file photo by Boyd Loving
In Bergen County the deer are plentiful and the number of dead ones collected by the Department of Transportation from its roadways back up that fact. In 2016 308 deer carcasses were picked up. That’s 43 more than were removed in 2015
Updated May 01, 2017
Posted May 01, 2017
Bill Gallo Jr. | For NJ.com
There was a time in New Jersey and the northeastern U.S. when white-tailed deer were a rarity. A little over a century ago local newspapers heralded the news when the state Game Commission sent deer for release in local woods. A deer sighting was an item of note. How times have changed. Today deer are everywhere in New Jersey from the most rural to residential and even urban areas.
Accidents involving deer common
Deer cause millions of dollars of damage to crops in New Jersey, according to one Rutgers University overview of the population. They can also carry tick-borne illnesses. One of the greatest dangers, however, is when deer and motor vehicles meet. Especially in rural areas of the state, motor vehicle accidents involving deer are commonplace, sometimes resulting in major damage and injuries. In many cases, the deer becomes the victim when it runs into a road into the path of an oncoming vehicle. One of the most dangerous times for motorists — and deer — is in the breeding or rutting season from mid-September through November.
