Deer Collisions On The Rise This Spring

In an article posted on the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife website, cars colliding with deer are on the upswing this spring. It's not uncommon for these sorts of accidents to rise up in the springtime, as deer move from their winter feeding areas, or "deeryards" as they're known, to more open areas. Not to be confused with "dooryards", which is where we all play badminton in the summer.

Usually the first signs of movement happen in the spring when you begin to see herds of deer gathering in open areas where the sun has warmed through the snow-pack enough to let some grass begin to show. It's more of a problem as you head towards the northern part of the state. Down in southern areas, they get it worse in the fall during breeding season.

In the Bangor area, we're about halfway between, so we get the best and worse of both conditions. But lord knows, deer are gorgeous animals until you see them destroying the front end of your car. And city limits are no exception. I live right in Bangor, not super far out, and frequently see herds of deer moving through my yard, down my road, or just standing on the side of Broadway, staring at traffic.

So it's definitely time to keep our eyes open, and take a look to the side of the road a bit more often. Again, deer are beautiful, harmless creatures with a soft temperament that wouldn't hurt a fly unless threatened, but that stunning, majestic beast will be the death of your front end.