distinguishing eyes

J

jeremy88

New member
No doubt this will get some laughs from some, but I have to ask the people who know best. I went for my first "night hunt" this morning before dawn. I called something in for the first time ... I think. I caught eyes with my light, got my light mounted on my gun, got those eyes in my cross hairs, and even had my safety off. However, I could not see the body that went with those eyes at all. Beech leaves were obscuring my view along with some smaller tree trunks. Since I could not see a body at all, I did not know where to aim. Then I really started doubting the situation, and I questioned whether those eyes were fox or deer. I know they are set and shaped differently, but at a distance in the dark with a light through a red lense with no experience I just wasn't 100% sure. So since I couldn't confirm my target, I did not take the shot. "The eyes" left, and I couldn't call them back. My two questions are:
Can you be sure of your target by only seeing eyes?
If so, where do you aim if you can't see the body? If it was broadside with its head turned, aiming right below the eyes would've been a miss. If I aimed between the eyes, wouldn't that ruin a mounting opportunity?

Thanks for any help, -a very frustrated hunter

PS I am using a 22 mag with the predator light capped by a red lense.

PPS After investigating the area where I saw the eyes I found a perfect place for a fox to den, but I also found fresh deer droppings.
 
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Regardless, you did the right thing. You can never be 100% sure on eyes alone(don't care who you are). There are lots of other methods that you will learn as you get more expereinced that will aid in confirming the approaching animal, such as the bounce or the gate of his approach, even the size of those red burning embers of coal, the nervousiness of the animal etc, but none of these are sufficient enough proof to take the shot, without 100% Identification. I just don't and won't do it. Once it is 100% confirmed that it is a predator, I will shoot the eyes if I have no other shot offered, but only after I have 100% confirmation. I've been fortunate to hit one Red Fox between the eyes at 200 yards on only one occassion. It is not a high percentage shot and not one to take unless you just want the fur, and you are very confident in your equipment and skills.

When using your 22 Magnum and you get eyes in on you, lipsqueak them into range(don't blow or play a call again) for the little Magnum, at that range, you should easily have I.D him.
 
Pruson as per usual explained it exactly. You also made the right choice. Sometimes in the excitement the "Eyes Lies".
 
Originally Posted By: PrusonRegardless, you did the right thing. You can never be 100% sure on eyes alone(don't care who you are). There are lots of other methods that you will learn as you get more expereinced that will aid in confirming the approaching animal, such as the bounce or the gate of his approach, even the size of those red burning embers of coal, the nervousiness of the animal etc, but none of these are sufficient enough proof to take the shot, without 100% Identification. I just don't and won't do it. Once it is 100% confirmed that it is a predator, I will shoot the eyes if I have no other shot offered, but only after I have 100% confirmation. I've been fortunate to hit one Red Fox between the eyes at 200 yards on only one occassion. It is not a high percentage shot and not one to take unless you just want the fur, and you are very confident in your equipment and skills.

When using your 22 Magnum and you get eyes in on you, lipsqueak them into range(don't blow or play a call again) for the little Magnum, at that range, you should easily have I.D him.


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Originally Posted By: mbowerma Sometimes in the excitement the "Eyes Lies".

MAN! ain't that the truth. Simply put but "Oh so true."
 
When a pair of eyes hangs up out there and you can't tell what it is, use binoculars or turn your scope magnification up a little. You'd be suprised how well you can see at night with a decent pair of 10x50 binos. Sounds crazy but it works!As a last resort remove the red lense from your spotlight to burn it in and be ready to shoot!

I did that myself last week, saw eyes and a partial head at 75 yards thru a small window in thick brush. My red light lit up his eyes real bright but shadows from the thick brush and branches in the line of sight made it hard to ID plus all I could see was the neck up through the brush. I took off the red lense and saw it was a fox with the white light. Shot it in the neck, bang flop!

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Bobcats blink slowly and act disinterested just like a house cat. Coyotes are usually nervous always looking around and can't hold still. Coyotes have a pretty distinct lope. Coons are low to the ground and their eyes are close together. Deer just stare at you for long periods and their eyes are spread far apart. Cows eyes don't show up very well with a red light but do glow with white light but still not near as bright as predators. Rabbits are tiny dim glows and usually only one eye is visable at a time. That's my observation.

NEVER shoot until you're 100% sure. Sometimes those deer eyes can fool you! I called in a bobcat once that slowly stalked it's way in from 200 yards out. I was sure it was a bobcat until I hit it with the full red beam of the light for the shot at about 75 yards and discovered it was a 4-point buck. It came in just like a cat! Good thing I waited for a positive ID instead of relying on experiece alone. Night hunting plays all sorts of tricks with your brain.
 
You made the right choice. I hunted a spot last week where coyotes had been feeding on a dead animal. After calling a bit, I had a pair of eyes in the area where the coyotes had been frequenting, but could not make out anything other than the eyes. I didn't shoot and eventually the eyes disappeared, never to be seen again. It could have been one of the coyotes, but just as easily could have been some other animal. Frustrating, but not worth taking a shot -- and as others have said, make sure you are 100% sure of the target before pulling the trigger.
 
You did the right thing-good call- NEVER SHOOT ANYTHING YOU CAN'T IDENTIFY AS A TARGET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!- I was out at the ranch and what I thought was a coyote turned out to be the ranchers bull. I'm new to this night hunting thing, but it all would'e been over had I shot that man's bull. I'll risk letting my quarry escape 100% of the time as opposed to putting a round into something I did not intend to shoot. Remember-we are the face of hunting in America.
 
Thanks for all the great advice guys. I feel much better about it all now. I was worried I had made some kind of rookie mistake by not knowing more about identifying shined eyes in the dark. I really think it was a deer ... the eyes seemed to stare for quite a while ... I feel like a fox would've moved sooner and quicker. If it was a deer, I'm a little surprised it didn't blow at me. Well it's over for fox, bobcat, and raccoon for this season. I'm disappointed ... but definitely looking forward to next season.

I'm curious about something:
I saw foxes about 1 out of every 4 or 5 mornings while deer hunting in an area. I hunted this same area for fox using predator calls at least 10 times after deer season and never saw one. I can't help but wonder if I would've had better results not calling and just sitting. Any thoughts?
 
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