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Deer-Car Collisions Peak This Week in Cherokee, Fulton, Gwinnett Counties
State wildlife officials warn that deer breeding season peaks this week in Cherokee, Fulton and Gwinnett counties, with Barrow, Douglas and Hall counties expected to see increased activity later in the week. Drivers are urged to be extra cautious at dawn and dusk, when deer are most active and commutes overlap with their movement.
Drivers in Cherokee, Fulton and Gwinnett counties should be extra vigilant on the roads this week, as state wildlife officials say deer breeding seasonâknown as the rutâis at its peak in those areas. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tracks deer movement and collision data and warns that this period through Thanksgiving is when the state sees the most deer-vehicle accidents.
Biologists say deer are most active at dawn and dusk, and the shorter days of late fall push more of that activity into the hours when people are commuting to and from work. "The increase deer activity coincides with people commuting to work and the time change kinda bumps people into those high-activity hours for deer," said Blake Graber, an urban wildlife biologist with the DNR.
The DNR works with University of Georgia researchers to map deer activity and breeding season across the state. According to that map, this week is peak for Cherokee, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Barrow, Douglas and Hall counties could see more deer later in the week. Cobb and DeKalb counties hit their peak last week.
Graber also pointed to another factor behind the high number of deer-vehicle collisions around Atlanta: an overabundant deer population. "Thatâs another reason we see these deer-vehicle collisions in high-numbers around Atlanta is because their population is over-abundant due to the large amount of greenspace, but also the reduced hunting pressure around urban areas," he said.
Drivers should watch for more deer movement, especially where there are wooded areas close to the road. "Just being more aware, driving slower, if you see one deer thereâs likely to be more deer," Graber said.
The warning comes as the region enters a period of heightened risk for both drivers and wildlife. State officials advise motorists to stay alert, reduce speed in areas with roadside vegetation, and remember that deer often travel in groups.