Squirrels vs Deer -- road warrior smarts

[DrRod]

So I'm driving down a country road and see a great buck -- I mean a real Boone and Crocket candidate. I slowed to a crawl and watched him. Then he started to run, making a wide arc across the field and then leaping into the road and sliding/stumbling to the other side, just a few feet in front of my truck.

By way of comparison, I encountered numerous squirrels during the day. They may make a quick zig-zag as you approach, but they always make a dash to the edge of the road.

The point is that it appears squirrels understand the concept of the road and vehicles and their line of travel while deer just never seem to get it. They repeatedly run out in front of cars when it would be easy to just wait until they pass by.

Now I would think that a deer is smarter than a squirrel but their road-relevant behavior would make you wonder. Anyone care to offer a theory or explanation for this?

 

[Wagtail]

'TODAY, on What Critters Think!'...

Deer: "I can make it! I can make it! I can ma..."
Squirrels: "I can make it! I ca..."
Kangaroos: "Ah yeah, I can make it! I can make it! I..."

 

[Deerherd]

This is the one time of year that buck gets sex. Kind of like being married. You have to excuse his road smarts.

 

[Walt 2002]

Most squirrels I come across think they must get to the other side of the road at the last second, most make it, some don't - clunk clunk.

Walt Conner

 

[k0ua]

I see a lot of dead squirrels and dead deer beside the roads.. The ungulates jump out in front of my vehicle all the time.. I haven't hit one yet, but sure have had a lot of close calls. What usually happens around here is you see one run across the road up ahead you better slow down and be looking for the second and third to do the same dang thing, and they will run right in front of you or jump across your hood. I have run over my share of the tree rats.

I guess this is why they have "roo-bars" on vehicles down wagtails way. Kangaroos arent any smarter than our whitetails.

 

[Looking4new]

Buck Deer and bull Moose have no smarts in the fall. The got sex on their minds and that is all.

 

[Wagtail]

I guess this is why they have "roo-bars" on vehicles down wagtails way. Kangaroos arent any smarter than our whitetails.

Oh so true, James! I don't have a bar on my ute but I have mounted a couple of those whistles... they seem to work as I've (touch wood) only nailed one possum in the 3 years I've had them on. It was dusk, on a curve and the silly thing just froze in the middle of the road.

We've got these signs around here in rural Tasmania: Apparently the wallabys can weightlift a car! :laughing:

 

[smstonypoint]

We've got these signs around here in rural Tasmania: Apparently the wallabys can weightlift a car! :laughing:

It's worse here in the US. Our so-called "highway safety officials" actually post signs that encourage deer, both literate and illiterate, to cross highways.

Steve

 

[DrRod]

Yeah -- just how do they get the deer to cross by those signs?

 

[buickanddeere]

A buck wrote off the 2012 Terrain last Saturday while the Daughter was driving. It was the newest vehicle in the fleet we were expecting to replace one of the older vehicles instead . Looks like my new 4x4 loader tractor has been delayed another year.