys are heard before seen .Just my 2 cents
 
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