×

Deer-vehicle collisions on the rise this time of year

Drivers who have lived in this region for any length of time don’t need to be reminded of the possibility of encountering deer crossing the highway almost any time of year. And if you haven’t hit a deer, you probably have had a close call at one time or another. And while deer-vehicle collisions are year-round occurrences, the odds of hitting a deer, especially during the daytime, increase this time of year for several reasons. Farmers harvesting crops or cutting cornfields can push deer across a road. Small-game hunters often inadvertently flush deer from their daytime hideouts. The biggest wild card, however, is we are entering the breeding season for deer, commonly referred to as the “rut.” The peak of the rut in Pennsylvania typically occurs for about two weeks from early to mid-November. During the rut, even the wiliest old bucks allow the mating urge to trump their well-honed natural caution as they prowl relentlessly for does to mate with. And both bucks and does engaged in their breeding rituals will do some crazy things during this time, like bolting across a busy highway at any time of the day or night.

I speak from experience when I say hitting a deer can be an unsettling and expensive event. Even a hunter doesn’t like to kill or injure a wild animal in that fashion, not to mention having to deal with getting your car repaired. But deer can be unpredictable, darting into the roadway without warning and giving even the best driver no chance to avoid striking the animal. There are also some rules and regulations that must be complied with at the scene of the accident. If the deer is severely injured but still alive, know that you may not legally “put it out of its misery.” As harsh as that sounds, doing so could subject you to fines and penalties for illegally killing a deer. Call 911 and have them dispatch Game Commission personnel or a local law-enforcement officer to dispatch the animal, especially if the deer is near the highway and could present a hazard to other motorists.

If the deer is dead and not too beat-up from the collision, the driver is permitted to take the deer for the meat. If the driver does not want the animal, another passing motorist may claim the carcass. Only Pennsylvania residents may take road-killed deer and after doing so must call the appropriate Game Commission regional office within 24 hours to report the incident and receive a free permit number allowing you to possess the carcass. In Blair, Bedford or Huntingdon counties, call the Southcentral Regional Office at 643-1831 or 643-9635; in Centre or Clearfield counties, call the Northcentral Regional Office at 570-398-4744 or 570-398-4745; in Cambria County, call the Southwest Regional Officeat 724-238-9523 or 724-238-9524. Deer-vehicle collisions are not required to be reported to the Game Commission if you are not taking possession of the deer. To report a dead deer for removal from state roads, call the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Another issue for picking up road-killed deer in our area are the rules related to chronic wasting disease that prohibit the removal of high-risk deer parts, essentially the head and backbone, from any of the three established Disease Management Areas in Pennsylvania. Those parts must be removed before the deer is transported outside a DMA. In our region all of Bedford County, most of Blair and Huntingdon counties, and parts of, Somerset, Fulton and Cambria counties are part of DMA 2. Complete information regarding high-risk parts and DMA maps is available on the Game Commission website: www.pgc.state.pa.us.

One last rule regarding road-killed deer is it is illegal to remove the antlers for a road-killed buck, unless you are taking possession of the carcass. And if you do take a road-killed buck for the meat, the antlers must be turned over to the Game Commission. Or you may purchase the antlers from the Game Commission for $10 a point. Is it just me or does it seem somewhat preposterous that the you can hit a deer on a public highway and do thousands of dollars of damage to your vehicle, and the Game Commission assumes no liability or responsivity for that whatsoever, yet they are willing to claim ownership of the antlers and expect payment for them. I would really love to hear the legal justification on that deal.

Water quality program

Jim Eckenrode of the Blair County Conservation District will present a program regarding water-quality monitoring on area streams at the regular monthly meeting of the John Kennedy Chapter of Trout Unlimited on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Allegheny Township Municipal Building at 1400 Colonial Drive in Duncansville.

The results of will be used to assess the quality of our local streams now and into the future. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 309-3474.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today