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By Walt Young
sports@altoonamirror.com
According to a recent insurance industry report, Pennsylvania led the nation last year in animal-collision claims.
Those unpleasant statistics also peg the odds of a Pennsylvania driver hitting a deer or other large animal at 1 in 58, also one of the highest rates in the country. Few drivers in our region probably must be reminded of the likelihood of deer being hazards on the highway. If you haven't had the misfortune of actually hitting a deer, it's highly likely that you've had at least a close call or two with a deer dashing across the road.
As we closed out October, it's worth noting that November is always the top month for deer-vehicle collisions. There is a combination of factors that make November the most probable time for an accident involving a deer.
With last spring's crop of fawns now being part of the overall herd, deer numbers are at the highest of the year. The cooler autumn weather in general provokes increased deer activity. Yearling bucks often move many miles from where they were born to establish a new home range. And the end of daylight-saving time on November 6 will mean many folks will be driving home at dusk or dark when deer are often on the move.
The odds of hitting a deer during the daytime also increase substantially in November. Farmers harvesting crops or cutting cornfields can push deer across a road. Small-game hunters often inadvertently flush deer from their daytime hideouts. The peak of the rut, the breeding season for deer, typically occurs for about two weeks from early to mid-November in Pennsylvania.
During the rut, even the wariest old bucks abandon their natural caution and succumb to the urge to mate, and they prowl about relentlessly for receptive does. And both bucks and does will do some crazy things when distracted by their breeding rituals, like bolting across a busy highway at any time of the day or night.
No one wants to kill or injure any animal with a vehicle, not to mention having to deal with the time and expense of getting a vehicle repaired after such a collision. But deer can be unpredictable, and many such collisions are unavoidable. When that happens, there are 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, that is the Game Commission's position on the situation because doing so could subject you to fines and penalties for illegally killing a deer. Call 911 and have them send 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.
It is permissible for a road-killed deer to be taken 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 Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-HUNT or 1-833-PGC-WILD within 24 hours to report the incident and receive a free permit number allowing you to possess the carcass. The head and hide of a road-killed deer should be kept for at least 48 hours unless instructed otherwise by a local game warden. 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 at 1-800-FIX-ROAD.
It is illegal to remove the antlers from a road-killed buck unless you are taking possession of the carcass. If a road-killed buck is taken for the meat, the antlers must be turned over to the Game Commission.
It is unlawful to give to another person the whole or edible parts of a deer killed on the highway. It is also illegal to take possession of a road-killed deer and use the carcass to bait coyotes.
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 established Disease Management Areas or Established Area in Pennsylvania. Most of south-central Pennsylvania is now designated as part of DMA 2 or an EA. Complete information regarding high-risk parts and DMA maps is available on the Game Commission website: www.pgc.pa.gov.
Life jackets folks
If you plan to be on the water fishing or hunting this fall, remember that all boaters are required to wear a life jacket from Nov. 1–April 30 while underway or at anchor on boats less than 16 feet in length or on any canoe or kayak.
The requirement applies to all Pennsylvania waters. Of course, wearing a life jacket while boating on any size craft during cold weather is a good idea that could easily save your life. Surviving the crippling shock of being plunged unexpectedly into frigid water increase dramatically for victims wearing a life jacket.