Provincial police are reminding drivers to watch out for deer at this time of year, noting that hitting one could cause serious injuries.
“Heading into October and November between dawn and dusk you can possibly encounter a deer on any part of roadways and maybe on our highways.” said Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer Edward Sanchuk.
(Credit: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)
The longtime officer said he once hit a deer, and the crash caused $5,000 in damages to his vehicle.
Sanchuk said drivers should never swerve away from deer, because swerving cuold lead to a head-on collision with another car.
“The last thing we want to do is to tell a loved one that you have been killed or seriously injured in a crash,” he said.
Making sure your car is working is half the work as you must also be aware of your surroundings.
“Before leaving make sure your headlights are bright and working, keep your eyes peeled, and scan fields, ditches, and any other areas deer can hide,” said Sanchuk. “If you see a deer crossing sign it’s not a suggestion it’s a warning.”
Deers tend to be out during the day as they start to rut caused by the change of weather.
“This is deer-breeding season as the daylight gets shorter which causes the bucks to start chasing the female deer’s during the day. This causes them to lose much of there caution and not pay attention crossing roads.” said James Belfry the land management supervisor at Upper Thames Conservation Authority.
(Credit: Daniel Thuss XFM news)
High deer populated areas include waterways with vegetated areas, open fields, and forested areas as they look for high energy food like nuts and acorns to help them over the winter.
Deer whistles are designed to warn deer and other animals away from road areas. Sanchuk has heard they both do and don’t work to keep animals away and doesn’t promote using them.
Deer whistles can be electrical powered or use the wind driving up to 50 km/h using driven audio sound waves. In one study by the westside journal in 2026 it found deer whistles tend to not make a difference compared to not having one.
(Credit: Google images)
If you end up hitting a deer you are legally required to contact local police or OPP and report the incident if the damage is more then two thousand dollars.
