Collisions are an unfortunate codicil of being able to enjoy the frequent company of deer. Local drivers are sensitive to the fact that when evening comes, the White-tailed Deer is often out foraging and will frequently cross a road. Drivers are wary, so nothing bad happened this time. The deer was spotted; drivers slowed; the deer crossed; life went on.
Thank the Gods. This has never happened to me. – hitting a deer, – and I vigorously hope it never will. It’s painful enough to glimpse the creatures down on the side of the road; I hate being part of the driving population when that happens and swear ‘ll give up these machines. The image is haunting, so indicts us as a people: speeding past t those whose death our “civilization” has caused. Some observance, I feel, some acknowledgement, needs to be shown.
Pamella, while no one likes to maim deer (or to deal with the inevitable car repairs), there is a problem with blaming such casualties on our spreading civilization. To do so would imply that these deer were here and we brought them harm when we invaded their territory. But this isn’t so. Curiously, prior to substantial European settlement here, there were very few reports of White-tailed Deer (the species shown in the picture). There were Mule Deer, but the white-tail were mainly east of the Rockies where the habitat suited them better. Settlement brought modest land clearing with the result that the white-tail moved in to take advantage of it. Our presence has (inadvertently) done far more to improve this species’ prospects than it has to harm them.
A reasoned and informed accounting. Thanks Alistair, for broadening my view.