Deer Are The Most Unpredictable
A deer, my bumper, and I ...
I grew up in the Blue Ridge in the small town of Waynesville. My weekends were spent in the woods with my dad and granddad, learning the natural history of wildlife — part of which was the behavior of deer. I remember being coached many times “where there is one, there will probably be two — or more”. That advice gave me my first buck at the age of 8.
The same advice still applies as I coached my wife after we were married in 1993 and she began to follow me on her BMW motorbike on the Blue Ridge Parkway. You learn to scan the shoulders of the road, for not to do so could prove fatal. She always follows far enough behind to do an emergency controlled crash stop; for whenever we see a deer on the shoulder, we prepare to come to a complete stop.
My park service friends in high deer population areas like Floyd County Virginia are always reporting their close and real encounters and their hoods and front bumpers are testiment.
My time finally came because I was focused on a glorious sunrise; deer on the shoulder was at the lowest level of consciousness. I saw the motion belatedly and slowed instinctively. The first deer bounded successfully across; the second was not so lucky. The third and fourth that I saw in my rear view mirror were luckier still, as they had not yet made the decision to cross to the other side.
My best advice? Where there is one, there will probably be two — or more. Be prepared for anything.
If you hit a deer, there is not really too much that you as a motorist can do. The damage is done, so to speak. Most of these beautiful animals end up off the road and out of view and mother nature’s custodians (crows and vultures) take care of the cleanup. For those that remain on the motor road, they are almost always reported and either law enforcement will faciltate their removal or maintenance will come pick it up to be carried to a disposal area.
I’ve hit 2 deer on the Parkway over my 13 year course of travels along the Parkway. I travel mostly in the Boone/Blowing Rock area and there’s not one particular area that’s bad… you have to be careful all the time.
My question, though… what do you do when you hit a deer? Do you call a ranger? Pull it off to the side and go on… or just run? LOL.
The first incident I had, I stopped pulled the deer off the road and went on. The second… I had comprehensive insurance so I called the Ranger. Took them a while to show up and what to do off-season?
Anyway, good post, you dad was exactly right with the “where there’s one, there’s many”.