Dead deer on the road?

[Cottonfish]

I'm going with the food explanation. They're active all over right now. Well, food and California drivers.........

Stu

[RifleBowPistol]

I have noticed more dead deer, than I normally see this time of year. Spring time, is the time of year for dead skunks, not so much dead deer. Seen about three dead skunks, that I can think of. Definitely a lot more dead deer than I ever remember seeing this time of year. Then a dead nutria. Did not know we had nutria around Seguin, turns out we do.

On the dead deer subject, on my few trips to New Braunfels and San Antonio, I have see dead deer in both areas, where you don't normally see dead deer, unless it's during the rut. Basically in very populated areas and along sections of highway in town, you don't see deer and would not think there are any in the area, but I have seen multiple dead, in those areas. Then I have seen numerous on the way home outside of Seguin. I have been thinking it was odd there were so many dead deer. The part I have not thought about, is the lack of dead skunks, there should be a dead skunk about every 100 yards on the roads out here about now. I can only think of seeing three dead skunks in the past month.

[dgilbert]

Deer are moving at night don't know why.

Full moon!

[D4H]

I've lived in the Texas Hill Country all my life. This is my theory. The reason deer are on the roadside is due to the grass and weeds are greener due to the rainfall and dew on the pavement providing more moisture runoff which keeps the plants more palatable.

There are two kind of deer on the side of the road. The ones that are out there in the roadways every night and don't pay any attention to vehicles at 70 mph and the ones I call pasture deer that come to the roadway during drier periods. The bar ditch regulars I don't worry about. The pasture deer are not used to vehicles and are totally unpredictable. Those are the ones I look out for. Their body language is different and have their heads up and have that deer in the headlights look and flight posture. I haven't hit a deer in 30 years once I recognized the difference. Now during the rut all bets are off.

[D4H]

Now I'll add that Axis on the roadways are like sheep. One will walk out in front of oblivious to a vehicle. If they are in a herd and one crosses, you might as well stop and let the whole herd cross. They have no fear of a vehicle and are oblivious to danger. Just like a sheep, dumbest animal I know. I raise sheep, cattle and goats so I know.

[gingib]

Someone surely will say the rut started early this year

[Top Of Texas]

I don't know about the weather down there in the last few months, but typically see an increase in roadkills when the area is below average on rainfall. While the road ditches do collect more rainfall, they're not the only low spots in the country. However, they are typically the primary low spots that are free from livestock. Just compare the forb (weed) abundance in the ditch to what you see on the other side of the fence. Very common occurrence in dry years in the Hill Country's sheep, goat, and cattle combination country. Deer are in search of their primary food, forbs (weeds). They eat very little grass, and the grass they can consume is young, tender cool season grasses, not the tall grass you see in road ditches.

[FamousAmos]

Younger deer can't read the "Deer Crossing" signs and cross where they shouldn't.