By Allayana Darrow
The Sheridan Press

SHERIDAN — Every year, drivers are involved in more than 6,000 wildlife collisions on Wyoming’s roads, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. About 80-85% of those crashes are with mule deer.

The risk of colliding with a deer on the road increases every fall and spring as animals traverse routes to winter and summer ranges. The WGFD is asking drivers to help with efforts to aid deer safety.

Wildlife collisions can cause human injury, property damage and injury or death for the animal involved, WGFD public information specialist Christina Schmidt said in an email to The Sheridan Press.

Wyoming Highway Patrol responded to 157 wild animal crashes in Sheridan County in 2018 and 125 so far in 2019. Two crashes in 2018 and three in 2019 resulted in human injury. No fatalities were reported.

The Sheridan Police Department responded to six wildlife incidents in 2019. The Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office responded to three in 2019 — a decline from 10 in 2018.

“With animals moving around this time of year and shorter days that offer limited light during the morning and evening commute, I would certainly encourage folks to reduce their driving speed when possible, not just on the interstate or highways, but in town as well,” Schmidt said.

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