Oh deer! It's that time of year

With tree leaves turning golden and temperatures cooling, the fall season also brings a greater chance of car-deer accidents on roadways across Plymouth County.

"We're starting to see an increase in vehicles hitting deer," said Plymouth County Deputy Paul Betsworth. "Once farmers start getting their crops in, they start chasing the deer out of the fields onto the roadways."

Both Betsworth and Plymouth County Naturalist Victoria DeVos said once the rut season begins, the likelihood of deer on the roadway will increase.

"Once rut season (deer mating season) begins, they run every which way," said DeVos. "They're not thinking about cars."

That's why drivers need to think about deer.

Betsworth advises drivers to go a little slower, especially in high deer traffic areas.

"Highway 12 and Highway 75 are bad because they are along the rivers," Betsworth said.

He added drivers should also watch the ditches.

DeVos warns, "Anywhere you can drive 55 or faster, you've got to watch, because you have less reaction time."

"My rule of thumb is if I see a deer on the road, I slow down because chances are another will be following it," DeVos said.

If a driver encounters a deer in the roadway, they should try to slow down.

"Don't try to swerve to miss the deer," said Betsworth. "If you try to avoid the deer, you could hit an oncoming car or go into the ditch and roll your vehicle."

He advises to put on the brakes and continue in a straight line.

"A lot of times, the deer will miss you if you do that," Betsworth added.

Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo added the delay of harvest of crops means fewer deer may be out on the roadways.

The cool and rainy weather has also meant fewer motorcyclists on the roads.

"Motorcyclists who encounter deer on the roadway have a greater potential for injury simply because they are unprotected," said Van Otterloo.

"The most important thing for any driver to remember is slow down and don't swerve to miss the deer," he added.

Drivers who hit a deer on the roadway are encouraged to notify the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department about the accident.

"Sometimes we do find a deer in the roadway that doesn't get reported to us," Betsworth said.

Drivers may call the Sheriff's Department to give information and allow an officer to do an accident investigation at the scene.

"If they have left the scene, they may get an accident report from their insurance company and let the sheriff's department know," said Betswoth.

He added if a driver does leave the scene of a collison, a call to the sheriff's department to alert authorities an injured deer may be in the area is always a good idea.

Deer can be found in all parts of Plymouth County, according to DeVos, so she advised drivers to use caution.

"Just be aware of your surroundings. If you're coming up to a cornfield, you probably have a better chance of a deer running out than by a pasture, where you can see," she said.

The following tips are from Iowa Department of Transportation.

The best course of action in a vehicle other than a motorcycle:

* Brake firmly.

* Steer to maintain control.

* Stop safely within your lane or along the shoulder of the highway.

* Use your safety belt to reduce your chance of personal injury.

The following motor vehicle driver tips will reduce the risk of deer crashes:

* Slow down when you see a deer warning sign -- pay greater attention.

* Be especially careful driving near dawn and dusk.

* When driving at night in a deer crossing area, reduce your speed to less than 50 mph (the distance lit by your headlights) or use highbeams when no other traffic is around.

* If you see one deer, expect others.

* Remember that November and December are deer rutting season when deer are more mobile and less cautious.

* Be aware that deer hunting season causes deer to be more mobile.

* Expect to see more deer during corn harvest as harvest removes some habitat and seems to cause more mobility.

* Be most alert for the presence of deer at locations where three factors converge: Food (corn fields or recently harvested corn fields); shelter (woods) and water (streams).