Motorists beware: Big game animals are on the move

Idaho Fish and Game

Mangled carcasses of deer, elk, and other wildlife along Idaho’s roadways should be a flashing warning sign to motorists.

Last month, Laurie Hurd-Cochrane struck a moose on Interstate 90 near Cataldo.

“I was passing somebody and my son goes, ‘Mom! Moose!’ and I was thinking he was talking about over there (off in the distance).”

With another vehicle to her right and the side of the road to the left, there were few options. Hurd-Cochrane’s vehicle hit the 3-year-old cow moose broadside going roughly 50 mph.

She and her son avoided serious injury, but their vehicle wasn’t as lucky.

“As soon as we hit, I pulled off to the side of the road as quickly as I could, got out, looked at it, and my windshield was crushed,” she said.

The engine compartment of the vehicle also suffered damage as a result of the collision.

Three mule deer were hit recently by a pickup on Highway 93 near North Fork, Idaho, and just last week, one person was hospitalized after hitting a moose near Leadore.

Another driver is lucky to be alive after swerving off the highway near Gibbonsville to miss an elk and rolling his truck into the North Fork Salmon River.

With big game animals on the move for mating and migration, wildlife-vehicle collisions tend to peak this time of year.

“Motorists need to be extra cautious and slow down, especially under low light conditions when visibility is limited,” said Greg Painter, an Idaho Fish and Game wildlife manager based in Salmon. “Being extra careful and watchful is your best defense.”

Collisions between vehicles and wildlife are not only dangerous, they are expensive. Hitting a deer or an elk often results in thousands of dollars in vehicle damage, not to mention a preventable loss of wildlife.

The following are precautions to help reduce your chances of an animal collision:

Big-game animals are especially active at dawn, dusk and at night. Motorists should drive extra cautious during these times.

Slow down. Driving more slowly increases reaction time and reduces the chance of a collision.

Always wear your seat belt. This won’t prevent a collision, but it can save your life depending upon the severity of the accident.

Scan ahead and watch for movement, especially near the fog line and side of the road. When driving at night, watch for shining eyes in headlights.

If you see one animal cross the road, slow down immediately and look for more to follow.

Pay extra attention in areas posted with wildlife crossing signs. They are there for good reason.

Using high beams can help you spot wildlife, but be considerate of other drivers when using them.

Don’t Tailgate. Always keep a safe distance between you and the car in front of you to avoid any unnecessary accidents. If that driver brakes suddenly for an animal in the road, you won’t be able to react in enough time.

Don’t swerve and risk losing control of your vehicle. Try to brake as much as possible and stay on the roadway. The most serious crashes occur when drivers lose control of their vehicles trying to avoid an animal. It is usually safer to strike the animal than another object such as a tree or another vehicle.

Of course, some accidents are unavoidable. Motorists should report any injury collision to the public safety dispatcher by calling 911, which will send officers to the scene. If possible, move your vehicle to a safe place and alert oncoming traffic with your emergency flashers until law enforcement authorities arrive.

Drivers who come across a dead animal on the side of the road are encouraged to report the roadkill on Idaho Fish and Game’s website. The information collected on wildlife collisions helps identify high-risk areas and possible solutions, like wildlife crossing components on roadways.

And those who want to, may recover and keep certain game animals killed by accidental auto collisions. You have 24 hours to notify Fish and Game if you salvage an animal, and 72 hours to obtain a salvage permit. For more information regarding both the roadkill and salvage rules, including reporting requirements and a list of species legal to salvage, refer to https://idfg.idaho.gov/species/roadkill or contact your nearest Idaho Fish and Game office.

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Mike Demick is a staff biologist with IDF&G.

Hagadone News Network writer Chanse Watson contributed to this story.