Mukilteo Musings

Strange But True---Deer as Roadkill

This morning I entered my den and sat here at my computer to write about roadkill and particularly deer. I have noticed at times in my life, I will hear a new word or an unusual word used by someone on the TV, for example. Then the next day in an unrelated circumstance, I will read an article that uses the same word. My husband will come home from work and in our conversation, about yet another unrelated topic, the word pops up and then I will respond by saying, "That is the third time I have heard that word in two days!!"

I have had this experience now for the past week. Instead of being about a word, I keep hearing unrelated stories about deer. I decided this would be my blog topic this morning and low and behold, the minute I sit down to write about "deer as roadkill", my Mom calls me from Montana and--without knowing I'm planning to write about deer-- tells me a horrible deer story. She was disturbed when I chuckled until I explained what I was doing the moment she called.

This is so incredibly sad but completely strange. A woman in Helena, Montana let out her 110 lb. Weimeraner unaware that a large buck was in her yard. The dog was gored and tossed around; the deer would not let the woman near her dying pet. Tragic--just terribly tragic and rare and I cannot think about this without crying. http://www.helenair.com/articles/2004/11/18/helena_top/a01111804_03.txt

My Mom walks her 45 lb springer mix on Mt. Helena daily but yesterday a very large buck blocked the trail she was on, puffed his neck up and was not about to scurry away. She turned and went down the hill as fast as she could manage especially after reading the newspaper. The deer seem to be bold, angry and aggressive; they are not afraid of people and evidently not afraid of dogs.

I do not understand. I grew up in Helena on the very edge of town. The picture windows in our little house looked out upon fields, hills, and ponderosa pine covered mountains as far as we could see. We had cows in the yard once but never ever did we have deer in town. Everytime we visit now, we see deer walking around the city like they own the place--in people's yards, eating people's flowers, and now killing people's beloved dogs.

Another issue I do not comprehend which I intended to write about today is that deer have now become common roadkill. When I was a child, we drove all over the hills and mountains of Montana and Idaho. My Grandma lived in "Deer Lodge" (where I was born) and we visited her sometimes every weekend especially during hunting season. Deer Lodge is 56 miles from Helena with a significant mountain pass in between. The biggest roadkill we would see would be either a porcupine or a skunk. Oh, did I hate to see a bloody black and white blob up ahead on the highway! Roadkill was brutal in the summer before cars had air-conditioning. My Dad would have the car vents open pulling outside air into the car in an effort to be cooler or we would have our windows open. My brother and I would plug our noses, gag and blame each other for stinking up the car. Of course, we saw deer from the highway but we never ever hit one with the car. My Dad never ran into a deer his entire life and I do not remember deer being roadkill.

When Dave and I returned from Port Ludlow last Sunday, we saw our share of squished squirrels and one dead raccoon. But, we also saw a large dead deer on the side of the road. Whenever we travel to Montana now, we see huge bloody spots in the middle of the freeway and you just know it wasn't a gopher that got nailed. The rest of Sunday and part of Monday I'd catch myself thinking about that deer and wondering why I never saw such a thing as a child. My brother still lives in Montana and I know he has hit deer--more than once, I think. They even have whistle devices you can put on the front of your car to hopefully scare them before you smash them; they don't work.

On Wednesday night, we had a good friend, Curt, as a dinner guest. He and his wife, Patti, moved from Mukilteo to Pennsylvania about three years ago but occasionally they return to visit or for work reasons. I never brought up the fact that I'd been thinking about roadkill; it's not really a dinnertime topic. Curt proceeds to explain that he hit a deer in Pennsylvania near his home. Not long after the car was repaired, his wife also hit a deer. I was stunned not only that this had happened but that the topic even came up. These people both love animals and though lucky to not be hurt themselves, it is traumatic to kill Bambi with your car.

Last night, while eating dinner, we had NBC news with Tom Brokaw playing in the background. Sure enough, Tom starts talking about how drivers are crashing into deer more than ever before. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6517727/ People are dying as a result and insurance companies are paying out more money for vehicle damage due to this problem than ever before. Whoa!! How did NBC know what I had been pondering the last few days?! This was a little weird seeing my thoughts on the national news.

I can't say I am clear about why deer have become common roadkill. Scientists say quite simply, there are more deer and more drivers. Around Helena, many homes are being built all over the surrounding hillsides so I have an inkling human encroachment into deer habitat is part of the problem. The deer are less fearful of cars and humans. However, I am fairly confident I understand why the deer are becoming mean and attacking our pets. They are mad as hell we are splattering their family members all over the highway.