PLATTE CITY, Mo. — Fall is fast approaching, which means agents with the Missouri Department of Conservation are entering a very busy time of year: deer season.
“They’ll run across traffic, run across yards. They just go,” said Aaron Post, with the conservation department.
Whitetail deer breed in the fall (also known as the “rut”) with the biggest uptick in car-deer accidents happening between October and December.
“A lot of times you won’t see the deer before it’s already happened,” Post said.
And while many drivers never see the collision coming, many others aren’t exactly sure what to do next.
Generally speaking, if you hit a deer with your car, it’s a good idea to call 911. But it’s not always necessary.
“If it is an emergency, if somebody is injured, if the deer is still alive and in the middle of the road causing a traffic obstruction, calling 911 would be appropriate at that time,” Post said.
But if the struck deer is not blocking the roadway, no one in the car is injured and you can still drive the vehicle, Post recommends calling a non-emergency dispatch number. In Missouri, drivers can call *55. In Kansas, the non-emergency number to dial is *47.
In some occasions, drivers can opt to keep the deer carcass (for the meat or antlers) after a crash. It’s free but requires filling out a form with your county’s Department of Conservation agent.
“It’s a disposition to possess that wildlife,” Post said. “They don’t need to use their personal deer tag or anything like that. They just have to call the agent to get the appropriate paperwork to possess that meat or those antlers.”
