Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

General Discussion => General Forum => Topic started by: deerbasshunter3 on March 04, 2015, 11:43:45 PM

Title: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: deerbasshunter3 on March 04, 2015, 11:43:45 PM
Are there any colors to stay away from while hunting turkeys? I know with deer, I stay away from blues, purples, white, etc...

The reason I ask is because I have a Cabelas hat that I always wear and it is green and says Cabelas across the front in yellow. Should I use a different hat or is yellow not going to stick out to turkeys?
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: Bigspurs68 on March 05, 2015, 12:10:30 AM
Any yellow spring flowers where you hunt? I'd not worry bout it. Just be still and you'll kill em.  :z-twocents:
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: K9Doc on March 05, 2015, 01:09:29 AM
Being still is all you need to worry about
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: tomstopper on March 05, 2015, 08:21:07 AM
Totally agree with the above posters, I wouldn't worry about a little bit of color (many turkeys have fallen to old timers hunting them wearing blue jeans in the past) but just stay focused on the three rules of turkey hunting below (as told to me since I started hunting turkeys years ago...lol):

1)Don't move
2)Don't move
3)Don't even think about moving

Good luck this season  :anim_25:
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: Tail Feathers on March 05, 2015, 08:30:03 AM
I avoid the reds, whites and blues so no one will mistake the color splash for a gobblers head.
Title: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: perrytrails on March 05, 2015, 08:46:02 AM


1)Don't move
2)Don't move
3)Don't even think about moving

That's awesome and so true.  I've had hens literally at my feet. Had a gobbler walk by my son and I, we were sitting at the same tree. He was less than 3 feet from us.

He walked by and my son shot him at 20 yards. It was youth season, first bird he called in on his own. Never forget it.

I kept whispering to him
Don't move
Don't move
Don't move. lol
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: Spitten and drummen on March 05, 2015, 09:07:24 AM
Quote from: Tail Feathers on March 05, 2015, 08:30:03 AM
I avoid the reds, whites and blues so no one will mistake the color splash for a gobblers head.
x1000. especially with all the yahoos running around blasting away at everything that moves.
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: FullChoke on March 05, 2015, 09:36:27 AM
Most every bird, including turkeys, have color sight. There is some evidence that they have the ability to see shades in the ultraviolet range as well. This is the main reason that I wash my hunting clothes in a sport wash that contains no UV brighteners.
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: Rapscallion Vermilion on March 05, 2015, 09:55:34 AM
^^^^    Same here, and I treat my hunting camo with the UV-killer too.  It is surprising how bright some of the top selling camo is under a bit of UV light.  After treating it with the UV-killer it doesn't glow at all under a blacklight.  I don't think anyone knows exactly what a turkey sees, but wearing something that glows in a part of the spectrum that their eyes appear to be able to detect can't be good.
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: hoyt on March 05, 2015, 03:04:03 PM
I would guess birds wouldn't have such brilliantly colored feathers if other birds didn't notice. The gobbler's bright colors are on it's head and neck and change colors with it's mood. So I would think reds, whites and blues might stand out for other turkeys along with other hunters.
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: BABS9 on March 05, 2015, 03:09:20 PM
Turkeys can pick out the slightest movements. So like everyone else is saying DON'T MOVE!!!! And just makes sure your in all camo head to toe. Don't forget gloves
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: mgm1955 on March 05, 2015, 04:36:00 PM
Quote from: K9Doc on March 05, 2015, 01:09:29 AM
Being still is all you need to worry about
:agreed:
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: M22 on March 05, 2015, 06:39:29 PM
A quote from the late Bee Lee =  A Turkeys eyes is .
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: born2hunt on March 05, 2015, 07:30:49 PM
In my past studies of the turkey's vision the one color they do seem to notice is the orange flame my 870 has thrown at them. My hypothesis is that they don't like orange. But I will soon be conducting more tests to fully confirm this theory. ;D
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: dirt road ninja on March 05, 2015, 09:11:18 PM
If it catches your eye, it will most certainly catch theirs.
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: deerbasshunter3 on March 05, 2015, 09:55:26 PM
I got all my camo out to wash for April. I found an all camo hat. Fits great! Crisis averted.

Camoed out from head to toe!
Title: Re: Colors that turkeys see.
Post by: Marc on March 05, 2015, 10:00:54 PM
Humans basically have two types of vision, color and night...  In the retina, we have 4 different types of photoreceptors (3 types of cones, and rods)...  Rods are generally responsible for night vision, but are not sensitive to color.  We also have 3 different types of cones (red, blue, and green) which are sensitive to color and responsible for our color vision...  We have more rods than cones, and they are more sensitive to light in general, but do not discern color.


Turkeys have 7 types of photoreceptors, including rods, and 6 different types of cones, two of which are referred to as double cones.  It is believed that one of these types of cones is capable of seeing UVA light (ultraviolet).

In other words, turkeys see colors that we do not, and even see wavelengths of light that are off the color spectrum...  Without being able to look through their eyes, who knows what they see?

As others have pointed out, avoid washing clothes in detergents with UV or color brighteners...