Yes--- we imagine ourselves as so smart and advanced--- but put us in the woods against about any animal--- and we are not even as skilled as a bunny rabbit. We are about dead last when it comes to "knowing" what's in the woods
on the other side of that dense thicket 50 yards away. But even the average dog will know. The crickets will know. The birds will know. they all know when to shut up and be quiet. all except us. we bumble through the woods making more noise than a dumpster full of alarm clocks---- and then we claim there is "nothing there" because we didn't Suprise (see) it. Thats because they heard you 1/4 mile away. They smelled you 300 yards away. They saw you
600 yards away. and they hid them and their family before you and your big racket ever got there.... I suspect that the only time that goes awry-- is if they are in some kind of situation where they are unable to hide. Or the big males are hunting. and they are aggravated that you scared their deer off..... But sometimes it works out the other way----
you shoot a deer... and by the time you go look for it----
it's been picked up and hauled away. Thanks Mr. hunter--- you can keep the next one......
I also believe they have some type of active camouflage.
some researchers think it could be hairs that can change colors (chromatophores). It could also be something much more advanced. i have had one walk up to me from the wood line--- i could hear his steps through the twigs
and leaves breaking under each step-- getting closer and closer---- when I opened my eyes--( about 10 feet away) no more steps and nothing to be seen for 100 yards in any direction. so there is something going on there with that. (about 3 pm in the 100 degree summer sun )
We don't know how much we don't know about the world. some clamp their eyes tight shut and repeat to themselves that we know all--- and if we don't know about it-- it can not possibly exist. How egocentric is that----- It is just possible that they don't want to know us..... after all they don't try to kill us every time they see us. and they see us prob. 1000 times for every time we see them. (my opinion of coarse)