It’s now prime time for bowhunters, auto body shops, and roadkill cafes, all thanks to something known as the whitetail rut. It’s a time when amorous deer throw caution to the wind and many end up playing in traffic. The result is widespread roadside carnage with bucks, does, and yearlings ending up as too many classic “deer in the headlights.”
“The months of October, November, and December are when deer are moving around the most, and for longer durations during the day,” said Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith. “We encourage all drivers to practice safe behaviors and be especially mindful of intensified deer movement at this time of year.”
Deer become more active in autumn with the lead-up to their fall breeding season, commonly referred to as the “rut.” Around this time, many yearling bucks disperse from the areas they were born, traveling considerable distances to find new ranges. Meanwhile, adult bucks more often are cruising their home ranges in search of does, and might chase the does they encounter.
And daylight-saving time has put more vehicles on the road during the hours when deer move most. The PGame Commission is advising motorists to slow down and stay alert with increased vehicular traffic around dusk and dawn – the peak hours for deer activity. All make deer encounters more likely for motorists.
Data from around the country shows Pennsylvania drivers face some of the highest risks of a vehicle collision with a deer or other large animal. A recent report shows Pennsylvania, once again, led the nation in animal-collision insurance claims in the fiscal year 2024-25.
Pennsylvania drivers also face some of the highest chances of a collision with a big-game animal. While the national average for animal collisions is 1-in-139, Pennsylvania drivers, according to the report, more than double that with a 1-in-62 chance. Drivers in only West Virginia, Montana, Wisconsin and Michigan strike big-game animals with greater frequency.
Drivers can reduce their chances of collisions with deer by staying alert and better understanding deer behavior. Just paying close attention while driving on stretches marked with “Deer Crossing” signs can make a difference. Deer often travel in groups and walk single file. So even if one deer successfully crosses the road in front of a driver, it doesn’t mean the threat is over. Another could be right behind it.
A driver who hits a deer with a vehicle is not required to report the accident to the Game Commission. If the deer dies, only Pennsylvania residents may claim the carcass. To do so, they can call the Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-HUNT or 1-833-PGC-WILD and an agency dispatcher will collect the information needed to provide a free permit number, which the caller should write down. A resident must call within 24 hours of taking possession of the deer. A passing Pennsylvania motorist also may claim the deer, if the person whose vehicle hit it doesn’t want it.
Those taking possession of road-killed deer also are advised of rules related to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) that prohibit the removal of high-risk deer parts – essentially the head and backbone – from any Disease Management Area (DMA) or Established Area (EA). Those parts must be removed before the deer is transported outside a DMA or EA. For maps of these areas, the complete list of high-risk parts and other information on CWD, visit www.pgc.pa.gov.
If a deer is struck by a vehicle, but not killed, drivers are urged to maintain their distance because some deer might recover and move on. However, if a deer does not move on, or poses a public safety risk, drivers are encouraged to report the incident to the Game Commission or another law-enforcement agency. If the deer must be put down, the Game Commission will direct the proper person to do so.
To report a dead deer for removal from state roads, motorists can call the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at 1-800-FIX-ROAD.
Meanwhile, on the archery front, encounters with lovesick bucks that have let their guard down have increased significantly as evidenced by multiple recent postings on Facebook of bowhunters with the bucks they recently bagged with their bows and crossbows. As for now, although my buck tag has so far gone unfilled, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to harvest smallish racked bucks, but I’m still holding out for Mr. Big for the time being.
Tom Tatum is the outdoors columnist for the MediaNews Group. You can reach him at tatumt2@yahoo.com.
