RICHMOND, Va. -- Their adaptability is one reason Katie Martin finds deer so interesting. Entering the most active time of the year for them, officials warn to drivers to remain aware of their four-legged neighbors.
"Deer are really smart animals. They're just kind of neat," said Martin, who is the statewide deer biologist for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. "Before man got here, of course, they had the run of the mill. And now, they've learned that people's backyards provide really good habitat.”
Since deer movement increases in the fall and they live in rural and urban environments throughout the Commonwealth, Martin said it is important to remember this stat this time of year: Virginia averages 65,000 to 70,000 reported collisions between deer and vehicles annually.
“That's just what's reported. It could likely be much higher than that," Martin said. "Virginia does rank in one of the top 10 states of your likelihood of hitting a deer with your car, so not one of those top 10 rankings we probably want to make."
There is a reason the end of the year is the peak months for deer collisions for a reason. Martin said fall is breeding season, making males in particular very active in the forest.
Plus, deer are searching for food sources before the coldest weather arrives, and the days are getting shorter in November-December, meaning more vehicles on roadways during darker hours.
"Big highway or a rural back to lane road, just be aware that deer are moving again especially at that dawn-dusk evening hours," Martin said. "And then if you do see a deer, the best thing is to slow down go ahead and try to get as slow as possible. Maybe even stop because if you see one deer, there's likely another deer coming behind it."
Martin said try to not swerve if the deer is in the roadway because that wreck will likely be worse. Slow down as safely as possible, and turn off your high beams if you have them on.
“Just think of if you're walking along and somebody's high beams kind of hit you in the eyes. You have to stop and you're a little disoriented for a minute. It can help, if you're in a safe place to do so, slow down, put your lights on low beam to just help them realize let the deer move along," she said.
Protecting yourself and these majestic animals starts with awareness, and Martin said her expertise is requested across the Commonwealth.
"This time of year it kind of affects everywhere statewide. From rural areas to urban, it doesn't matter," she said. "This time of year deer are moving around a lot. It is something that comes up, and people are pretty interested in trying to prevent or just learn about."
If you do unfortunately hit a deer, officials said it is a good idea to report the incident to local wildlife authorities or police depending on the damage done. Martin said authorities can give you written permission to take the animal with you if it does not survive a collision — and that's your sort of thing.
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