Bob Haase’s Another Can of Worms

Deer Car Kills

As you drive throughout the state of Wisconsin it is not uncommon to see dead deer laying along side of the road.  This is especially true during the fall of the year when the rut is taking place and the deer are on the move more.  Sometimes when a deer runs out from the shoulder of the road there is nothing you can do to avoid hitting a deer.  It is often more dangerous to swerve to avoid hitting the deer than it is to just brake and try to stop because you often end up going off the road ending up with a more serious accident.

I learned to look for deer whenever I am driving and sometimes even ask my wife or other passengers to help me be on the lookout for deer.  I had a friend a few years ago tell me that he hit a deer and did considerable damage to his car.  His wife said “deer” and he thought she meant “dear” and said “what do you want honey” and hit the deer.  I had another situation by Portage, Wisconsin when I slowed as three deer were crossing the road.  The car behind me blew the horn and passed as if he was upset that I slowed down.  He slammed on the brakes and swerved ending up sideways in the middle of the road right in front of me.  I got out of my vehicle and asked “didn’t you see the deer” and he replied that he did but didn’t think they would run into the road.

When I was coming home from Montello Sunday night after deer hunting there were three cars in front of me.  I noticed that there were two does standing on the shoulder of the road when the car in front of me passed by them.  The front feet of one deer was almost touching the pavement and none of the three cars hit the brakes because this was at night and there were  no brake lights.  I hit the brakes and was able to safely stop just as the two deer turned and ran back into the ditch.

I believe that at least 50 percent of the deer car kills could be avoided if people would slow down when they see deer alongside the roadway.  It would also helped if more people learned how to look for deer by watching the sides of the road, not just down the middle of it. 

A while back someone sent me a YouTube clip of some lady calling into a radio station complaining that that they were putting deer crossing signs in the wrong places because it was causing deer to cross in unsafe areas.  I didn’t think anyone could be that stupid, but I guess I was wrong.  Just go to www.youtube.com and do a search for  “deer crossing phone call to radio station” if you want to hear something really funny.  It is the one with the deer crossing sign that says original.

On a serious side give the deer a brake, learn how to watch for deer alongside the roadways and slow down when you see them! 

Bob Haase is the host of “Outdoors Thursday” heard Thursday mornings at 9:10 a.m. on News-Talk 1450 KFIZ.