Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe warned motorists to slow down after sundown and before sunrise to reduce their risk of having a close encounter with a white-tailed deer.

Pennsylvania has the highest number of deer-vehicle collisions of any state—over 39,000 annually—resulting in over $78 million in property damage.

Deer collisions are an annual occurrence that will continue through Thanksgiving week and begin to slow down in mid-December. For the sake of public safety, the Game Commission is urging motorists to drive cautiously after dark for the next several weeks.

"The personal tragedies and property losses that are caused by deer-vehicle collisions touch the lives of Pennsylvanians statewide," Roe said. "It's an unfortunate and often painful consequence of living with white-tailed deer.

"It's also a shame to see whitetails killed on highways in the weeks before our biggest deer seasons. Obviously, many of these accidents are unavoidable because deer do step into the path of fast-moving vehicles. But driving defensively, or, at the very least, alertly, can give a motorist an edge in many instances."

Roe noted that being knowledgeable about deer can help Pennsylvanians stay out of harm's way. He said that some deer aren't paying close attention to what's going on around them during the fall breeding season, commonly referred to as the "rut."

"During the rut, deer are moving about more than usual," Roe said. "It's a time when deer become preoccupied with finding the opposite sex or staying a few steps ahead of rival suitors. It's a time when this summer's fawns - left alone while does follow nature's calling - sometimes naively wander into troublesome predicaments. It's a time, quite frankly, when deer don't seem to maintain that invisibility and distance that typically keeps them from dangerously interacting with Pennsylvania motorists."

Roe also noted that drivers shouldn't assume trouble has passed completely when a deer successfully crosses the road.

"Deer frequently travel in family groups and single file," Roe said. "Just because one has crossed, doesn't mean the threat is over. Its crossing could be a signal that others may follow, which they sometimes do blindly."

Some bucks are beginning to chase does. Sometimes these bucks follow closely; other times they pursue with their heads to the ground nosing a scent trail. Also, research conducted by the Game Commission and Penn State University indicates many yearling bucks will be traveling more during the fall.

"After tracking hundreds of radio-collared bucks, we know that half or more of the yearling bucks will be wandering away from the areas where they were born," said Bob Boyd, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management assistant director. "These animals will travel four to five miles on average, but some may travel as far as 25 miles or more. Most of this movement occurs from mid-October through the breeding season in mid-November."

Roe also noted that with the end of daylight savings time scheduled for late October, more motorists will be driving to and from work at the peak hours of deer activity: dawn and dusk.

Those who are enjoying the outdoors during this colorful time of year, including hunters, also play a role in moving deer during daylight hours. Hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders and hunters moving through fields occasionally flush deer from briar thickets and windbreaks and forested areas.

"If you see people in the vicinity of the road you're traveling, it's probably a good idea to slow down," Roe said. "Since most hunters are wearing fluorescent orange clothing, they're usually very visible to motorists."

Motorists also should slow down whenever farmers are harvesting cornfields because deer are often flushed from fields as farm equipment approaches them.

Drivers who hit a deer with a vehicle are not required to report the accident to the Game Commission. If the deer dies, only Pennsylvania residents may claim the carcass. To do so, they must call the Game Commission region office representing the county where the accident occurred and an agency dispatcher will collect the information needed to provide a free permit number, which the caller should write down. A driver must call within 24 hours of taking possession of the deer.

A passing Pennsylvania motorist also may claim the deer, if the person whose vehicle hit it doesn't want it. Again, the motorist must report taking possession of the deer within 24 hours to the Game Commission.

Antlers from bucks killed in vehicle collisions must be turned over to the Game Commission.

If a deer is struck by a vehicle, but not killed, drivers are urged to stay their distance because some deer may recover and move on. However, if a deer does not move on, or poses a public safety risk, drivers are encouraged to report the incident to a Game Commission regional office or other local law enforcement agency. If the deer must be put down, the Game Commission will direct the proper person to do so.

Other tips for motorists include:

· Don't count on deer whistles or deer fences to deter deer from crossing roads in front of you. Stay alert;

· Watch for the reflection of deer eyes and for deer silhouettes on the shoulder of the road. If anything looks slightly suspicious, slow down;

· Slow down in areas known to have a large deer population; where deer-crossing signs are posted; places where deer commonly cross roads; areas where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland; and whenever in forested areas between dusk and dawn; and

· Deer do unpredictable things. Sometimes they stop in the middle of the road when crossing. Sometimes they cross and quickly re-cross back from where they came. Sometimes they move toward an approaching vehicle. Assume nothing. Slow down, blow your horn to urge the deer to leave the road. Stop if the deer stays on the road; don't try to go around it.

For more information, visit the Game Commission’s Deer Management webpage.

10/5/2007