On the move now, deer can be a danger to motorists

The Kansas City Star ^ | November 12, 2015 | David Boyce

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

One day in the first week of November, Pete Pringle and his brother, Luke, were talking about car accidents involving deer.

Pete and Luke work at Pringle Auto Body, 2720 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kan. It is a family business started by their grandfather in 1968 and now is run by their mother.

It was natural for them to have a conversation on deer accidents this time of year. It’s when a higher percentage of collisions involving deer occur because it’s the breeding season for deer.

“We are getting into that season,” Pete Pringle said.

Bucks and does will be on the move in the breeding season far more than other times of the year, said Bill Graham, media specialist for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

“Another thing is the habitat that deer have been staying in all summer is changing,” Graham said. “The leaves fall off the trees, some of the vegetation is dying so some of their old hiding places and hangouts are changing. They are looking for new places.

“Also, their food sources are changing. All of that contributes to deer being on the move more this time of year.”

In the same week the Pringle brothers were talking about deer accidents involving cars, a 2011 Hyundai Elantra arrived at their auto body shop on Nov. 4.

The car was on Interstate 70 when it and the deer collided, causing significant damage to the front end of the passenger side.

The estimate to fix the damage, Pete said, was $6,600.

“It is on the cusp of being a totaled,” Pete said. “The car is new enough. It is nothing for a deer to cause $5,000, $6,000, $7,000 worth of damage to a car . . .

[Salamander]

Wow.

Glad you survived!

[Stand Watch Listen]

Lol..well that is a way of stating it. One must remember that in colonial times, much of this country was covered by forests/prairies. With human settlement farm lands replaced so much forests, thus providing foods for the deer (even after harvest). And with advancing suburbs and the ensuing lush landscaping, foods/shelter are now readily available year round.

But with the absence of year round hunting, the disappearance of many predators (bears/wolves/coyotes/cougars, etc), the abundance of year round food...they have become too numerous, too much of a hazard/danger.

[Salamander]

I have a 3000W amp/quad stereo/subwoofer on my bike and play Rob Zombie full blast after dark.

Scares the crap out of them.

Never had any luck with those deer whistles.

[HangnJudge]

Have you ever heard of these and do they really work.

The passive ones that work with wind flow are worthless
The electric ones may be helpful

[who knows what evil?]

While fleeing soviet Red Hampshire recently; we saw an amazing amount of deer carci on the sides of Pennsylvania interstates...

[Made In The USA]

“I have always wondered what do deer eat in the wintertime and how do they get shelter from the bad weather?”

In my personal experience, they will eat a Pontiac Grand Prix, a Ford Bronco II, and a Ford Mustang.

[heartwood]

I’ve seen roll-overs and utility poles snapped in half by drivers trying to avoid deer. Those scenarios, deer win, and air bags and seatbelts usually protect the driver.

Last year a man commuting through town was killed when two deer went through his windshield. Air bags and seatbelts couldn’t help.

Some years back, I saw the driver of a loaded gravel truck swerve to avoid a deer. The truck nearly tipped over, hit the deer anyway, and hurled it into my lane. I was pregnant at the time, and thank God, was far back enough to stop.

Body work is an inconvenience. I think my husband and I have hit deer three or four times between us.

[cradle of freedom]

WE started seeing them about 15 years ago. Have lived in this neighborhood nearly all my life and have not seen any before that. Last year there were quite a few of them that would come into our yard and eat our vegetables. There are woods across the street with a brook so that attracts them.

[TroutStalker]

I grew up in central PA and learned to drive always looking out for them. Never hit one but came close on a motorcycle once. Came extremely close to hitting a huge elk crashing down a steep wooded bank in Yellowstone.

[Hot Tabasco]

Have you ever heard of these and do they really work.

They're just gimmicks and don't really work. When you think about it, most accidents occur when the deer is running out of the woods or gully or culvert and into the line of traffic.......

There's just as much chance of them hearing the whistling sound as your car engine.........

[Zeneta]

The original 911 call.

The Guy, The Deer, The Dog, And The Bambulance. Hysterically funny

language warning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBa0blUoE8U

[Jamestown1630]

I have never seen the oak trees produce acorns in the enormous numbers that they have this year; and I don’t think it’s just that I’m noticing, and hadn’t before. I’m in the Maryland suburbs of DC, and we’ve also had the loveliest fall foliage that I ever remember here.

[T-Bird45]

During a hot air balloon ride(!), I witnessed for myself how far and hard a herd will run will run when they put their minds - such as they are - to it.

I had a similar experience in the early 80s in an Army helicopter over Ft. Chaffee AR. The number of deer in the maneuver area was amazing. I was telling my wife about it when we were driving by there a couple of months ago. Today, I think AR Wildlife manages hunts on the fort since it's not as active as it was back then.

[showme_the_Glory]

I lived in an area like that. The kids would ride their bikes through the neighborhood and shoot the deer with paintballs.

[caww]

HAHAHA! ....I can just see that too!

I actually had just one deer damage my car.....it was a button buck that jumped off the side hill onto the hood. The guys went bake and finished him off as he wouldn’t have survived.

[Resolute Conservative]

You should see what a full size wild hog does to a car at 40+mph.

[Augie]

The only good deer is a dead deer.

I do what I can to keep them off the road.

[Twinkie]

We have lots of deer on our place. One day I was driving
down our long driveway. Slowed down at the foot of a hill.
A deer ran out of the woods real fast, cleared the hood of
my car in one leap, landed on the other side & kept on
running. Startled me. We’ve never hunted them; but that
day may come and I guess they’ll be surprised at us. -
When I think about it, some bit over 100 yrs. ago, there
were no roads in this area. Just a wild area. All the cars
and roads have taken them by surprise, too. - We’ve been here 30 yrs. so they know us and don’t fear us.

[Himyar]

You ought to see what a big Angus cow can do to the front of a one-ton dually.

[SJackson]

If you’d like to be on or off this Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me. And ping me is you see articles of interest.