GAME COMMISSION ADVISES MOTORISTS TO WATCH FOR DEER
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Vern Ross today advised motorists to slow down after sundown and before sunrise if they don’t want to risk having a close encounter with a white-tailed deer.
Deer collision calls have picked up recently at the Game Commission’s regional offices. It’s 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,” Ross said. “It’s an unfortunate and sometimes intolerable consequence of having a thriving white-tailed deer population.
“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.”
Ross 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,” Ross 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.”
Ross 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,” Ross 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.”
Bucks currently are chasing does. Sometimes these bucks follow closely; other times they pursue with their heads to the ground nosing a scent trail.
“Trailing bucks are famous for their obsessive conduct,” said Bob Boyd, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management assistant director. “Some are so preoccupied that they step out in front of tractor-trailers in broad daylight, ignore blaring vehicle horns or walk right by people. Of course, such activities don’t qualify as normal deer behavior. But in late November, they’re not abnormal either.”
Hunters also play a role in moving deer during daylight hours. Small game hunters moving through fields occasionally flush deer from briar thickets and windbreaks. Bear and deer hunters also flush deer from forested areas during drives.
“If you see hunters in the vicinity of the road you’re traveling, it’s probably a good idea to slow down, especially if you hear gunfire,” Ross said. “Since 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 issue a free permit, which is mailed. 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.
– 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.
BOARD MOVES TO REQUIRE EXPERIENCE OF EXOTIC WILDLIFE OWNERS
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval to a proposed regulation change to ensure that those who apply for permits to own, breed, sell or display wild animals defined as “exotic wildlife” have the proper experience. The proposed regulation also seeks to ensure that exotic animals are properly cared for and maintained in a safe environment while at the same time protecting public health and safety concerns.
