The deer rutting or mating season runs from October through December each year.
During this time, deer become more active as bucks attempt to find a mate, causing them to expand their “home ranges” where they live and eat. That means you’re more likely to see one trying to cross the road.
Deer are most active at dawn and dusk and DNREC’s Deer Project Leader Sam Millman says that’s when you’re most likely to encounter one, with one exception.
“That tends to just go right out the window in November, when ruts at its peak. Somewhere around mid-November, it goes right out the window. It could be any time… just roll the dice and at any time you could see a deer go across the road." he told DPM.
Millman also says that damage to your vehicle is likely to be as bad or worse than damage to the animal, and that deer can survive more collisions than one might think
"You might be surprised at how well a deer can survive a collision. I'm not saying they're made of rubber, but they can take a punch... [but] there is a mortality to some of it" he said.
Office of Highway Safety community relations officer Kayla Mason says they have some recommendations to help people avoid crashes.
“Be alert during those times, wear your seatbelt, [don’t swerve] when you approach a deer- just slam on your brakes, because you don’t want to cause a further or worse accident- and avoid distractions.” she told DPM.
Highway Safety also notes deer collisions can sometimes cause personal injury. A crash with a deer is comparable to hitting a small washing machine to a full-sized refrigerator, depending on the deer’s size.
The Office of Highway Safety says there’s been nearly 1,000 collisions with deer already in 2025, and historically a high percentage of incidents happen during rut season.
