From WATE: November may be the month for turkeys, but it’s also the month for deer. It’s mating season now for deer, meaning you may
From WATE: November may be the month for turkeys, but it’s also the month for deer.
It’s mating season now for deer, meaning you may see more running across East Tennessee roads.
“You might encounter them in the interstate and maybe a backroad,” said they Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Sergeant Jeff Roberson. “They don’t really discriminate where they live.”
In the same fashion, they don’t discriminate when you will see them either. Roberson said deer are crepuscular creatures, meaning they are most active during the twilight hours. However, this does not mean that you will not see them during the day or evening.
With an increase of deer on the road comes an increase of wildlife vehicle collisions.
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, 4,175 deer-related crashes have occurred in Tennessee this year.
“If you see one crossing there is going to be multiple, usually. And the real thing is ‘don’t veer for deer.’” Roberson said. “It’s kind of counterintuitive. You don’t want to hit the deer but if you veer, you run the risk of hitting another vehicle or running off the road causing a collision with whatever you hit.”
If you do hit a deer, the TWRA encourages you not to approach it and call 911 if it doesn’t die on impact. However, if it does, you can take it home.
Under Tennessee law, any wild game animal hit in an accident can be used for personal use or consumption. If any large bucks or bears are hit it should be reported to the TWRA.
