Autumn Brings Increased Deer Activity on Roadways
Written by Kennedy Bailey, TAMU RWFM student and a stellar intern
The familiar cadence of football season, pumpkins draped across neighborhoods, crunchy and bright autumn foliage, and a chill in the air... it must be hunting season.
Wildlife biologists have taught us how to pattern deer, to understand their activity and movements and why they seem to travel more as the fall season slowly emerges from our sweltering summers in Texas. One valuable lesson every driving Texan learns is that deer traffic doesn't always abide by our paved roads and fresh paint lines.
Drivers are more likely to encounter white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on the road in the fall as deer hunting season is strategically timed to coincide with the deer rut, or mating season, from October to December, with peaks staggered from North to South Texas.
During the rut, white-tailed bucks are more active, averaging a large increase in daily movements (Hewitt et al. 2011). Bucks will also take excursions from their home range, as they breed multiple does annually. Because of increased activity during this time, drivers should use caution as deer may enter the roadway from any direction.
Often, deer will seek nutritious forbs or grass near roadsides, as these areas are not usually grazed by livestock. Further, when a buck is tending a doe, they are hardwired to maintain their agenda. Females will also flee with less caution when they are relentlessly pursued.
Doe and a fawn crossing the road
Together, these behaviors lead to a surge in deer-vehicle collisions, creating significant hazards for drivers. University of Georgia researchers found that increases in collision rates often track closely with deer rut timing, especially in November (Stickles et al. 2015). To understand the gravity, consider these facts:
- ~ 1.5 million deer-related vehicle crashes, annually
- ~ $4,000 in vehicle repair costs per incident
- ~ 200 human fatalities from deer-related vehicle crashes, annually
Drivers can minimize the risk of a deer-vehicle collision by being extremely vigilant while driving, especially in the early morning, dusk hour, and night because deer are most active during these times. Make arrangements to avoid driving at night and use your high beams when appropriate for more visibility. Slow down, wear your seatbelt, and if you see a deer, brake firmly, but do not swerve.
If you cannot avoid hitting a deer, pull over to a safe spot, call the authorities, and document the incident for insurance claims. If the situation is a non-emergency, call the 1-800 number on the back of your driver’s license.
As overpopulation continues to be a management concern for white-tailed deer, hunters are needed more than ever, as they are the stewards of population control. Because ethical hunters are conservationists, they make a positive impact on deer and wildlife management. By staying vigilant on the roads and supporting hunting practices, we can all enhance our safety and minimize car crashes this fall.
--
Literature Cited:
Hewitt, D. (2011). Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer. CRC Press.
Mastro, L. L., Conover, M. R., & Frey, S. N. (2008). Deer–vehicle collision prevention techniques. Human-Wildlife Conflicts, 2(1), 80–92. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24875108
Stickles, J., Warren, R., Osborn, D., & Killmaster, C. (2015). Using deer-vehicle collisions to map white-tailed deer breeding activity in Georgia. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 2015, 202-207.