June Means Active Deer, More Chances For Collisions

Officials are warning Wisconsin drivers to be on the lookout for deer on the state’s highways. Early June is the second only to fall hunting season for the frequency of collisions between cars and deer.

There were 16 crashes last week alone involving deer in Lincoln County, said Lt. Tim Fischer of the county sheriff’s office.

“Some weeks we’ll have 16, and other weeks we’ll have six, so deer getting struck on the side of the road is nothing new to the area. It’s nothing uncommon,” Fischer said, “You just have to be aware of what’s happening on the roadways in front of you and drive defensively.”

David Pabst, director of safety for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said young deer are particularly active right now.

“The does are having their fawns and the yearlings are being pushed out, so you have a lot of inexperienced deer looking to find a home,” Pabst said. “It’s really, next to the hunting months of October, November and December, one of the worst times of the year for hitting deer. And when you hit them, they can cause injury and death.”

Pabst said deer lack control when they are on a hard surface like highway pavement.

“Their hooves are really hard and they have no traction, so they can’t just stop and go when they’re on the road. It’s like they’re running on ice,” he said.

Pabst urges drivers to slow down, not use cell phones, and be extra vigilant at dawn and dusk, when deer are most active.