On 9/26/2013 1:22 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2013-09-26 12:55 PM, Nancy Young wrote:
>
>> Yowsa. We used to go to New Hampshire every year and you'd
>> always get the moose warnings and see the death count. When you
>> hit a moose, you hit the legs then that huge body crashes
>> through the windshield. Not good.

> I cam close to hitting one once. It was about 6 am and I was on a
> highway through a provincial park.I came down a hill and around a
>corner
> and there was a huge bill moose standing on the shoulder of the road,
> right next to the pavement. Thank goodness he didn't step out in >
>front of me.

Dawn and dusk are the most dangerous times, it seems.

> On a related note..... I attended a public information meeting about a
> deer hunt to be held in a provincial park near here. I local farmer
>was
> all in favour of it and complained about the traffic hazard. He
>claimed
> that his family members have hit four deer in the last five years and
> ran up over $20,000 in body repairs. I have been driving the local
> roads day and night for more than 30 years. I know there are deer out
> there. I watch for them and I slow down when I see them. I am especially
> cautious in the areas where I am most likely to see them. My wife, >my
> son and I have all managed to avoid hitting any. Heaven forbid the
>guy
> and his family could not have learned from each others dear >encounters.

It certainly sounds easy, but deer behave very unpredictably and you
just never know what they will do. Ron saw one deer on the side of
the road and slowed down. At the last second something spooked it and
it jumped into/onto/and over the car, leaving all kinds of damage.
If he maintained his speed, he would have been safe.

Another time, there was no warning, it flew out of the woods and
I don't care if you have the reflexes of a cat, it was too late.
Doesn't matter how fast or slow you were going, just the luck of the
draw if your car and that deer meet at that second in that place.

Just like any accident, sometimes speeding up is the best way to avoid
one, but you really never know. I wish you continued luck in your
deer avoidance, but don't be too sure it isn't just luck, and
timing. Dusk and dawn, spring and fall, watch out.

nancy