Sad but true...animals meet their maker on the highways and byways every day. We’ve all seen them...deer, raccoons, pheasants, geese, even bears...that happened to, (on purpose or accidentally), play in traffic. We look the other way and pretend that we didn’t see that big 12 point buck or that big old fat pheasant rooster laying on the shoulder of the road. The Road Kill Record Book Club celebrates and memorializes the alpha animals of the wild kingdom. Honor Mother Nature’s Finest. Pick up the “Big Guy”...measure with certainty...enter it in the Record Book. And if it’s a really good trophy...mount it and hang it in your den.
SERIOUS STUFF FIRST
First of all let me tell you that I am an avid hunter...a conservationist...a wildlife partner and a wildlife lover. Sure I hunt, but I also give back to wildlife every day of the year through dues, license fees, wildlife conservation group memberships and activities, Federal Excise Taxes and most important...ACTS OF KINDNESS!
Road Kill is an every day fact of life. Game animals die on the highway every day. Hundreds of thousands of big game animals...deer, elk, bear, mountain lion, alligators, antelope, etc....are killed on the nation’s highways every year. As an outdoorsman it always makes me sad seeing a road killed animal.
It is not their fault that they were struck by a car or truck. It just happened. It happens every day. For instance, in a five year period in Yellowstone National Park there were nearly 1,600 large animals...including 550 plus elk...190 plus buffalo...112 moose...24 antelope plus bobcats and coyotes killed on the parks roads...even though park speed limits are severely restricted.
The fact remains that 300,000 big game animals are hit and killed on the nation’s highways every year. And some of them are truly magnificent specimens. But up until now, there has never been a record book in which to record their existence. They just disappear into thin air.
The Human Cost
The human cost resulting from big game animal/car crashes is high. In a 10-year period, 1994-2004, 1,777 people died as the result of collisions with deer alone. The trend continues to rise almost every year.
States with the highest loss of human life due to deer/vehicle collisions are:
State - Human Deaths*
Texas - 18
Wisconsin - 13
Minnesota - 9
Ohio - 8
Illinois - 7
New Mexico - 7
North Carolina - 7
Oklahoma - 7
Utah - 7
Washington - 7
*Source: National Animal-Vehicle Crash Fatality Data, 2004
• Slow down. Avoid hitting game animals.
• Danger and death are not worth getting somewhere five minutes earlier.
• More on how to avoid these collisions follows:
Avoiding Deer/Vehicle Crashes
Deer/Vehicle Crashes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports about 1.5 million deer/car collisions each year in the U.S.
Worst states for deer/car collisions:
1) Pennsylvania
2) Michigan
3) Illinois
4) Ohio
5) Georgia
6) Minnesota
7) Virginia
8) Indiana
9) Texas
10) Wisconsin
For statistics state by state, click on www.deercrash.com
The Vehicle Repair & Replacement Cost: $270,700,000 In 10 States
The cost of repairing and replacing vehicles that have collided with big game animals is astronomical. In 2005-2006, in just 10 states, (Connecticut, Illinois,
Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin), deer/vehicle collisions cost more than $270 million.
Road Kill Record Book Club Purpose:
The Road Kill Record Book Club is dedicated to the respect of and the honoring of fine trophy quality animals by providing a national registry for road killed trophy animals.
A big white tail buck or other trophy animal that for whatever reason was hit and killed by a truck or a car...cannot be entered into any of the normal hunting record books...the archery record book--Pope & Young...the rifle hunting
record book--Boone & Crockett...nor in the Safari Club International record book because these fine big game animals happened to be killed outside of normal hunting situations. A 12-point P&Y buck deserves recognition. A 380 B&C bull elk deserves recording somewhere. A wild turkey with a 13-inch beard should be noted. A 500 lb.black bear merits a place somewhere, in some book, no matter if he was killed by an 18-wheeler. The Road Kill Record Book is the only record book that recognizes these older, mature critters that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
WARNING: The Road Kill Record Book in no way suggests nor condones intentional running down of animals on the road. Why would anybody intentionally attempt to kill an animal with an automobile? It’s inhumane and dangerous,...you will wreck your car...you could be killed...and it is against the law!
Avoiding Deer/Vehicle Crashes
Let’s Be Careful Out There!
Hunters are motorists just like you.. Hunters have to be to drive from their homes to their hunting areas. Which means, as hunters drive to hunting destinations they are forever mindful during early dawn, twilight or late evening driving situations that a big deer just may jump out and whack their truck. So hunters learn to watch for deer...drive more carefully during peak movement...recognize a deer’s eyes in the headlights.
Hunters are far more cognizant of animal movement seasons and times of day than most drivers are. Why? Because hunters are normally on the roads in the early morning and late evening on our way to or on their way back from a hunting spot. Hunters have to watch everything they do because they are driving during the most dangerous times of day during periods when big game animals are most active. Hunters have learned to watch for warning signs. But many motorists think nothing of it because they are not hunters and don’t understand animal movement patterns.
A Few Hints:
Because deer are involved in 90% of the big game animal/vehicle crashes each year we will concentrate on whitetailed deer in this section.
• During the winter, (Northern and Midwestern states), whitetailed deer generally yard up, gathering in groups in sheltered areas that offer suitable food supplies to tide them over the cold winter.
• Deer begin their movement again in the spring just as soon as winter breaks because mature does are looking for good fawning sites and areas to raise their young.
• Once the fawns are born and moving about with their mothers you will often see them in open fields and along forest edges feeding early in the morning or late in the afternoon and early evening.
* Fawning Time tables below.
This is the first danger season for deer/vehicle crashes because mature does generally attempt to discourage their youngster from last year to stay with her and her new fawn. The yearling, or one- year-olds, are now on their own without their older wiser mothers
watching out for them.
• The most dangerous time for deer/vehicle crashes comes in the fall during the rut, (the deer breeding season). Normally shy whitetailed deer seem to lose all of their inhibitions during this time, (early to mid-October thru December in the Northern States, mid-November up to March 1 in the Southern States). *Rut Time tables below.
Rutting bucks are continually on the move, looking for receptive does to mate with. Does are on the move as well, looking for bucks, or sometimes just some relief from the chase. Consequently the rut is the peak time each year for deer/vehicle crashes. The deer are moving, they’re not paying attention to much of anything but one thing...breeding!
As a driver you have to be extra careful during the rut. Deer will run headlong into the SIDE of your vehicle, in front of your vehicle. Rut movements are not restricted to early mornings or evenings. For a period of two to four weeks you can expect them to be running at all times of the day. As stated, they only have one thing on their minds...and you and your car certainly isn’t it.
• Spotting deer in dim light...mornings or evenings...is not easy, but a little precaution goes a long way. Look for “blue eyes” reflecting in your headlights. Their eyes show up in your headlights much like the blue reflectors commonly used to mark driveways.
When you see a blue eye....SLOW DOWN! It’s not a matter of “if” they will cross the road during the rut, (they’re standing there for a reason...to get to the other side), it’s just a matter of when. Guess wrong and your new SUV or Lexus will be wearing a deer. Not good!
• IMPORTANT: When you see one set of eyes, slow down to avoid that deer...but keep your eyes open for additional deer. During the fall rut mature does who are either looking for or being chased by, a buck, will normally have her young of the year alongside, meaning, when you see one set of eyes, there may be two or three deer. Many times two mature does and their young of the year will move together, hence there could easily be six deer waiting to cross the road. Deer don’t cross the road all at once. First one, then another and then another. Be very cautious in stepping on the accelerator until you are certain all danger has passed.
• IMPORTANT: So, three deer just crossed the road in front of your lights. You’re good to go, right? Wrong in some cases because the often cautious big buck may be only a couple steps behind and could easily decide at the wrong moment to come screaming across the road right into your SUV’s grill. Always take precautions during the rut...because nothing is a sure thing except that deer will do stupid things during this time of year...totally out of character for a reasonably shy and intelligent animal.
• And finally, during the rut it is always a good idea to keep your high beams on whenever possible, (when there is no oncoming traffic), and continually cast your glances from left to right, watching both roadsides or ditches. You never know when you are going to “find” a deer. And if you do, it’s going to cost you plenty at the auto repair shop...if you get off easy.
Avoid the possibility of serious injury and severe damage to your car...Slow down...be aware!
TIME TABLES
Deer Movement: Peak Times*
Spring
Northern States:
1. immediately following winter breakup
2. fawning time, May 12 through June, for mature does
May 22 through August 4, for yearling does
Southern States:
1. Fawning time, June through August
Fall Rut (breeding season)
Northern States:
Early to mid-October through December
with peak movement October 23 through November 23
Mid-Southern States
Mid-October through December, even into January
Southern States
Mid-November to March 1
