Warning: Lovesick Deer Present Danger On Road
Deer may suddenly bolt onto roadways, because November is their mating season, and they're, well, on the chase. Their behavior killed six Illinoisans in crashes last year. Be a dear, but don't be a deer victim.
It's easy to laugh off the idea of amorous deer chasing each other through the woods during their November mating season.
Easy, that is, until a 250-pound buck comes crashing through your windshield. With antlers.
Six Illinoisans died in deer-vehicle crashes in 2011, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Statewide, 18,039 deer-vehicle crashes occurred; of those, 554 were in Cook County and 360 in Lake County.
Don't believe it? Check out the 33-second YouTube video attached to this article.
Be especially alert at dawn and dusk
As (bad) luck would have it, the peak hours for bucks to be on the prowl for sexy does coincide with peak traffic times during the morning and evening commutes.
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Sgt. Robert Tornabene of the Niles Police Department warned motorists to be especially alert around dawn and dusk hours, and, it stands to reason, near the forest preserves that wind through the suburbs.
“Deer are on the move and unpredictable during this season,” he said. “Deer are much more likely to cross into roadways without warning at this time of year. Drivers should be extra alert to avoid collisions."
Stags so lovesick they're 'not thinking straight'
USA Today quoted a biologist who said male deer are so focused on mating that they're not thinking straight. This will not surprise humans who frequent singles bars, but the difference is that deer may not have their normal fear of stepping out into moving traffic.
To protect yourself:
- Watch for deer standing close to roadways. They may bolt out, stop in the middle of the roadway, cross and then cross back again, according to the Niles Police Department.
- If a deer is on the side of the road, go very slowly, because there are usually more deer nearby. You may need to flash your lights or honk your horn to frighten the deer away, Car and Driver said.
- If a deer is in the middle of the road, brake and stop, Car and Driver advises. Don't swerve, as the animal won't know which way to run to avoid colliding with your vehicle.
- If you do hit a deer, call police immediately but do not attempt to touch the deer, as an injured animal can bolt and harm you, multiple sources say.
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Bob Levi
9:45 am on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Highland Park's failed sterilzation program several years ago to control the growth of "its" deer herd cost the taxpayers around $250,000, if I recall. After nine years of hearings, the sterukuzatuib alternative was deemed to be the most humane way to deal with the problem rather than culling (read killing) some of the deer.
With the infusion of coyotes, a natural predator, and deer deaths due to car accidents, the sterilization program should not have been initiated. Over a five year period, an average of 19 deer/car incidents were reported in Highland Park. How many weren't reported?
Glenn Posner
9:31 pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
I was returning to Chicago, from Indiana, driving east on Rt 30, heading towards Merrillville. It was dark and I was well within the posted speed limits. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a deer was in my headlights.. I had no time to hit my brakes and instead hit him full on. Both my air bags immediately deployed and my cabin filled with hot smoke. I pulled off to the shoulder. The car was totalled. I was unhurt except for feeling lousy about killing a deer. The deer was knocked about 20 feet from impact. In Indiana, if you kill a deer, you own it. A policeman arrived shortly and after determining I was "OK" asked if he could have the deer I just killed. Not wanting to return to Chicago carrying a deer on my back like Errol Flynn in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" I agreed to give the cop the deer. He was elated. That deer fed alot of people that season. The irony is my buddy, an Indiana agent and avid hunter, spent countless hours in a tree stand waiting in vain to even see a deer while I kill an Eight-Pointer, without a weapon (except a car), while driving home. Venison is healthy and tasty but more to the point. If you are in the unfortunate situation of having little time to react when suddenly confronted by a deer, KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. If I hit the brakes in time, trying to minimize contact with the deer, he would have joined me in the front seat, hooves, antlers and all as he came thru the windshield, with in all liklihood an entirely different outcome.