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	Deer

Deer
-by Dennis M. Ferraro Extension Educator Douglas/Sarpy Extension Unit

Although this animal is not commonly thought of as a pest, anyone who encounters one on a public road or whose lawn and garden are being grazed by deer might use that term.
Most of Nebraska's human population lives in the eastern quarter of the state and there is also a large deer population in the area. This increases the chances for deer-car collisions. According to University of Nebraska studies, there is a great correlation between such accidents and the number of miles driven in an area.
Once considered a rural problem, deer-car encounters are happening in urban locations as deer move into populated areas. Data collected for some UNL graduate studies indicated that Sarpy County has seen a 126 percent increase and Bellevue a 300 percent increase in deer population during the past 10 years.
The estimated cost of damage from deer-car collisions in Nebraska is about $7 million annually. Nationally, the yearly total reaches $1.1 billion.
There is a large increase in the number of collisions in the fall. This is caused by several factors, including movement caused by grain harvest, increased activity due to mating season, and more movement because of the noise associated with deer hunting season. Other seasonal changes in deer-car accidents are a slight increase in May and June when fawns from the previous year are leaving their mothers and a slight decrease in summer.
The time of day when most collisions occur is around sunset, but be alert at other times, too. If you hit a deer, call the local law enforcement and your insurance company. It is possible to get a road kill permit to claim the deer. How can deer-car collisions be avoided? Harvesting the animals in areas where the deer population is excessive is one solution. Another is high fences made of woven wire, but this is a costly way to keep deer off the roadways. Reflectors, deer whistles and other devices are not consistently effective. The best accident prevention is to slow down and keep your eyes open. Watch for animals moving on roadsides and in ditches.