Here’s how to adapt – Victoria News

As our long, sunny transition into fall continues, shorter, darker days have arrived. This makes the morning and evening commute the same time that the deer are more active – at dawn and dusk.

Add to that the rain that will eventually arrive, let alone ice, and the risk of collision increases.

The realities of a coastal winter come at the same time that deer may not be as aware of their surroundings or the potential danger vehicles that are present.

Younger deer, for example, may lack the “road sense” of older deer and bucks, so whether they simply don’t realize it or are startled by a dog or car, they’ll dart out of bushes, yards, or between parked cars… and right into traffic . Once there, slippery, busy streets and glare from headlights can make them disorientated, explains Kristy Kilpatrick of the Urban Wildlife Stewardship Society.

To avoid collisions with deer (and other road users):

• Slower & forward-looking – Especially important in areas where deer are known to be common, but good practice wherever you drive as children, dogs, deer and others can show up quickly and without warning.
• Anticipate deer + give them space – Deer rarely travel alone, so if you see one, others will usually follow. Give them time and space to pass safely.
• Drive defensively – If a collision with wildlife appears imminent in your vehicle, avoid swerving as this can result in greater damage and injury. Instead, take your foot off the accelerator and brake lightly, keeping the vehicle level.

Only dollars are dollars

If dark days, rain and inexperienced young stags weren’t enough, the rutting season contributes to this ‘perfect storm’.

The rutting season, beginning later this month, has the bucks for one single-minded purpose, focused solely on tracking a doe’s scent, which can put her straight onto the road.

At this time you may also see bucks tangling on trees, poles or anything else they can exercise their bravery on, and later grappling with other bucks while strutting their stuff for the hens. while it can appear aggressive, in fact, it’s just dollars that are dollars and they usually have little interest in us or anything else.

As always, leave an escape route for deer far from you. Because dogs – regardless of their size – are perceived as a threat, always check your yard carefully for deer before letting your dog out and keep them on a leash when walking. If you encounter a deer, shorten the leash, stop your dog barking if possible, and back off to give the deer more distance.

Esquimalt research update

As part of the Esquimalt community’s ongoing deer management efforts, the immunocontraceptive team is at work in the community administering IC to Dos through October 20, says Alina Fisher, a UVic graduate student and a member of the research team working with Esquimalt’s deer management collaborates program by the scientist Dr. Jason Fisher from the University of Victoria and his Acme Lab.

Esquimalt females received their first IC dose in the fall of 2022. Research by the District of Oak Bay IC program, led by the UWSS, showed a 61 percent drop in fawn rates after the first year.

Visit UWSS.ca for more information on avoiding deer encounters and other deer behavior tips. Learn more about the community of Esquimalt’s deer management efforts here.

wildlife