I have talked to old bowhunters - who swear that years ago deer never looked up into a tree looking for theats --- but now they do. I contend that is more likely a learned behavior.

I would say an evolved trait would be a deer's ability to see intetnational orange - which hunters are required to wear ( except bowhunters). This would be a valuable survival trait - and you would expect deer that have that ability to quickly be dominant.

Deer breed quickly. Basically a new generation every year.. How many generationns would you expect this evolution to take?

Hunters ahaevve been wearing orange about 50 years. I' m guessing there' s some deer out there already that see orange measurably better.

Can they even see orange?

(November 24, 2018 at 5:28 pm)ignoramus Wrote: Can they even see orange?

By best accounts - that I have heard - they percieve it as a dull grey - and it doesnt stand out as it does with the human eye.

I' m pretty sure - because I have had a herd of over 30 deer not spot my camo orange - when i was sitting pretty much in the open.

Well, it took about 50 years to domesticate the red fox when it was done deliberately.

About 30 years to make vegetarian lizards on an island in the Adriatic.

I'll be amused when deer start evolving kevlar hides.

(November 24, 2018 at 5:24 pm)onlinebiker Wrote: I have talked to old bowhunters - who swear that years ago deer never looked up into a tree looking for theats --- but now they do. I contend that is more likely a learned behavior.

ASk the old guy what exactly do they think "evolution" did there.

(November 24, 2018 at 5:36 pm)Paleophyte Wrote: Well, it took about 50 years to domesticate the red fox when it was done deliberately.

About 30 years to make vegetarian lizards on an island in the Adriatic.

I'll be amused when deer start evolving kevlar hides.

I look forward to it.


Just think how well deerhide gloves would hold up.

(November 24, 2018 at 5:36 pm)Paleophyte Wrote: Well, it took about 50 years to domesticate the red fox when it was done deliberately.

They bred meek silver foxes in less time than that.

Evolution via natural selection is hugely case specific and doesn't have a timeline.  In the absence of beneficial mutation, evolution in deer vision (to use the example cited) won't ever happen, not even in a thousand million generations.  Conversely, species for fruit fly have been known to evolve new genetic traits in a matter of weeks.

Boru

Evolution is species specific. The flu virus changes every year which is why a new vaccine is made every year. Our species on the the other hand has been in it's current form for roughly 200,000 years.

Going back to the OP, it's not necessarily the case that this behavior is an evolved one. It could readily be culturally transmitted, and possibly reinforced by a greater survival rate of members of cultures that embrace it.