If you’ve driven in the fall in Wisconsin, chances are you’ve either hit a deer suddenly emerging onto the road — or been in a close call.
Deer are “crepuscular” prey animals with eyes that work best in dim light. It’s why drivers are most likely to encounter them on roadsides at dawn and dusk. The majority of Wisconsin deer-related car crashes in 2022 took place between 5 and 6 a.m. and between 5 and 9 p.m.
During the day, deer bed down in sheltered, woody areas to rest and digest. Eating quickly, then retreating to safety for digestion is a predator escape mechanism.
More: Understanding deer behaviors could help prevent collisions with cars in Wisconsin
Jennifer Smith is a behavioral ecologist at UW-Eau Claire. She said it’s useful to understand the deer’s “umwelt,” the unique ways an organism perceives the world.
For example, Smith said, loud noises could be used to scare naturally skittish deer away from high-traffic areas or warn them as a car approaches.
When a car does approach, they are not conditioned or adapted to look both ways before crossing the road. Chris Young, who studies conservation and biology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said deer are unable to discern the sound of one approaching car from the general roar of the freeway.