These statistics, while startling, are cer-
tainly consistent with my experience dur- ing 20 years of riding. While on a cross country trip in 2002, my wife hit a deer on her K 75 in Wisconsin. After restoring the bike, I sold it to a fellow rider who also hit deer on two different occasions with the same bike! In fact, just about anyone even remotely associated with motorcycles knows several people who have hit deer while riding. Check out YouTube and you will find any number of sport-cam videos of riders hitting deer. While the threat to motorcyclists from deer is real and substan- tial, there are measures riders can take to lower their risk of hitting a deer while riding. Know thine enemy. I've spent a good
portion of my life studying deer and deer behavior. Not only did I write my master's thesis and Ph.D. dissertations on deer, I worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for over a dozen years as a deer management program leader. Fortunately, the average rider doesn't need a Ph.D. in deer to sig- nificantly lower their risk of a deer collision. The first thing to know
about deer behavior is that deer are crepuscular, which is a biological term for morning and eve- ning. Daily deer activity is at its peak dur- ing the early morning and early evening hours. Unfortunately, it is at precisely those times when light is low and deer are most difficult to see. Deer are essentially invisible at night. Their coat is virtually non-reflec- tive and blends into the background, a great adaptation to have when being chased by a predator but a grave disadvantage for motorcyclists trying to avoid them. At night, the only real chance of seeing a deer along the roadside is if the animal looks into your headlight. Deer, like many other animals, are adapted to foraging in low light conditions and possess a highly reflec- tive layer of tissue in the eye. When riding at night, eye shine may be your best and
only clue that deer are nearby. Deer mating season peaks in November
throughout much of the country. This is important to know, because deer, particu- larly males, significantly increase their home range and activity during mating sea- son. This behavior makes it much more likely to encounter a deer crossing the road during this time of year. A 2012 Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDL) report reveals that vehicle damage from hitting an animal is more than three-and-a-half times more likely in November than in August. Hunt- ing season also occurs during this time of year. The elevated level of human activity in the woods increases the likelihood deer will be on the move.
IN A SEEMINGLY
UNCONTROLLABLE SITUATION YOU HAVE
CONTROL OVER ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL
FACTORS IN SURVIVING, OR AVOIDING A COLLISION, SPEED.
deer have evolved several predator avoid- ance behaviors, among them, the ability to leap great distances in seemingly random directions at very high rates of speed. This behavior is designed to momentarily con- fuse a predator and allow the deer to escape. A seemingly calm and peaceful deer forag- ing along the road will suddenly bolt in an unpredictable manner as you approach. Never assume that grazing deer will stay where they are while you pass. Deer love cover, whether it’s the cover of
darkness or that provided by vegetation. To a deer, a heavily traveled roadway provides a significant impediment to movement. Deer prefer to cross roadways in those areas where vegetation is very near the road such as stream crossings or swampy areas. In areas where open farm fields dominate the landscape these “corridors” of deer movement can be hot spots for DVCs. Many of these areas are marked with deer crossing signs.
Look for these yellow
signs while riding. The reason the signs are there is because that particular stretch of road has exhibited high rates of DVCs in the past. Let's assume you know you're
in deer country, you realize it's the right time of year, the sun has set, and you've got vegetation next to the road. You spot a deer. The good news is you have actually seen the deer and
Deer seldom travel alone. Seeing one
often means there are more nearby. Because of their cryptic coloration, as you approach the deer you see, others often appear seem- ing out of nowhere. Female deer often travel with fawns or yearlings. A common behavior is for the doe to cross the road first and then signal her young to follow. If you see a deer looking back across the road in the opposite direction of its travel, expect other deer to cross. Deer
spook easily, especially during
hunting season. Deer and many other ani- mals exhibit what biologists term “flushing distance.” When that distance is broached
you have time to react. The bad news is you may have seen one deer, but there are likely more nearby and they may be closer than the one you have spotted. Remember, deer are very difficult to see in low light condi- tions and they seldom travel alone. Accord- ing to the published statistics you are now in a life-threatening situation, and you have no idea of how many deer there are or where they will be when you approach. What's the appropriate response? Flash your lights? Blow the horn? These activi- ties may take several seconds to initiate and complete. At 60 mph you just brought your- self anywhere between 80 and 260 ft closer to possible impact. These activities waste valuable time. They may cause the deer to
August 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS 47
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