wildlifeguy

Thats a very interesting thought. I've actually seen that come up many times in animal behavior discussions. The consensus seems to be that cars are still too new in the evolutionary history of animals. I'll buy that argument, but it still seems hard to completely understand. Hunters walking up on a deer are close to natural predators. Therefore, they can quickly adapt and change behavioral pattern due to increasedhunting pressure. Actually, I guess hunters could be considered natural predators now; it's been going on for a long time. The argument I've heard is that in the evolutionary history of most mammals, there has never been a predator such as a motor vehicle. Maybe we are currently witnessing natural selection inaction.

That would be a neat study. Not sure it would be possible with the ever increasing traffic volume.

GMMAT

I know this to be true. I've seen it. I don't know whether they're "smarter" or "lazier", though. The culvert is the path of least resistance.

wallhangr

There could be some validity to the learning angle. Think about it, how many P&Y bucks end up road kill? And when they do, what time of year is it? The rut, when they are more concerned with getting tail than taillights.If thethread about hitting deerwould have included how old the deer was, buck/doe then we might have a betteridea. Every collision I've been a part of was a young deer.

Then again, there's the numbers game that GMATT mentioned as well, not many P&Y deer, not many killed by car.

WVSPORTSMAN

I LIKE YOUR IDEAS...BUT HERE IS ONE OF MINE...DURING WINTER MONTHS ALOT OF MINERALS ARE ALONG THE ROAD WAY. ALSO STATE ROAD CUTS THE GRASSES ALOT ALONG THE HIGH WAY AND PLANTS FLOWERS IN WV. = BETTER FOOD SOURCES. FOR EXAMPLE, AT MY FEEDERS I CAN SHOOT A DEER, WHILE OTHERS ARE WATCHING AND THEY STILL COME BACK...DO TO THE FOOD SOURCE ON THE GROUND..ALSO ALONG THE HIGHWAY IF ONE DEER SPOOKS AND RUNS THEY ALL GO IN EVERY DIRECTION.

Siman08/OH

Deer have been hunted for as long as they have been around so they grew weary of humans, they havnt had enough time to become weary of vehicles yet. Also, most roads do not drive right through their bedding areas and feeding grounds like hunters do.

quiksilver

WV - Pennsylvania DOT has this fixation with planting delicious flowers, lushgrass and clover mixesand even APPLE trees along the roadways. Talk about an attractive nuisance. LOL

Then, the evening news tells us to "be careful and watch for deer on the highways." How about not planting a smorgasbord in the damn highway embankment?

And you're right - they definitely like the salt at the edge of the pavement.

But still - one would think that if a deer watches his mother/brother/sister get plastered by a semi on the highway, he might be able to draw the connection between vehicles and danger.

Greg - you suggest that some deer might be smarter than others. I agree with that. But I'm not sure ifcertain deer aren't just more adept at avoiding roadwaysas a beneficial side-effect of their reclusive personality - or if they're actually avoiding the roadway intentionally due to the danger that they'reassociating with it.

wildlifeguy

Roadways can actually attract deer. That is why spotlight deer surveys along roads often overestimate numbers. The right of ways are often mowed to increase visibilityand make it prettierfor motorists. Deer are early successional species that prefer to feed on weeds and "fresh" grass. Mowing creates the disturbance to the plant communities that stimulate weed and grass growth. Like it was stated previously, we are actually creating habitat "food" for deer on roads thereby increasing our own chances of a collision.

gutshot

I've got to agree with GMMAT on this one, I don't beleive that deer have a brain that is capable of reasoning that a car is dangerous. I think that the reason that they are soalert in the woods would be like you and mewalking down the street and passing a "thug" and not thinking twice about it but if we get home and the same "thug" is in our house it become flight or fight. It's a survival instinct.

MdDave

when a deer in the park smell human scent its something they've smelled over an over an over they know it an they've never been in danger or heard the loud boom an lost a buddy.....the deer in the woods smells scent then hears boom boom boom an then down one buddy.....the next time they smell it they aint stickin around to here boom boom boom...... but im sure you will have some betterexpliantion to this....

YooperMike

Well played...

I agree with your post, we are at the top of the food chain for a reason, and not them.