By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The Kansas City Chiefs and their 5-0 record and the Royals back in the playoffs are a good indication that October has arrived. As the cooler temperatures move in, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir again reminds drivers to be aware of deer on the roadways.
"We get a lot of deer strikes this time of year," he said. "Some of it's because of the harvest. They're harvesting some of the row crops and have a lot of corn and beans. Farmers are out in the field; they're chasing those deer from their habitat."
The annual deer rut usually peaks around mid-November in Kansas, but the mating season can run from late October through mid-December. Most deer strikes occur at dusk or dawn, and the first visual indicator of deer on the road are their reflective eyes.
"It's been my experience that, if there's one, there's usually a couple more behind them," Bellendir said. "You'll get one across the road, don't be confident that that was the only one because there's probably another one coming someplace."
Common safety tips for drivers include slowing at deer crossing signs or known active areas, avoiding evasive actions that can result in rollover accidents, and wearing seat belts.
In Barton County, any motor vehicle accident with a deer resulting in damages of $1,500 or more must be reported to law enforcement. Law enforcement prefers the accident is reported from the location of the incident. A driver may request a salvage tag but Bellendir advised drivers not to take possession of the deer until a deputy issues the salvage tag.