Game Commission warns drivers to be cautious as deer ramp up autumn activity
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The Pennsylvania Game Commission says motorists should slow down and stay alert as deer become increasingly active and drivers adjust to daylight-savings time.
Deer become more active in autumn with the lead-up to their fall breeding season.
Pennsylvania drivers face some of the highest risks of a vehicle collision with a deer or other large animal. The game commission said a recent report shows Pennsylvania led the country in animal-collision insurance claims in the fiscal year 2020-21. Pennsylvania drivers, according to the report, have a 1-in-54 chance of a vehicular accident involving a big game animal — one of the highest rates nationwide.
“While motorists — at all times of year — should remain alert while driving and be on the lookout for whitetails, it’s especially important now and in the coming weeks,” said Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans.
Deer often travel in groups and walk single file. So even if one deer successfully crosses the road in front of a driver, 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 must call the Game Commission region office representing the county where the accident occurred 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 that prohibit the removal of high-risk deer parts — essentially the head and backbone — from any established Disease Management Area or Established Area. Maps of these areas, the complete list of high-risk parts and other information on chronic wasting disease are available at pgc.pa.gov.
If a deer is injured by a vehicle, drivers are urged to maintain their distance because some deer might recover and move on. However, if a deer does not or poses a public safety risk, drivers are encouraged to report the incident to a Game Commission region office or other local law-enforcement agency.
To report a dead deer for removal from state roads, motorists can call the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at 1-800-FIX-ROAD.