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Years ago a friend taught me an awareness drill. It is so easy that it sounds silly.

Cats, Birds, Rabbits and Squirrels.

When you are out and about, watch for any small movement that you see. When you see a cat, tell yourself ' I see a cat.' Same for birds, rabbits and squirrels.

After a while, any movement will get your attention and you will automatically identify it. You will be amazed at how easy it is to see a person moving behind a car when you are watching for squirrels.
 
I'm always alert. Not much gets past me when I am out... down to a hummingbird in a bush many yards away.
 
Just don't let it distract you while driving...

Once you start seeing bugs flying around 20 yards away, you'll be on my level.
:s0022:

Funny story, my GF was worried I was insane for a while when I told her there were tons of bugs she couldn't see flying over the river... after a while she trained her eyesight and admitted I was indeed seeing insects and not hallucinating some diptera emergence.

Bonus round could be trying to spot critters in minimal lighting. ;)
 
Just don't let it distract you while driving...

Once you start seeing bugs flying around 20 yards away, you'll be on my level.
:s0022:

Funny story, my GF was worried I was insane for a while when I told her there were tons of bugs she couldn't see flying over the river... after a while she trained her eyesight and admitted I was indeed seeing insects and not hallucinating some diptera emergence.

Bonus round could be trying to spot critters in minimal lighting. ;)
This is true I love duck hunting.
But when I am driving I find myself looking at ducks flying in the fields or flying over the road.
Oh look at the ducks .
Who Cares about the Prius .
That I just ran over.
 
Years ago a friend taught me an awareness drill. It is so easy that it sounds silly.

Cats, Birds, Rabbits and Squirrels.

When you are out and about, watch for any small movement that you see. When you see a cat, tell yourself ' I see a cat.' Same for birds, rabbits and squirrels.

After a while, any movement will get your attention and you will automatically identify it. You will be amazed at how easy it is to see a person moving behind a car when you are watching for squirrels.
When I was younger I was always amazed how my dad could do this. See that deer over there? Me: No, where? He showed me and it was ~50' away. Now I'm always pointing out animals and birds to my wife as we are driving. It's cool when the brain recognizes shapes and movements not part of the landscape.
 
It's in the genetic memory... men key to movement... it's just that simple. Much harder to see animals that are still, and blending in.... that is what hunters need to practice.
 
In regards to seeing animals that are standing still...look to "see" parts of the animal...not the whole animal.
At times our mind can trick or mislead the eyes with seeing what the mind wants or expects to see , not what is actually there.
Andy
 
Self defenders need to be aware of pre-attack cues... guys with their hoodies up, reaching into pockets to reassure themselves the weapon is just right, heavy coats in warm weather, etc. And practice the S's "Don't go stupid places, at stupid times, with stupid people."
 
When you can see the eye of a rabbit inside a dense bramble at 30yds, then you are getting there. Til then, your nickname is still "Grasshopper". ;)
 
Awareness comes from the surroundings, as several have mentioned. Each surrounding, whether sitting in a lawn chair in your back yard, spotting a fly on a flower or beetle on a blade of grass. Out in natural settings, movements in the foliage. Or among people in general. The busier the surrounding, the more my awareness hairs are triggered. I call my awareness among people, cultured awareness. Lingo, attire, presentation, who they are with, it all speaks. If my sensors get aroused too much, I'm generally somewhere I shouldn't, or want be.

I apply the same awareness to driving. The busier the roads, the more my distance and peripherals become actively scanning left, right, rear-view, and as far ahead as I can see.
Turds in the masses o_O

Most times, crowds over-run my stimuli.
 
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This is true I love duck hunting.
But when I am driving I find myself looking at ducks flying in the fields or flying over the road.
Oh look at the ducks .
Who Cares about the Prius .
That I just ran over.

Same here, ducks, geese, hawks, eagles & big game.
When my daughter was 4 I took her on a road hunt one day after work. I didn't see a single animal but she said "Papa, I seen 3 deers".... We went back & sure enough there were 3 deer in that spot!!!:eek::eek::eek:
 
Years ago a friend taught me an awareness drill. It is so easy that it sounds silly.

Cats, Birds, Rabbits and Squirrels.

When you are out and about, watch for any small movement that you see. When you see a cat, tell yourself ' I see a cat.' Same for birds, rabbits and squirrels.

After a while, any movement will get your attention and you will automatically identify it. You will be amazed at how easy it is to see a person moving behind a car when you are watching for squirrels.


Good technique, I'm CONSTANTLY telling myself, "I see dumb people"... I can now sense them before they even get into visual range! :D



In regards to seeing animals that are standing still...look to "see" parts of the animal...not the whole animal.
At times our mind can trick or mislead the eyes with seeing what the mind wants or expects to see , not what is actually there.
Andy


Are you actually talking spotting animals, or subtly about political ideologies? ;)
 

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