Can Elk See In The Dark?

Fact checked by Steven Lines, lifelong Hunter and OutdoorsmanOpens in a new tab..

Check with your local State and Province hunting regulations about hunting elk at night. Many states prohibit hunting game animals (whitetail deer, elk, moose, turkey) from one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise. The following information about elk hunting in low-light conditions may still apply to hunting during dawn and dusk. Always ensure you are fully prepared before starting your hunting trip.

Nocturnal animals sleep all day and work at night. Diurnal animals work all day and sleep at night. Elks are something in between; they’re crepuscular. They’re most active at dawn and dusk. And they rest at midday.

Elks can see in the dark thanks to their eye structure called the tapetum lucidum. Their eyes can absorb and reflect light photons resulting in excellent night vision. That’s why elk eyes will glow in the dark. That’s also how elks can see with the least amount of light available.

If you’re interested in elk hunting at night, you’d better get the full picture of how they see. Furthermore, red light elk hunting is also important to increase your success rate.

There’s also the issue of night camouflage for elk hunting. Follow these elk hunting best practices at night, and you’ll be way ahead of competing hunters and predators.

Can elk see in the dark

How Well Do Elk See At Night?

The eyes can see because light bounces back into the pupils when light hits an object. Both humans and animals have these specialized nerves called photoreceptor nerves.

Photoreceptors are responsible for “translating” the object to the brain. And thus, you can “see” the world around you. So, there are two types of photoreceptors: rods and cones.

Rods are light-sensitive; they detect the amount of light (amplitude) in a grayscale of black and white. Cones are responsible for detecting the color of the light (frequency.) They can detect Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) lights of varying intensity. There are more rods (120M) than cones (6M).

Rods are also slower to adapt than cones. That’s why when you enter a dark room; your eyes take longer to adapt to the darkness. But you can detect colors quicker.

Elk Vision Vs. Human Vision

Elks have larger eyeballs than humans; therefore, more light can enter their eyes through the enlarged pupils. They have much more rods and cones. That’s why they can see in the dark much better than humans. Call it God or evolution, but the rods in an elk’s eye make it easier to see even under starlight.

The cones will also detect colors more vividly, but they’re still blurry for their dichromatic visionOpens in a new tab.. Elk can see less red than humans, but they can see more blue, yellow, and green, perhaps because they’re the colors of food and water.

Since elks have their eyes on the sides of their heads, they get 360-degree vision when they turn their heads. But elks don’t see the details of this wide field of vision. They kind of see the general shapes without the details. But they can detect the slightest movement.

Furthermore, elks have extra nerves that humans don’t have. It’s called tapetum lucidum. And they serve as a mirror that reflects and multiply the light inside the eyes. Many nocturnal animals have these extra nerves, and that’s why elk’s eyes will seem to glow when you point your flashlight at them.

As a member of the ungulates family, elks can see some shades of ultraviolet light, which humans can’t. 

Can Elk See Red Light At Night?

As established, elk can see red the least. Perhaps, their eyes allocated more nerves to detect green and blue for food and water. There’s no need to see red because it serves no survival need now. Will elk learn to see more red as a survival necessity? It remains to be seen.

Some evidence suggests that deer are red blindOpens in a new tab.. Being a deer species, elk might also be red-blind. But being part of one family doesn’t mean they’re the same. There are many species of animals for that particular reason. The species that adapt the best will multiply, and the weak species will die.

Furthermore, you can’t tell what “color blind” means for elk. It’s not the same as a human who’s color blind. There’s a difference. And until scientists and researchers see the world through an elk’s eye, there’s no definite answer.

Anyways, field experience from professional elk hunters suggests that elks can’t see red clearly. And elk hunters use red light when hunting at night with success. So, there’s no reason to overthink it.

If it’s true that elks have fewer red-detecting nerves, then you’ll be safe using red light hunting techniques at night as other elk hunters do. Red light provides a cloak of light to hide the hunter.

Essentially, the elk will know there’s light, but they can’t understand what’s happening. They can’t tell if there’s a hunter behind the light. Red light is also more stealthy than green light because it’s less bright.

If you want to make up for your inability to see in the dark like elks, red light is the best for this purpose. It’ll hide you while having minimal impact on elks, so they don’t panic and flee the scene.

Best Camouflage For Night Elk Hunting

Compared to humans, elks have a primitive sight. And you can easily fool their eyes with camouflage. You can use red light, stay motionless, and other trappings.

The challenge is to avoid detection in the first place. Elks have other defenses than their wide vision; they have a strong sense of smell, which isn’t easily fooled as their eyes.

But hopefully, these camouflage for elk hunting in low-light conditions will help you get closer:

SITKA Subalpine

The cold night wind is the last thing you need to worry about during stalking elk. The Subalpine pattern from SITKA is made for elk country. You’ll also need to fit in with the environment instead of appearing like a suspicious out-of-place blob. That’s why the SITKA Optifade Subalpine hoody is so much in demand.

Mossy Oak Break-Up Country

The Mossy Oak Break-Up Country is one of the best camos for elk hunting. The design slips just under their radar as it fits with elk country. But before choosing this one, ensure you understand where you’re hunting. Look up weather predictions; it’ll help.

Also, you’ll need to ask your outfitter about the best pattern for the area.

For example, this particular camo is light. You may want to use it in warm elk country for the best results. Remember, it’s always cold at dusk and dawn, even in summer. If you’re hunting during the fall, you’ll need an extra layer to keep warm.

NEWVIEW’s Hunting Jacket And Pants

The NewView’s hunting suit is one of the most praised camos for elk hunting. It’s comfortable and produces the least noise when moving. Advertised as water-resistant, but you don’t want to wear it during heavy rain.

Plus, the camo pattern is designed with elk hunting in mind. It also contains silent zippers for those critical moments when you want to stay quiet. It’ll be a great addition to your hunting wardrobe.

VORCOOL Camo Leafy Suits

Sometimes, you need a leafy suit for stalking. The VORCOOL leafy suit brings just that. You can’t move a lot wearing this suit. But it still keeps you hidden in place. For those long hours of stalking, you’ll need something comfortable.

This leafy suit delivers, but movement in a leafy suit makes some noise; it might blow up your chances.

Arcturus Ghost Ghillie Suit – Dry Grass

The Arcturus Ghost hides you under layers of threads. This is the best camo when you’re using a rifle. If you’re bow hunting, it’ll be awkward to use a suit like that. Still, it provides total coverage under a 3D-camo made for hiding in timber.

For its fluffy appearance, it’s lightweight, and you won’t feel like you’re wearing 6 pounds of synthetic threads all over you.

King’s Camo Hunter Grid Fleece Full-Zip Hoodie

It’s a hunting hoodie you can trust during hunting elk at night. The hunter series from King’s Camo built a brilliant line of camos for elk hunting. It’s worth your time. This one is lightweight and serves as a second layer perfectly.

It also features Polygiene Odor Control Technology, which lessens smell detection. Furthermore, King’s Camo has licensed some elk hunting camo patterns from Realtree.

Kryptek Inferno Camo

The Inferno line from Kryptek is best for night elk hunting because it’s red. Plus, the Aegis Extreme waterproof jacket features the Highlander pattern, which is confusing to the elk.

Furthermore, it’s enough to keep you warm during stalking in cold weather and gives you max insulation without compromising on swift movement. It looks obvious to the human eye but invisible to the elk eye.

Huntworth Snow Camo Brown

When the weather gets cold enough for a snow camo, the microfiber waterproof cover-up jacket from Huntworth is your best bet against the extreme weather. Hiding in the snow is the hardest because the snow is reflective of light.

To the elk, snow is shining because they can see UV light. If your clothes absorb the light, you’ll easily stand out to their eyes. With the proper snow camo, you have a better chance of vanishing.

Conclusion

Compared to humans, elk can see very well at night. Some evidence suggests that, much like deer, they have trouble seeing red light and some camo brands have red tones to capitalize on this weakness.

Using an elk cow call can help. Imagine you’re waiting for a shot, but you need to be patient. You grunt softly, and the elk stops in its tracks. They’ll often stop just long enough that they don’t notice it’s not one of their herd mates who made the noise; this is when you get your opening for a clean shotOpens in a new tab..

Steven Lines hunter pic 1

Steven Lines is a hunter and outdoorsman from Safford, Arizona, USA. Since he was a child, he has been hunting and fishing and has over 20 years of outdoor experience. Steven works as a hunting guide in Arizona during his spare time and runs a Youtube channelOpens in a new tab. dedicated to sharing his outdoor adventures with others.

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Sam

Hi, I'm Sam! I used to work as a caregiver, and now I'm in medical school. My blog is about helping people get healthier through fun activities like archery, hunting, and powerlifting. If you like one of my articles, please share it with your friends and family so they can be healthy too!

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