Deer mating season has begun; Look out for bucks on the road

It’s mating season for deer.

“Being this time of year, for breeding season, it allows them to give birth in the Spring,” said B&B Shooting Supplies Archery Manager Joe Kinney.

And the doe’s quest to breed before winter puts drivers at a larger risk.

Kinney says bucks have one goal in mind around this time, and that makes driving around a little more dangerous.

“With buck’s main focus trying to get to that doe, they don’t care about the roads, they don’t care about the sidewalks, they don’t care about the lights going green, or anything like that. They’re just going to run, and that’s why a lot more car accidents with deer happen about this time of year.”

A report from the Illinois DNR indicates that, last year, more than 14,000 deer-related car crashes happened across the state.

41% of those accidents occurred between October and December; mating season. 

“A buck’s range goes from 1-2 square miles from its home range, where it normally travels about,” said Kinney. “During this season, the part of the season we call the rut, it’s going to expand close to 5 square miles.”

That means that you can come across deer in numerous settings.

“If you’re going to be moving through a deer movement area, you should definitely always be watching. Especially in the morning and at night, that’s when the deer are moving the best,” said Kinney.

Which means drivers need to pay extra attention, to avoid having to veer for the deer.

“Jumping out of the timber that borders right up against the road, they’re going to be coming right up in and out of there, field edges, really tall grass, ditchways.”

You can find a full list of safety tips, here.