Fluorescent squirrels…now deer???

[Dinorocks]

As some of you might know, I’m a professional Geologist and one of passions is fluorescent minerals.  I present across the country on luminescence and fluorescent minerals of New York, have minerals in multiple museums across the world, and even have a “first find” that I named after my wife (Amzonite) that is in the NYS museum in Albany and in England (I got some brownie points from my wife for that!!).  Attached is a photo of some minerals I’m currently selling to earn money for a bunch of geology kid events I run coming up this summer at one of my clubs (I’m not trying to sell my kits to you…it’s just the only pict I had handy to show you what I’m talking about).  A few years ago I noticed that flying squirrels fluoresced bright pink (attached is a photo of one I caught in someone’s attic while nuisance trapping)…I also have a bunch I tanned and in my freezer but don’t have photos of those handy.  Just today I read that deer glands fluoresce, underneath their tails fluoresce and even their rubs fluoresce!  I plan to follow up on this and will share what I learn!  Very cool stuff for a geeky geologist!! Nature never stops with surprises!!!

 

[Lawdwaz]

Well now this is an interesting development.  Finally my theories are validated.    Lol
 

Dino you certainly have some great stuff to offer us here but more importantly, what you do for the kids is terrific.   Thank you

Edited December 12, 2023 by Lawdwaz

[mowin]

Thanks so neat.  If I seen a glow in the dark squirrel, I'd probably stop drinking... Naa. 

[Moho81]

16 minutes ago, mowin said:

Thanks so neat.  If I seen a glow in the dark squirrel, I'd probably stop drinking... Naa. 

If I saw a glow in the dark squirrel I’d start drinking MORE ! 

[Moog5050]

Thats really cool.   

[dbHunterNY]

that's very interesting. depending on minerals they take in around here it would make sense it'd show up in secretions fluids from their body like urine and glands. not washing your clothes with UV brighteners has always been a thing but maybe it doesn't stick out as much as previous thought if so many things appear in certain fluorescent wavelengths. great stuff! i haven't gone to the museum downtown (Albany) much but I should try to remember to look for your find next time i go. 

[crappyice]

So rubbed trees may be as much of a visual sign post as it is used for a scent marker? Nocturnal movement/shift related to that and not only hunter's presence?

Dont tell Evercalm...their product will be fluorescent next and stand out more than it already does.  

[lucky118]

So deer are like those annoying hunters who leave reflective pins all over the woods. Lol

[Ncountry]

2 hours ago, lucky118 said:

So deer are like those annoying hunters who leave reflective pins all over the woods. Lol

Ha.ha. I may or may not be guilty of adding a "fun" side trail loop to trails I find in the woods.

[lucky118]

55 minutes ago, Ncountry said:

Ha.ha. I may or may not be guilty of adding a "fun" side trail loop to trails I find in the woods.

That would be worth the cost of more pins.

Edited December 13, 2023 by lucky118

[Keith Nehrke]

Did you file a patent application for the use of fluorescence in mock scrapes to attract deer? I've got to guess that your finding, once it becomes public knowledge, it going to motivate a new wave of products designed to sell hunters on the idea that deer use fluorescent cues during the rut. If a guy will douse around his stand with urine, this doesn't seem so crazy.

[phade]

I agree, I’d be looking into ways to protect the application accordingly. Really interesting concept. Could scent products be mixed with fluorescence? I know NY is not a bait state, but they make apple flavored corn and a wide swath of bait products. Could adding fluorescence to stand out like common browse items? I could see major bait companies like WGI, Evolved, etc. jumping on this an marketing the heck out of it.

 

Edited December 13, 2023 by phade

[riverrat]

Dino, I'm a little confused by this. Are you saying Deer see the scrapes as florescent? Or in some way other than we would see them in the dark?

[Kayak Ken]

If I take a florescent light in the woods, I should be able to see deer scrapes easily? 

[Dinorocks]

20 hours ago, riverrat said:

Dino, I'm a little confused by this. Are you saying Deer see the scrapes as florescent? Or in some way other than we would see them in the dark?

I’m still looking into this.  It appears the deer gland secretions may fluoresce…so their rubs/scrapes, potentially being fluorescent under UV light might be another way other deer “see” them.  My rubs/scrapes are not fresh but I’ll check them out with my UV lights anyway…and if I harvest another deer this season, I’ll inspect the outside (and inside glands) for fluorescence with my UV lights.