When Cars and Woodland Creatures Clash
Hunting season has arrived, and, as they travel, drivers everywhere are becoming conscious of our friends in the deer population. While the coming of this season brings great celebration among taxidermists and venison lovers alike, it also marks the time of year when most collisions between cars and deer occur. These annual collisions often result in the demise of the deer, the driver or both. Uma Ramakrishna, assistant professor of environmental science and an expert on deer-car collisions, answers some important questions regarding deer behavior and driver behavior.
Question
It seems that most of the dead deer seen on the sides of the road are does. Is there any reason for that?
Answer
The sex ratios of deer are skewed. There are more females in the deer population than males. Another reason is false identification, where young males that have yet to develop their antlers and are run over may be mistaken for does.
Q
Do the deer whistles that are marketed for drivers that are mounted on cars actually work?
A
No, we do not even know the hearing range of deer and the creators would have to know the hearing range of deer to actually devise a whistle that would work for deer as well as dog whistles work for dogs.
Q
What time of the year is it more likely to have collisions and why?
A
Right now is the time when most deer-car collisions occur. The peak time is mid-late October to mid-late December. The reason for this, as the case with many other animal species, it is the peak of mating season and animals are very focused in that area and can become slightly ignorant to their surroundings.
Q
When seeing a deer cross the road, what should the driver do? Swerve or not swerve?
A
It is a case-by-case basis because it depends on the situation, car, etc. The best advice is to just slow down to avoid any type of harm to the deer, or deer that may be following behind, and the driver or car.
Q
Have you ever been in a car-deer collision?
A
No, but I have researched car-deer collisions in Connecticut and have seen many.
- Courtney Hruska '08, Student Reporter