MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO WATCH CAREFULLY FOR DEER

Three deer -- a doe and two fawns -- were struck by a vehicle recently at Kingshighway and Mount Auburn Road.

Two more deer have been struck in separate accidents -- one at Kingshighway and Southern Expressway, another at Interstate 55 and Kingshighway. Another was struck at Interstate 55 and Hopper Road.

All were struck during the late evening.

You don't have to look far to find vehicle-deer accidents in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Most of the time, white-tailed deer are extremely cautious. Just ask the thousands of deer hunters who go home empty handed every year. Why do these creatures that elude stealthy, camouflaged hunters wander out in front of pickup trucks and automobiles?

"Hormones, hunters and headlights," say wildlife experts.

Accident statistics from the Missouri Department of Conservation show that more than one-fourth of all deer-vehicle accidents take place in November.

"One of the biggest factors is that November is the prime month of the mating season," said Steve Wilson, hunter-skills specialist for the Missouri Department of Conservation regional office at Cape Girardeau. "The deer are constantly on the move."

When hunting season opens, even more deer are on the move.

"We have as many as a half-million deer hunters in the state," said Wilson. "When these hunters invade the domain of the deer, the deer start moving away from those areas."

The firearms deer season started today.

"Over the next nine days deer are going to be moving plenty," said Wilson, who offers some words of advice to motorists.

"One of the safest measures is to drop your speed to a more manageable speed if you're in a known deer area," said Wilson. "If you see a deer, dim your lights immediately and honk your horn."

Wilson explained that by dimming the lights the light is taken directly out of a deer's eyes, and the sound of a honking horn allows the deer to quickly determine the location of the vehicle.

The majority of deer accidents occur when light is low, said Wilson.

"Deer are least active during the day," he said. "The vast majority of deer-vehicle accidents occur between dusk and dawn simply because that's when deer are most active. To make things worse, deer are frightened and confused by blinding automobile headlights."

Wilson said no one has found an effective way of stopping deer from running in front of vehicles.

Some companies sell sound-producing devices that are mounted on cars to warn away deer, but scientific studies do not support manufacturers' claims of reduced accident frequency.

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Department is studying another strategy for preventing deer-vehicle mishaps. It involves placing a series of reflectors along stretches of highway where deer-vehicle accidents are especially frequent. The reflectors catch light from vehicle headlights and beam it away from the road at angles calculated to stop approaching deer before they enter the automotive danger zone.

But this is three-year study.

Meanwhile, says Wilson, motorists should always be on the lookout for deer when driving, especially from October through December, and especially from dusk to dawn. Passengers should also keep an eye out for deer.

Slow down as quickly and safely as possible when you see a deer, even if it is standing still. Deer are astonishingly quick and can bolt unexpectedly. Flash your lights and honk your horn to discourage the deer from crossing the roadway. This also will alert nearby cars to danger.

Don't drop your guard after a close call. Deer usually travel in family groups; a pair of fawns may bound across the road right behind a doe.

Report all deer-vehicle accidents. If your vehicle is damaged, you will need an official accident report for insurance claims. The information also helps MDC and highway department officials identify trouble spots.

Approximately 1,200 bucks and a slightly lower number of does are killed each year during November. That compares with about 800 deer struck in December and about 600 for both sexes in October.

Illinois Department of Conservation specialists say about 1,600 deer are struck during November and December each year in the 27-county Southern Illinois region.

Meanwhile, hunters going into the field this week are expected to harvest a record number of deer statewide.

"Our biologists tell us we have a good herd of deer, and populations are good throughout the state," said Wilson. "This could be a record year for harvest if the weather holds.

"The weather is the key factor," said Wilson. "We could see the harvest go to a record 156,000 deer.

The top deer-producing counties in Southeast Missouri are Wayne, Perry and Carter. More than 1,000 deer have been harvested in Wayne County during each of the last four seasons, topped by 1,407 in 1992. Deer hunters have bagged more than 1,000 deer over the last four years in Perry County, topped by last year's total of 1,212. More than 1,000 deer have been killed during three of last four years in Carter County, with 1,315 in 1992.

Deer kill the last five years:

1992: Butler, 809; Cape Girardeau, 738; Perry, 1,212; Scott, 207; Carter, 1,315; Wayne, 1,407; Ripley, 691; Stoddard, 427.

1991: Butler, 824; Cape Girardeau, 785; Perry, 1,058; Scott, 195; Carter, 889; Wayne, 1,225; Ripley, 622; Stoddard, 541.

1990: Butler, 963; Cape Girardeau, 857; Perry, 1,123; Scott, 165; Carter, 1,179; Wayne, 1,511; Ripley, 698; Stoddard, 434.

1989: Butler, 831; Cape Girardeau, 819; Perry, 1,101; Scott, 168; Carter, 1,3190; Wayne, 1,390; Ripley, 764; Stoddard, 460.

1988: Butler, 561; Cape Girardeau, 668; Perryville, 967; Scott, 121; Carter, 747; Wayne, 912; Ripley, 408, Stoddard, 312.