Onset of Peak Deer Activity Calls for Vigilance at Dawn, Dusk and Night

Late October through November is prime time for increased white-tailed deer activity in Delaware, leading up to their peak mating season in mid-November. With more deer crossing roadways in the shorter days ahead, especially after the Nov. 7 change from daylight saving time back to Eastern Standard Time, motorists are urged to be on high alert to avoid collisions with these large animals.

“Bucks are very single-minded in their pursuit of does during the rut, their mating season, which lasts from October to December and peaks from Nov. 10 to 20. If that pursuit takes a buck or doe across a roadway in front of your vehicle, that’s where they’re going to go, whether it’s Route 1 or a rural road,” said Wildlife Program Manager Joe Rogerson with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. “Drivers should pay particular attention on roads bordered by woods or agricultural fields, since deer typically cross between areas of cover, but not always.”

Although deer in roadways are a year-round hazard, national and state statistics indicate the last three months of the year are the most likely time for accidents. In 2020, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) reported a rise in collisions between vehicles and deer on Delaware roadways starting in October with 218 crashes. That number peaked in November with a total of 337 crashes, followed by 153 in December.

From September 2020 through February 2021, there were a total of 1,004 crashes throughout the state involving deer. And along with property damage that comes with a deer collision, 3.7% of those crashes also resulted in a personal injury.

Deer tend to be most active in the early morning and at dusk. According to the latest OHS data, deer-vehicle collisions occur most often between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and spike again from 6 p.m. to midnight — including the timeframe when many people are heading home for the evening.

“We know this is the time of year when deer are out along the roadways in higher numbers and we have shorter daylight hours,” said Kimberly Chesser, director of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “That means drivers need to be more cautious around dusk and dawn, slow down and use your high-beams when possible to see further ahead and illuminate deer along the road.”

According to Delaware State Police (DSP), more than 1,700 crashes involving animals occurred on Delaware roads in 2020, 74 of which caused personal injuries. No fatalities were reported.

“Deer crashes are more prevalent this time of year and drivers must maintain full attention while driving,” said Master Cpl. Gary Fournier, Delaware State Police. “Deer will dart across any of the roadways on a frequent basis, especially in the fall, but keep in mind they may also cross during the day or in areas where there is ample lighting at night. Be cautious and scan the sides of the roadways as you’re driving. This may not always prevent a deer-related crash, but it can certainly help minimize damage and/or injuries.”

The average white-tailed deer in Delaware weighs about 130 pounds, with larger bucks tipping the scales at 200 pounds or more, according to DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. Hitting an animal that size can do serious and expensive damage to vehicles. Such a collision may also cause injury to drivers or passengers or trigger an accident involving other motorists.

To avoid a large out-of-pocket expense, AAA recommends purchasing an auto policy including comprehensive coverage, which covers collisions with deer or other animals. AAA Mid-Atlantic notes the average claim submitted to AAA Insurance for a deer strike is more than $5,000.

Based on reported insurance claims from July 1, 2020 to June 20, 2021, State Farm Insurance ranked Delaware 27th in the nation, with state motorists having a 1-in-105 chance of being involved in an animal collision. Deer account for the majority of animal-related crashes and vehicle damage claims.

DNREC, OHS, police agencies and auto insurance companies all agree: the best way to prevent or lessen the severity of deer collisions is attentive driving, which includes avoiding distractions that might take a driver’s eyes off the road, such as mobile phones, adjusting the radio, eating or passenger activities.

Additional safety tips include:

• Always wear your seatbelt to reduce your risk of injury in a collision.
• Reduce speed at night, on curves and in bad weather.
• Switch to high beams when there is no oncoming traffic to better reflect the eyes of deer on or near the roadway and scan the sides of the road as well as what’s directly ahead.
• Watch for “Deer Crossing” signs marking commonly-traveled areas by deer on the road ahead. Slow down immediately and proceed with caution until past the crossing point.
• Deer usually travel in groups, so if you see one deer, there are likely to be others.
• Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten deer away. Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles, deer fences and reflectors to deter deer, as these devices have not been proven to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
• Do not swerve to miss a deer — brake and stay in your lane. Losing control of your vehicle, crossing into another lane, hitting an oncoming vehicle, or leaving the roadway and striking a tree or utility pole will likely be a much more serious outcome than hitting a deer.
• If you hit a deer, and your vehicle is damaged, stop at the scene, get your car off the road if possible, turn on your vehicle hazard lights and if you are injured, call 911.
• Do not touch the animal or get too close; an injured deer may bite or kick and are capable of causing serious injury.

Motorists are reminded that it is unlawful to take possession of a deer that has been struck by an automobile without first obtaining a vehicle-killed deer tag, which can be provided by any law enforcement agency in the state. For more information about deer in Delaware, visit de.gov/deer.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 65,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

About Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. FAQs can be answered at ArriveAliveDE.com. You can follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety by visiting us at: ArriveAliveDE.com, OHS, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and YouTube.

About AAA
AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to 60 million members nationwide and more than 148,000 members in Delaware. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. AAA is a non-stock, non-profit corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit www.AAA.com.

Media Contacts:
DNREC: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov
OHS: Veronica Marshall, veronica.marshall@delaware.gov
DSP: Master Cpl. Gary Fournier, gary.fournier@delaware.gov; Master Cpl. Heather Pepper, heather.pepper@delaware.gov; Cpl. Jason Hatchell, jason.hatchell@delaware.gov
AAA: Ken Grant, KGrant@aaamidatlantic.com

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DOVER (OCT. 23, 2021) – Out of an abundance of caution, the Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising residents of the Bethany Crest community near Millville to use bottled water for drinking and cooking while their water system is evaluated for a concentration of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that is near or at a health advisory level for PFAS in drinking water.

Bethany Crest is a manufactured housing community with a small water system serving approximately 50 homes. On October 21, 2021, DPH received notice that a water sample collected on October 11 showed source water in the system serving Bethany Crest with a concentration of PFAS at 70 parts per trillion, which is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health advisory level for these compounds in drinking water. This sample was of source water to the system, not the finished drinking water after treatment. The sample was collected as part of a proactive screening of public water sources throughout the state being conducted by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). Two previous Bethany Crest samples in recent months had found concentrations near the advisory level, prompting repeat testing for confirmation.

The owner of the community and the operator of the water system were notified Friday and agreed to provide bottled water to residents as recommended by DPH as a precaution. Information on the finding was being distributed to residents Friday and Saturday.

DPH and DNREC are working with the operator of the Bethany Crest water system to test the finished drinking water going to homes to determine whether current treatment methods for the system may already be reducing the PFAS levels from the source water. Samples of finished drinking water from Bethany Crest, and samples of source water from other wells in the area, will be taken this weekend and submitted to a laboratory for analysis.

DPH is evaluating the Bethany Crest treatment system and will provide technical guidance for any needed upgrades or additions to the system for reducing PFAS. DNREC is conducting an assessment to identify potential sources of the contamination and to determine if other area wells show similar PFAS levels.

PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals used in industry and consumer products. Due to their extensive use in these products over time, PFAS are found in people, wildlife, and fish and are known as “forever chemicals” because some PFAS can stay in people’s bodies a long time and cause health problems with long-term exposure.

Due to extensive damage from flooding during the remnant of Hurricane Ida, the Bancroft Bridge in Alapocas Run State Park will be closed indefinitely and will need to be substantially repaired or possibly replaced. The bridge is a popular connector that crosses the Brandywine Creek between Rockford Park and Alapocas Run State Park, which is known for its cliffs made of blue rock gneiss.

The Bancroft Bridge in Alapocas Run State Park sustained extensive damage from flooding during the remnant of Hurricane Ida and will need to be substantially repaired or possibly replaced, meaning it will be closed indefinitely.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC)’s Division of Parks and Recreation closed the popular walking bridge after an initial inspection following the Sept. 2 flooding. This week a structural engineer further assessed the bridge and confirmed significant damage. The bridge was damaged from debris as floodwaters elevated to its lower structure. The bridge itself has bowed and shifted on its support beams and foundation, which has cracked.

Repairing the bridge would require a piece-by-piece evaluation and structural rebuild. Depending on the severity of the damage, the bridge may need to be demolished and a new bridge fabricated.

At this point, no timeframe can be given for finishing the assessment, the planning and design of whichever option is chosen, or funding and construction, but the bridge will be closed for an extended period of time.

Updates about the bridge’s repair or replacement progress will be shared on the DNREC’s Alapocas Run and Wilmington State Parks Facebook page.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Shauna McVey, shauna.mcvey@delaware.gov or Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov.

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A banded piping plover male photographed in mid-July at Cape Henlopen State Park on Delaware’s Atlantic coast/DNREC photo.

DNREC Provides Updates on Other Beach-Nesting Bird Species

Beach-nesting piping plovers experienced poor nest productivity on their breeding grounds in Delaware during 2021, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today in summarizing the rare shorebird species’ nesting success within the state.

Six pairs of piping plovers were recorded nesting at The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park with 18 more nesting pairs at Fowler Beach on Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, making for a modern-day record total of 24 breeding pairs. Despite the record number of breeding pairs, piping plovers were less successful in producing only 19 fledglings, young birds that hatched and can fly in leaving their nest. Poor fledgling productivity is suspected to be the result of nest loss from a Memorial Day storm and higher-than-average predation at Fowler Beach.

Record piping plover productivity was documented in Delaware over the previous three years for the federally-listed threatened species and Delaware state-listed endangered species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established a goal of 1.5 fledglings per breeding pair in 1996 as part of the piping plover recovery plan, with Delaware’s nesting productivity exceeding that goal from 2018 to 2020. This year, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife recorded 19 fledglings, for a productivity rate of 0.8 fledglings per breeding pair. In 2020, 21 breeding pairs were documented, producing 47 fledglings for a productivity rate of 2.2 fledglings/pair.

Delaware’s piping plover recovery effort involves partnerships between DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife and Division of Parks and Recreation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services.

In other beach-nesting bird species nesting season updates, two pairs of American oystercatchers nested at The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park while one pair nested at Delaware Seashore State Park. Although the nest successfully hatched at Delaware Seashore State Park, the chicks did not fledge. A pair of American oystercatchers were observed using the marsh islands of Delaware Seashore State Park and were seen with two chicks that appear to have successfully fledged. Least tern counts were lower than recent years, with only four breeding pairs and four nests found at Cape Henlopen State Park, where only two chicks hatched, and neither of them fledged.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov, or Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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An image of a rainbow trout by the acclaimed fish and wildlife artist Duane Raver

Rainbow trout were stocked in White Clay Creek today to provide anglers the opportunity to fish for trout in the fall and winter, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced. About 1,000 pounds of 12- to 13-inch rainbows were stocked from near the Pennsylvania state line downstream to Newark.
Trout anglers are reminded of the following rules and regulations:

• A Delaware fishing license is required, unless an angler is exempt.
• A Delaware trout stamp is required through Nov. 30 to fish in White Clay Creek, as well as other designated trout streams stocked earlier this year, unless an angler is exempt.
• Trout fishing is open one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset, unless otherwise restricted by area rules.
• The daily possession limit is six trout, except for a daily possession limit of four trout when fishing in or within 50 feet of the designated fly-fishing-only section of White Clay Creek.

Managed by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, trout are purchased from hatcheries and stocked using revenue from anglers purchasing Delaware trout stamps. Trout stocking in Delaware is also supported by federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sport Fish Restoration funds generated by anglers purchasing fishing equipment.

Delaware fishing licenses and trout stamps are sold online and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase a license online, visit de.gov/fishinglicenses. For additional information on Delaware fishing licenses and trout stamps, call the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife licensing office at 302-739-9918.

Additional information on fishing in Delaware is available in the 2021 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide also is available in printed form from license agents throughout the state, or by request from the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries section by calling 302-739-9914.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov, or Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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