eyesight training?

[shoot-em-dead]

I love hunting but my biggest mistake is not seeing game when the are there. Good example is last year elk hunting I walked right in the middle of a herd  .  I should and could have seen them the whole way down the hill. Many times I have been out hunting and hear a twig break- I look and look in the area and see nothing so I continue walking and then a deer will take off from where I should have seen it. Also last year elk hunting I was with a friend and he spots elk- says they are "right there" and I don't see shat. One was a bull that he was trying to see another point on. Then the elk take off and I get a glimpse of them going thru the woods.
 I'm sure I'm not the only one with this continual problem so my question is, how do you train your eyesight to be better at picking out the critters?

[Wazukie]

I think the best thing you can do is spend as much time in the woods that you hunt as possible. Spend more time looking than moving.

[iRem]

I have a buddy that can't see squat!! This is definitely training  off the eyes! I can pick out an eye from behind a bush, an ear twitch in tall grass, nose and eye between branches all from being out in the woods looking! Do more looking, spotting, glassing and stay in one location and you will be amazed on what or how much you'll see. Just don't be in a hurry to move on, be patient.

[bloodhound]

scouting!!!! get in the woods before season and see some animals so its not a culture shock when the season comes around. the more you see them the more you know what to look for and the more you know what to look for the more what your looking for will stand out.

[the509hunter]

and if u cant get in the woods much get some magazines with pics of animals but make sure they are hard to see and hang them up on ur wall and twice a day try and look for them the quicker u get the better u get change the pics often and make sure the senery is like what u will be hunting in. a forum member on here said to do that so i did and it helped alot.

[lokidog]

How's your eyesight?  Not trying to be a smartbutt....  If things are getting fuzzy then it is easier to see them once they are moving. 

I agree with the posts saying the more game you see, the easier it is to pick them out.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I had a friend like that who was soo bad that I would get frustrated pointing out a 5lb Largemouth swimming 10 feet off the boat in clear water.
Found out he was getting older..
I agree that the more you see, the better you will be at spotting them.
look for verticle lines and pieces of game animals, they rarely are out in the open, unless forced, or really relaxed.
It is pretty creepy sometimes how I can spot an Elk at 1000 yards, but cannot see a blacktail deer standing 30 feet in front of me, until he moves !!!
Try practicing relaxing your eyes so that they are out of focus, then look at the first thing that moves, instead of attempting to focus on an (as yet) unidentified object.
If it is not something you are looking for GREAT !!, but usually, you just repeat the steps.
unfocus, look at everthing, and if something catches your attention...
You might find that in "the attempt" you are focusing without "having the picture" and the search becomes more difficult than it really was, remember my friend ? the real reason he could not see that f'ing fish, was because he was looking at the 3lber 20 feet off the boat, and did not notice the other two either, he was focusing on too small an area.
He still needed glasses, but ...that is a different story..
It is O.K. to peer through the bushes too, as IMHO if you walked into a herd on accident, then you were walking too fast. 
I have done it myself   

[SI Eagle]

The best advice I could give is to walk with your head up. Most guys walk around looking at the trail and not what is ahead of them or around them. Simple advice and probably the most common mistake that people make.

[Sawbuck]

Often when guys aren't seeing game it is because they are looking for the whole animal. Don't look for the animal, look for a piece of the animal. Like others have said, it might be a tip of an ear, a hoof, a leg, a nose, etc.  Its not like spotting a cow in a pasture.

[RadSav]

I'm agreeing with all the above. 

When I was in the woods every day the animals were much easier to spot. I remember telling my father, "There's a nice buck up on that hill.  I saw it, but I don't know where."  After about five minutes of glassing we saw an ear and the fork of an antler.  The subconscious had seen clear as day what the conscious could not.  That only comes with constant repetition.

At age 40 I started to buy larger and larger TV's, didn't see animals as well and I was not shooting as well as I had.  Went to the eye doctor and asked, "What's wrong with me?"  His response was, "You're 40!"  Now with a good pair of glasses all is much better.  Especially watching football on the massive big TV.  Definitely no longer 25, but I do see animals much better and shoot much better than I did a few years ago.

And finally, I used to hunt with a friend in Oregon that could find every single track across a road or trail.  He was also the Chantrel mushroom king!  I can not tell you how many herds he walked into and bear he walked up on.  It took some time to get him looking up.  Being hyper observant is definitely important, but there are times and places to look for sign.  A couple trips pheasant hunting and he started getting much better at looking in front instead of down.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

It took me five years of hunting to get to where I am in glassing.  I have found the same as above.  My 10x50 binos can see fur through thick brush at 200 yards with a quick glance.  So I keep them close and look through the brush at anything I think might be game.  Most of the time it's nothing.  Then that one time it's a herd and...  Winter meat!

[mrmoskillz]

Look for movement.  Dont look for the whole animal look for an ear flicker a rump or some bone.

[JohnVH]

How's your eyesight?  Not trying to be a smartbutt....  If things are getting fuzzy then it is easier to see them once they are moving. 

I agree with the posts saying the more game you see, the easier it is to pick them out.

 

[baldopepper]

You might also check and make sure you don't have some color blindness-worked with a guy who had a real problem with colors-he did'nt realize it until he was in his late 20's because it was not the obvious could'nt tell red from green-it was much more subtle-colors had a tendancy to blend on him-unfortunately there really wasnt any cure for it but his doctor recomended that he pay more attention to tones than colors.  Color blindness is apparently much more common than we might think and many people have it to some degree and never really realize it. (probably explains some of the clothing combinations we see daily)

[Mudman]

Man all these guys are right!  My old man has amazing eyesight.  It frustrates all of us.  He has shot 2 bucks 20ft from his brother.  Deer tip he watches his hunting partner, as a deer sees partner it sneeks away and he shoots it.  He claims we walk buy deer and never know they are there.  He is right.  I miss/jump deer alot.  Now with elk I seem to do very well at spotting them.  When I see fresh sign or smell em etc. I slow way down.  If I here anything I freeze for minutes.  Slowww and glass even in brush.  If you think you may be close to elk dont move they will give themselves away sooner or later. Otherwise I cover groung fast.  I think with deer the trick is to always move slow and look alot move a little and look alot.  I am not good at this. It is all about movement in my opinion. Them and us. Now I recently spent 4k on lasik eye surg. for me so have to see if it benefits me.  Last year I did very poorly as my eyes were healing and not very good at all.  I missed alot of opportunities. I think patience and movement are the name of game.  Most of us will never see as good as those freaks of nature who see a fly land on a deers ear at 500000 yards!   I read article in sports illus. about eyesight of athletes.  Did u know famous basesball sluggers Mark Maguire and many more had eyesight 20/12 or better.  Some had lasik for this.My dad has 20/15, or did.  He getting farsight with age know.

[bullelk1]

Hunt with your eyes, not your feet.  Slow down and LOOK.

[WSU]

Hunt with your eyes, not your feet.  Slow down and LOOK.

Exactly.  Slow down, and then go slower.

[iRem]

Last bit of advise that I can give is use you senses! Use your eyes to see the terrain and look for elk, use your ears to hear what's going on around you and possible elk sounds, and your sense of smell, most of the time I can tell that I'm getting close because I can smell them....good luck!

[Kowsrule30]

Don't feel bad... My Dad can't see a deer if it stood next to him..... It'd have to say hi first..... Some people just don't have the knack.... But if you're walking into a herd of elk where you should've noticed them you either are.... A- staring at your feet..... B- going to fast for your own good..... C- both....... D- you need glasses..... E- all of the above..... 

I'd get your eyes checked first even if you think you have great... good.... decent vision..... 

[coachcw]

I allways look as far ahead as i can and grid back to me . I never find stuff and trip over sheds . look for horizontal lines , ie ears and back line . when I glass I start in one corner and grid check then repeat from a differnt side .

[iRem]

I allways look as far ahead as i can and grid back to me . I never find stuff and trip over sheds . look for horizontal lines , ie ears and back line . when I glass I start in one corner and grid check then repeat from a differnt side .

I 100% agree with a grid pattern when glassing!  If you don't you will just move around too much and not really get a good feel for what's in and behind a bush or a tree.  Nice!

[Fish4Fun]

Same advice that has already been given, the other thing is most guys are looking for an elephant standing on a hillside. Can't think how many deer we see when others are glassing the same hillside. They are looking right at animals and not seeing them. When we point them out one of the first things I hear is how they were looking for bigger objects. The other sound piece of advise is to spend time in the woods. Once you know what you are looking for it is amazing how many more stumps and bushes turn into animals. The other is slow down too, my old man taught us to hunt slow, stop, and spend time grassing. Keep an eye out behind too when hunting timber, you will be surprised how many you walk past and they are slipping away as you are walking away.

[RadSav]

I allways look as far ahead as i can and grid back to me . I never find stuff and trip over sheds . look for horizontal lines , ie ears and back line . when I glass I start in one corner and grid check then repeat from a differnt side .

You don't want to be looking at your feet, but you want to be looking close first and then far.  Nothing worse than glassing the far hillside when the bull of a lifetime is 40 yards away looking at you glassing far away.  I see this happen over and over.  Animals further away are less apt to bust you so you should work out to them when grid glassing.

Same thing goes with treelines.  Glass the edges first and then work toward the center.  Most animals are close to their escape routes.  If you glass the center or open spaces first animals can make the short escape without you seeing them.  Or if you do it is too late.

[shoot-em-dead]

I appreciate the advise guys. Just to clarify a few things- I do wear glasses, and I have been called names for always picking coyotes out. I don't have trouble finding deer at all. Its the darn elk that I never see until its too late. Color blindness or maybe just not spending enough time looking for them in the off season to know what to look for might be my problem. Kinda ironic that I have trouble spotting the biggest game animal.
 Once again thanks for the ideas and advice.

[coachcw]

I will stand behind the looking as far ahead then back theroy . You have to see elk before they see you , big time when bow hunting. if your going slow enough you shouldnt just bump one. I often see elk 1/2 mile away just as they are toping a ridge if you are looking to close you never see those . plus they hear so well that they hear you well before you see them. always always hunt the wind or your wasting your time. often what gives elk away to me is the mane that stands out . find elk way out the stalk in thats your best bet . when hunting timber and heavy cover really slow it down . the very best time is when its raining out .

[RadSav]

Most color blindness effects orange and reds making them appear brown.  So that could be why as elk rumps often appear orange.  Are hunter orange vests brilliant to you?  I have a couple friends with color blindness that say there is little difference to them between hunter orange and buckskin brown.  Both of them have difficulty seeing elk.

[Mudman]

When you are on fresh sign or just think elk may be close stop.  Regroup, slow down and use mindset that they are right there, you just havent seen em yet.  Get wind right and look and listen.  I will often sit 10 minutes before moving at all.  Truth be told if you are doing everything right you will smell or hear them first in this wetside jungle. Personally I dont like rain because hearing is muffled. I use ears more than eyes in brush.  Now if they are bedded like they were in your case maybe, it is very difficult to see or hear em.  Smell.

[the509hunter]

nuber one thing i think the reason y u cant see elk as easy as deer is elk blend in alot better cause of the darker color

[kglacken]

I have walked up on them with out knowing they were there too. My best advice is something my dad taught me a long time ago. "Hunt like there is an animal right by you all of the time" Move slow, look for the smallest little patches of tan and if you see something that could be an elk, it never hurts to stop and put the binoculars on it to make sure before moving on. 

[h2ofowlr]

Scouting and spending lots of time in the woods.  It's almost like training your eye's to see those puzzles or images in a picture.  Some people can see them and some can't.  Guys are also more prone to color blindness.  You may see color, but not picking up color contrasts.  I seem to pick them out pretty good for the most part.  I have unfortunately not had the same luck on bear in the past 3 weeks.   

[huntinguy]

I would add to the pile.

Don't look for deer or elk. You will never see them. Look for what is not them and they will  stand out.

Not being a smart... well, you know. Look for things out of place. A deers ear will look funny when you look at branches, an elks leg looks out of place when you are looking at brush. Odd but it works for me.

When you look for deer or elk your mind is looking for the entire animal, so look for other things and your mind will see the parts.

[Alaska316]

I taught my girls to look for what doesn't belong. An ear twitch, a leg, tail or a antler tip. I also have them practice by telling me what stands out in a clearing or hillside. It could be a dead bush or a piece of trash out there. The more you spend time in the field, the more you will notice the obvious.

[Moose-head]

There are some great tips here.  I splurged a couple of years ago and bought the best binoculars that i could afford (Nikon Monarchs; I love 'em) and I now spend more time sitting looking through them Instead of moving on as I had tended to do before getting them. It even helps in the thick stuff because it makes me look more and move less and follow the grid when looking.  I also find that I do better when I assume that there is something there to see and I just have to find it (having a posative outlook) rather than just looking to see if anything is there, but thinking that there probably isn't.