The fall months see an increase in vehicle collisions with wildlife and especially deer. As we near the deer breeding season or "rut" the risk greatly increases. The "rut" peaks around mid to late November and can run well into December. Deer at this time of the year are less cautious and more unpredictable as their instincts for breeding takes over their behavior.

  Here are some suggestions to help you avoid colliding with a deer or other wildlife.

  1. Be extra cautious while traveling in the late afternoon through the early evening hours and in the hours just before sunrise. Deer are active throughout the night but seem to be more active during these times.

  2. Slow down and be prepared to suddenly stop in areas where deer might be present.

  3. If you see a deer on the side of the road, slow down and be ready to stop suddenly. Deer can be unpredictable! They can jump out in front of your car just as quick as they can jump across the ditch and disappear into the woods. Many a car or truck has been struck in the side from deer jumping into them at the last second so head-on collisions aren't always the norm.

  4. And since we brought up head-on collisions, if one is eminent, hit your brakes and go ahead and hit the deer. It is usually better to hit the deer rather than swerve and try to avoid it. You could possibly flip your car in the ditch, hit a utility pole, hit another car head-on or worse yet, a pedestrian.

  5. Always be aware deer may be present throughout wooded areas, crop fields, and areas with dense vegetation.

  6. If another car is behind you and you see a deer, tap your brakes to help alert the other motorist to the presence of the deer. If the deer is on the road, try flashing your lights and/or honking your horn to encourage the animal to move.

  7. Most states have seatbelt laws in effect so buckle up. Remember that it takes three seconds to buckle up, but dead is forever.

  Although deer were mentioned in the above suggestions, they can apply to all wildlife; rabbits, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, etc.

  Avoid harming local wildlife while protecting your vehicle and yourself; slow down, be especially cautious while driving at night, and stay alert! After all, safety is no accident.

  You know, sometimes when the boys were all just sitting 'round on Augie Gustt's store porch over on Brackwater Creek, the stories start to well, reach a bit. If you know what I mean by "reach".

  For example, it wasn’t too awful long ago, maybe last year, the year before or maybe 1976, a bunch of us were sitting there practicing the grand art of truth enhancement. One of the boys a spinnin' was Ned Clawell. Now you have to remember Ned Clawell may be the past master at this art and he was in the proper mood to prove it.

  "I remember", he starts out, "back afore the war, you know, the big 'un, my grandpa used to hunt up on Roundabout Mountain down there in Kin-tuck-ee.

  He used to tell us about them great big bucks so big, it took three, four stout fellers ta haul 'em down off the mountain after they was shot."

  "Them bucks was mighty fast too, could almost out run a bullet if'n they's to get a head start!"

  "The peculiar thing 'bout hunting on Roundabout was that it was so dang round! Yep, a feller couldn't go more'n a step er two afore he was turning a corner."

  "Made bagging one of those big old bucks difficult, too. Soon as you cut loose at one, he'd quick as that, duck around the curve. Bullet would just zing on past.

  "Well, my Grandpa was a practical, patient man. He got to thinking and decided that he needed a gun that would shoot in a curving fashion. He took his old muzzle-loading deer rifle out to the shed and put a little left bend in the barrel. Next time up on the mountain, he got off a good shot and just as the buck sprang 'round the corner, the ball whizzed past him but only by a little. Back to the shop Gramps went and added a bit more bend to the gun. The next shot was even closer."

  "Took Gramps five, maybe six misses afore he figured he had just the right bend to the gun barrel. Next morning he tracked what looked like a really big buck way up the mountain, almost to the top. Now by the time you're that high on Roundabout, it ain't more'n a couple hundred yards all way round."

  "It didn't take long until Gramps spotted that buck. He raised the gun and fired. The buck heard the hammer fall, and was on his way long before the bullet left the barrel. He immediately disappeared round a corner, but this time, the bullet went right on around behind him."

  "Gramps just sat down on an old pine stump and waited. In just a couple of seconds, here come the buck at full speed and whoosh, right on round the curve with the bullet right after him. They made a couple more rounds and each time that bullet was gaining till finally, just afore he turned the next corner, the bullet caught up and the chase was over!"   Well, I gotta tell ya, we've heard some mighty good stretches when it comes to yarnin' here on Sven's store porch and this tale was right up there, but that don't mean we disbelieved it. No sir, Ned had some stories that we referred to as "another grain of salt tale", but all in all he was a pretty honest guy and did usually have some evidence to back his story.

  Granted that evidence may have been, "That park ranger, I ferget his name, was right there; ask him. Harley Mervin, God rest his soul, saw it all!

  Or the always favorite, undisputable proof, "If you don't believe me, ask my wife!" and so on. Even still, he did make us scratch our heads when asked where the buck got hit.

  "Well," says Ned, "on that last turn, that buck turned to see how close the bullet was and boom! Got him right between the eyes!"

   We ran across this little tidbit from the Georgia Department of Nature Resources and thought we’d pass it along since there are a lot of folks out and about this fall and winter hunting with firearms.

   To stay safe remember ACTT:

   A – Always treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

   C – Control the muzzle of the firearm at all times.

   T – Be certain of the Target and what is in front of it and behind it.

   T – Keep your finger outside of the Trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.

   For more information on firearms safety, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting/education or contact your state’s department of conservation. Find a link to all 50 departments on our web site at http://www.backwoodsbound.com/stgamedepts.html.