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Deer collisions more likely to occur October through December Date published: 10/6/2009
By KELLY HANNON To deer, passing cars are an obstacle to love. October through December is deer mating season in Virginia, and highway travelers often get caught in the middle of their chase. Deer will not hesitate to leap into traffic as they pursue the object of their affection, said Julia Dixon, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries spokeswoman. "Deer are more active at that time of year than any other time. They're moving around more, they're interested in breeding, and they're not looking left and right before they cross the road," Dixon said. While deer are following their natural instinct, if they collide with a vehicle, the result can be deadly, scary and expensive for drivers. Last year, there were 1.5 million deer-vehicle crashes in the United States, and 6,918 crashes in Virginia, according to national and state records. That's an increase of 720 crashes in five years In the Fredericksburg area, there were approximately 700 deer crashes last year. Drivers should be especially alert in Fauquier County, where there were twice as many deer-vehicle crashes last year than in any other local city or county. Since deer do not carry auto insurance, the driver's company is left to carry the financial burden in a crash. One insurance company, AAA Mid-Atlantic, reported the average claim paid to a Virginia driver after a deer collision was $2,800. Nationally, deer cause $1 billion in automobile damages a year, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. If not for hunters, the crash numbers could be even higher. Virginia is home to about 1 million deer, and hunters reduce the population by about 250,000 each year, Dixon said. Some deer-vehicle collisions are unavoidable. Deer can emerge suddenly between trees and jump into a car, giving drivers no time to brake. "They're so unpredictable and they're so quick," Dixon said. Staying alert for deer generally will help, especially at dawn and dusk, when they are most active, she said. Deer have a small home base, and will stay in a confined area. If a driver sees a deer-crossing sign, heed it, Dixon said. "That's where the Department of Transportation has determined there are deer in the area, and that's a pathway they frequent," Dixon said. The Virginia Department of Transportation will pick up the carcasses of dead animals and deer from state-maintained roads. "We will pick them up if they're in the right-of-way or on the road," said VDOT spokeswoman Tina Bundy. "If they're in your yard, then the property owner is responsible for the disposal." VDOT's area maintenance headquarters will collect the animal carcasses. To find your local headquarters, call VDOT's Fredericksburg Residency at 540/899-4300. Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
Date published: 10/6/2009
I don't hunt, but I have no problem with those who do. It does help keep the population down (they're just like rabbits, only a lot bigger and more dangerous if you get in their way on foot or in a vehicle). Humans are segmenting their woodland, so they have no choice but to cross roads and train tracks to get from A to B. Hit by cars, they can go through windshields and injure or kill drivers or passengers. Hit by trains, they can go under the equipment and dislodge air hoses, putting it in emergency.
i'm not even a hunter, but if deer/vehicle collisions continue to rise and the deer population still fluorishes, would a hunter's bag limit increase not make sense? it would help save human lives and grief due to accidents and keep insurance costs in check. also, there are plenty of families who could use the venison thru porgrams such as Hunters For The Hungry, found on the web at http://www.h4hungry.org/
it gives me some peace of mind that my kids can play in woods near our house and my dogs can roam free. I had a dog that was killed several years ago by a hunter.
because, while I don't hunt, & it would distress me to see an animal killed, with no natural deer predators except automobiles, I'm grateful that hunters cull the herds. Just please handle your guns responsibly is all I ask.
My hubby hunts and while I would probably never do it myself, I understand how important it is to keep the deer population under control. They call themselves "Wildlife Management", not hunters, which I find incredibly funny but I get it. Less deer = less accidents. I'm all for that! In regards to blowinsmoke's post, I'm happy there is no hunting on Sunday. My hubby stays home and I don't have to worry about my dog being outside (we live in the woods).
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