According to FortWhyte Alive wildlife interpreter Barrett Miller, the rutting instinct is so powerful that some male deer will even ignore oncoming traffic to get the attention of a potential mate — something that can be dangerous during rush hour, the time of day when deer are most active.
“If they get on the trail of a female, they won’t look both ways before crossing traffic, and if that female is not quite in the mood for his attentions yet, she will run to get away from him.”
Get breaking National news
-
![]()
Zipstall parking app sent cease-and-desist letter by City of Edmonton vendor HotSpot -
![]()
Montreal’s Ste-Catherine Street is reopen to traffic, but don’t expect free parking for holiday shopping -
![]()
Update on Highway 7 rockslide near Hope, B.C. -
![]()
Blast of wintry weather hits Calgary, resulting in icy roads and white-knuckle rides
“It can be very traumatic for the driver and passengers in the vehicle, not to mention for the deer. You need to be on the lookout for deer, particularly if you’re travelling in areas with a lot of bush and grass cover.”
Smiley said drivers who do encounter a deer on the road shouldn’t try to swerve –swerving could cause a collision with oncoming traffic, or cause your vehicle to roll into a ditch.
Comments