It’s a hazardous time of year for drivers on highways in Southwest Colorado, and even more so for the deer that bound across those highways.
Snow in the mountains drives the ungulates to lower ground, forcing them to cross busy roads; testosterone-fueled bucks are sparring as peak breeding season approaches, which can lead to increased conflict with vehicles as well; and in more densely populated areas, Halloween decorations and other common items left in yards can entangled antler-bearing bucks, placing their lives in jeopardy
More deer are hit in the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Region 5, which encompasses the southwest corner of the state, than any other region each year, according to the agency’s latest annual report on wildlife collisions.
And the risk jumps at this time of year.
“We got our first snow, obviously, and some of those animals are going to start moving out of the high country and transitioning into … winter habitat, out of their summer range,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman John Livingston.
And with daylight saving time coming to an end Nov. 3, more commuters are likely to be on the roads in the dark, increasing the risk of collisions with wildlife.
Over the last five years, more wildlife collisions have occurred in La Plata County than any other county in Colorado, according to CDOT. There were 278 reported crashes with wild animals last year in the county, which left 26 people injured.
In Region 5, which includes La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, San Juan and Dolores counties, 2,445 animals were killed by vehicles on roadways last year.
Of those, 740 collisions took place in October and November, and 805 took place along U.S. Highway 160.
The damage from such collisions is usually quite serious. Although only a handful of people, if any, are killed in animal collisions each year, hitting a deer at highway speeds usually means at least $10,000 of damage to the vehicle, said ABRA Auto Body Durango Manager Joe Padilla. About half the shop’s revenue comes from accidents with wildlife.
“It's like hitting a refrigerator,” he said.
Deer strikes almost always impact the structure of the vehicle, and not just the sheet metal.
“The very, very, very small handful of deer hits that I’ve seen out here that left the vehicle still safe to drive (occurred at) less than 7 to 10 mph – literally just brushing up against them,” he said. “(It’s more like) the deer ran into them than they ran into the deer.”
The one silver lining to it all?
Motorists who hit deer or encounter roadkill may harvest the meat for consumption so long as they obtain a free permit from CPW within 48 hours.
“It’s actually fairly regular that people are obtaining roadkill permits through us, whether they come into the office and bring animals in, or sometimes our wildlife officers will go out to their house or meet them on the roadside,” Livingston said.
He urged motorists to not approach hit animals that may react unpredictably and cause injuries with sharp hooves or antlers.
As if hazards on the roads were not enough, CPW is also urging residents to be aware of potential tangle hazards.
Halloween decorations, volleyball nets, hammocks, tomato cages and anything else that can get caught in antlers pose a “real hazard” for wildlife, Livingston said. If the tangled material is inhibiting the animal’s ability to eat, drink or breathe, officers will try to locate and tranquilize the animal so the material can be removed.
A deer in Bayfield was found and tranquilized Thursday so a wildlife officer could remove rope from an electric fence that had ensnared the buck.
“It had left a nasty gash across the neck of the buck,” CPW said in a post on social media. “One (of) the buck’s antlers was also broken but still attached to the deer because of the tangled line.”
The buck was successfully freed from the tangle.
Roadkill permits can be obtained for free from the CPW office in Durango, which can be contacted at 247-0855.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
