OVER 7,800+ WILDLIFE-VEHICLE COLLISIONS IN DRATville ALREADY THIS YEAR???

[elkassassin]

138 Million In Damages!

Probably Didn't Add In The Value Of The Wildlife Either?

Still Got Another Month That'll Be Bad!

JOKING,But?

Anybody Know What The Vehicle Looks Like When Some Of These DRAT'S Hit A Deer At Over 100 MPH?

Or How Bout A 189 MPH?

 

[D_Hoyt]

Oddly enough, I think that number is still low. I have one canyon that I won't drive faster than 55 and I get passed all the time. Three times those people have hit deer and once an elk. It doesn't help that they are always on the phone when they fly by me. Not just a Utah problem though.

 

[hawkbill]

I will be leaving Flagstaff early Sunday morning and driving all the way through Utah into Idaho. I’m thinkinking of buying the wife and myself helmets for the trip home, oh it’s not for the wildlife it’s for the Mormon 500

 

[Vanilla]

I wish they’d detail this more. Is hitting a rabbit considered a wildlife collision here? A pot gut someone sees smashed on the highway and someone reports?

But I’m going to make an assumption that more than half these are deer, you start to see what a major problem this is. 4,000 deer per year turns into 7-8,000 less deer each year pretty quickly. Compound that number over a 3-4 year period and that becomes tens of thousands we aren’t seeing on the landscape due to being hit and killed by cars. Over time, and factoring loss of reproduction, this is a metric SHIZ ton of deer. Or in other words, a noticeable difference in the statewide population.

We will never be able to eliminate every one of these, but through effective fencing and crossing projects, we can certainly reduce them significantly. But that costs lots of money, and we aren’t good at spending money on things that really help.

 

[slamdunk]

I wish they’d detail this more. Is hitting a rabbit considered a wildlife collision here? A pot gut someone sees smashed on the highway and someone reports?

But I’m going to make an assumption that more than half these are deer, you start to see what a major problem this is. 4,000 deer per year turns into 7-8,000 less deer each year pretty quickly. Compound that number over a 3-4 year period and that becomes tens of thousands we aren’t seeing on the landscape due to being hit and killed by cars. Over time, and factoring loss of reproduction, this is a metric SHIZ ton of deer. Or in other words, a noticeable difference in the statewide population.

We will never be able to eliminate every one of these, but through effective fencing and crossing projects, we can certainly reduce them significantly. But that costs lots of money, and we aren’t good at spending money on things that really help.

It's scary to think that one healthy adult Doe can birth 20+ fawns in her lifetime.

The calculations on what that 20+ number of deer from a single Doe produces would be astounding.

It's amazing we have any deer at all in some of our more rural areas.
Highway 40 alone is a bloodbath.

 

[BrowningRage]

I seem to remember from a decade or so ago, a number was put out about "roadkill removal" calls to get roadkill off roads around the state. The number was 9000+ and I think that was just for the winter months... I also can't remember if it was for just deer, or all big game. Either way, I remember being shocked by the number...

 

[Castnshoot]

Makes for some good early morning back strap cruzing.

 

[johnnycake]

Anybody Know What The Vehicle Looks Like When Some Of These DRAT'S Hit A Deer At Over 100 MPH?

I can say as the front seat passenger that my dad's 2000 F-350 with 35s and a 6-8" lift going 95-100 mph just south of Santaquin will barely feel a bump when it turns 4 muleys into paste and mist. One did leave a small dent on the bumper that her eyelashes were stuck too. And it was a real ***** cleaning the greasy, rotten guts off the whole passenger side on a hot August day.

 

[GLEDEASY]

There's a spot heading into the Fishlake basin that every year you'll see 12-20 deer killed by vehicles around fall time. And the speed limit is only 45 or 55, can't remember exactly off hand. One day this year I noticed 7 deer that got slammed overnight. As stated, this is wiping out a major part of our herd potential. This to me is really the big problem, outside of weather, that we have a hand in controlling.

We've taken drastic measures in other areas. So I propose a thought. Why have we accepted the poaching of animals with cars? The word poaching may sound harsh as I get intent, accident, etc. But the end result is the same as a poaching incident. Perhaps hunting privileges, putting in for points, etc should be lost for a year if you hit an animal with your car?

Do I think the idea is drastic and an overreach, yes. However, many seem willing to try whatever it takes. Would results be better than the proposed weapon restrictions?

Either way, it sucks hearing of all those animals going to waste.

 

[elkassassin]

So?

Hopefully You Punched 4 Family Tags On That Deal?

I can say as the front seat passenger that my dad's 2000 F-350 with 35s and a 6-8" lift going 95-100 mph just south of Santaquin will barely feel a bump when it turns 4 muleys into paste and mist. One did leave a small dent on the bumper that her eyelashes were stuck too. And it was a real ***** cleaning the greasy, rotten guts off the whole passenger side on a hot August day.

 

[elkantlers]

But I thought muzzleloaders were the problem.

 

[elkassassin]

First it Was Just The Magnified Scopes!

Now it Might Be All Scopes!

And It Might Be Ignition Types!

Slowly Headed Back To The HAWKENS But Surely!

But I thought muzzleloaders were the problem.

 

[johnnycake]

So?

Hopefully You Punched 4 Family Tags On That Deal?

Nah. A couple of hours later I filled my Nephi doe tag on a total monster of a muley doe. I'll have to dig around and see where I have a pic of that one.

 

[Vanilla]

Melt down coming in 3…2…..

 

[Mtngoat690]

There was a time back in the early 2000's, when there were still deer, I traveled a remote stretch of highway around 3am each day. I hit 3 deer in one year. Actually, I think they might have been suicidal due to over population because they just ran into my car! I kid you not, one literally ran right into my stopped car and broke my headlight.

Unfortunately, my subaru didn't hold up as well as Johnny's 350, they put a heck of a dent in it when collision speed is above 50mph. Probably should have threw some 35's on it after the second one.

And yes elkassassin, I made sure not to fill any of my tags for the next 7 years, because I'm responsible like that. Took out a fox and like 15ish raccoon and a handful of skunks over the years. Wasn't even aiming for them. Yes, I am part of the problem I suppose.

 

[elkassassin]

So?

You're a PROUD Doe Shooter As Well I See!

Nah. A couple of hours later I filled my Nephi doe tag on a total monster of a muley doe. I'll have to dig around and see where I have a pic of that one.

 

[yoteduster]

There should be no doe tags issued in the state of Utah at all..our hi ways more than take care of any surplus deer if there is such a problem any where in this state

 

[Castnshoot]

Back in the 70s,, working on the drilling rigs in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. The drillers would drive the 5 man crew back and forth to the rig. A lot of the drillers had big rap around deer catchers on their crew rigs.

There were times when the snow was real deep when we had to make our way though herds of deer on the road ,,,like easing your way through a herd of sheep.

I don’t think there are many places where you could see that now days.

 

[johnnycake]

So?

You're a PROUD Doe Shooter As Well I See!

Yep, I loved those doe hunts in the corn fields down in Nephi. Had that tag 3 times between 2001-2011

 

[hossblur]

If only there was an org that took in millions to "save the mule deer" that put up fencing, that might be cool.


Maybe someone could mention that in Feb?

 

[yoteduster]

If only there was an org that took in millions to "save the mule deer" that put up fencing, that might be cool.


Maybe someone could mention that in Feb?

That would be a good thing..get the right people to hit up the auto insurance companies and the big oil companies to chip in...here in north eastern Utah hi way forty slaughters alot of deer yearly and a high percentage of them are hit by crude trucks..I think these companies would be willing to chip in and help

 

[hossblur]

I wonder, is there a lobbyist in Utah that could make this happen? A guy capable of sucking millions out of the legislature? S guy that might be concerned with keeping the Serengeti off the highways?