Do animals see fluorescent fletchings?

Bullchaser1 · February 25, 2016, 12:12:00 PM

I've enjoyed fletching my own arrows for many years. I like to change up the colors, and I do like bright colors for following the arrow. When it comes time for hunting season I usually tone down the colors. I guess I'm worried a mature buck may pick up on the fluorescent colors. Any experiences either way with this?

Biathlonman · February 25, 2016, 12:14:00 PM

Nope, just take a black and white photo to see what they look like. I love all white, but they look very bright in black and white, the florescent usually look Grey and disappear.

Bowhunter4life · February 25, 2016, 12:18:00 PM

Deer won't, but if you hunt Turkeys you better cover them up! Heck Turkeys will pick up snake skins on your bow! They don't like snakes much!

Orion · February 25, 2016, 12:26:00 PM

My brother has been using fluorescent chartreuse feathers for years. Has never had a problem. He does hunt mostly from trees, though.

M60gunner · February 25, 2016, 12:59:00 PM

A question that comes to my mind. If certain camo clothes give off light why not bright feathers?

olddogrib · February 25, 2016, 01:27:00 PM

Don't know...but I've always been of the consensus that they would have no reason to take exception to my fletchings if they weren't obsessed with trying to figure out what that human smell coming from my directions was, lol!

DanielB89 · February 25, 2016, 01:44:00 PM

you know, I have asked tons of deer at the local zoo and not one of them have given me an answer yet! Rude if you ask me!

northern lights · February 25, 2016, 01:58:00 PM

Love white fletchings for following shot, but when you get 3 or so in a quiver think that any movement looks a lot like a tail and they'll pick up on it.

mlsthmpsn · February 25, 2016, 03:23:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by M60gunner:
A question that comes to my mind. If certain camo clothes give off light why not bright feathers?

The phenomena you are thinking of is not visible light, like colors we perceive as "bright". It's the reflection of UV light....and this has more to do with the material properties and brighteners than any specific color. Cotton glows and so do a lot of synthetic materials, especially when washed with brighteners.

Colors are just different wavelengths, and so is UV. We see colors because the pigments absorb all the other wavelengths and reflect the ones we can perceive with the Cones in our eyes....and this absorption/reflection depends on the properties of the object in question.

Now, some feathers are actually designed to reflect UV light like reflective tape and a flashlight. This is because birds can see very well in both color and UV wavelengths, and use these patches of UV-reflective feathers for mating rituals, communication, etc.

Here's what a Saw-whet Owl wing looks like to us:

And to other birds:

I know that natural turkey wings do not reflect UV at all. However, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the artificial barred feather materials do reflect UV.....quick search found these images.

Natural Turkey (left) and TrueFlight: Yellow, Artificial Barred, and White

Hope that helps,

Bullchaser1 · February 25, 2016, 03:32:00 PM

I agree all white fletchings look awesome, but too bright when stacked in my quiver. Not trying to get too in depth in fletching color, but I guess my question was more with fluorescent glowing. Like they sell that uv clothing wash so there is no uv glow. Not sure if the uv "glow" was real. I know, this winter lull makes you think of weird things sometimes!

Bullchaser1 · February 25, 2016, 03:35:00 PM

Just saw your post MT. Thanks that's pretty cool.

February 25, 2016, 04:26:00 PM

The cocker spaniel that I had, that knew more about canoe tripping and rabbits than most people do, hated fluorescent yellow. He always ripped the feathers off and then bring my arrow back. I had to tie him up when I was shooting at me targets. Once my buddy shot a rabbit, my little dog raced forward, tore all of the yellow feathers off his arrows while fiercely growling, brought him his arrow and then went back and got the rabbit. My buddy laughed so hard that he thought he gave himself a hernia. Turkeys don't like arrows either, I missed a turkey with one with chartreuse feathers, and stuck it in a tree. The next turkey came along and attacked my arrow and bent it. I got him.

old_goat2 · February 25, 2016, 05:13:00 PM

Yeah birds can see them and they don't even have to be that bright, I don't worry about deer and such, I've heard bears can see colors but I don't know that for sure

Snow Crow · February 25, 2016, 07:13:00 PM

MT, Great info!

Can confirm "glowing" of artificially barred feathers under black light (the white, not the bars). No glow for wild turkey or TF pink; TF chartreuse glow like a beacon.

M60gunner · February 25, 2016, 07:37:00 PM

Thanks for the pics. That is what I have been thinking of. But natural feathers, no dye, makes sense as well. Critters have "natural" camo which should not reflect UV light.
When I lived back in IL. we did not use white on purpose. White feathers had been mistaken for a Whitetail Deer's tail and arrows loosened at guys. One reason white feathers and back quivers were not in style in IL. and WI. back then. Be safe.

mlsthmpsn · February 25, 2016, 08:49:00 PM

As an addendum on all this.... Until such time that we have sufficient technology to plug our brains into the eyes of animals or otherwise pull images from their brains directly... What we think they see are just educated guesses.

We could be way off the mark, but I tend to think that we are probably way under the bar.

In tests with food rewards, I've seen that deer seem to see blue and UV pretty well....so at the very least stay away from jeans.

tracker12 · February 25, 2016, 08:51:00 PM

I have been using FLO fletchings since the 70's. I have never felt they caused a deer to spoke and since then I have kill well over a 100 deer with archery equipment.

Terry Green · February 26, 2016, 09:51:00 PM

Heck no....been using flo feathers for ever....use bow quivers and fletch cover....hunt off the ground a lot....feather color and the size I use is the least of my worries.

huskyarcher · February 26, 2016, 10:06:00 PM

If the feathers get you busted you were screwed to begin with.

Fletcher · February 26, 2016, 11:18:00 PM

My standard hunting arrow is chartreuse 4 fletch on a white crown. It has never seemed to be an issue in a tree. I never got busted on the ground either, but had some concerns so started using a fletch cover. I always use the cover now but don't know that it is really necessary.