Oh Dear, There's Deer!

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, white-tailed deer are highly adaptable and can thrive in suburban and urban environments like Brookhaven. Deer are extremely agile and can jump over obstacles as high as eight feet, which can make excluding them from yards difficult.

While we see deer year-round, particularly around dawn and dusk, they become especially active as November rolls around and their mating season begins. The beauty of Brookhaven habitats provides ample privacy and areas to roam for eligible bucks looking for does to mate. (Yes, does plural – a healthy buck can mate with 6-8 does per season!)

Unfortunately, as the need to mate takes priority in deer’s fuzzy skulls, they become victims to motor vehicle accidents at a higher rate. If you see a deer near the road, expect there to be others nearby.  Slow down and stay alert for other deer that may suddenly dart across the road. For deer in the roadways, brake firmly and calmly, maintaining your vehicle in your lane. Swerving to save wildlife lives increases your risk of injury.

Researchers at the University of Georgia and biologists with the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources found a strong correlation between peak deer-vehicle collision timeframes, deer conception dates, and the hourly movement rates of deer tracked by GPS. Based on that information, deer-vehicle collision data provided by the Georgia Department of Transportation was used to map the timing of peak deer movement in Georgia.

The peak activity period for whitetail deer in DeKalb County is forecast to run from November 3 through 9, though this is an estimated range. You can view a county-by-county map of peak periods throughout Georgia and access the underlying peer-reviewed research at https://georgiawildlife.com/rut-map

Fawn over these additional resources:

Georgia DNR Deer Information & Resources | https://georgiawildlife.com/deer-info

Georgia DNR Living with Deer Fact Sheet | https://georgiawildlife.com/sites/default/files/UWP%20Deer%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

Georgia’s Deer Management Plan 2015-2024 | https://georgiawildlife.com/sites/default/files/wrd/pdf/management/2015-2024_Deer_Management_Plan.pdf