Nearly 100 deer hit by Austin drivers since 2017

Every week, a deer dies in Austin.

Drivers all around the city end up in wrecks with deer, and in dozens of cases each year, officers must euthanize the animal after they suffer crippling injuries, according to Austin Police Department reports.

An American-Statesman analysis of deer collision data gathered by police found that Northwest Austin has the highest incidence of cases by far, with many occurring along or near Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway), Spicewood Springs Road and RM 2222. A number of collisions followed the path of U.S. 183 going northwest but none were on the actual highway.

That area has a number of wooded areas that deer tend to like, said Scott Jurk, a game warden captain for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

But not all of the deer collisions happen far away from downtown. Dozens of incidents are scattered around South and Southeast Austin, according to police data. One case happened just a mile south of the river on East Side Drive in Travis Heights.

“They used to cross Interstate 35 at Onion Creek all the time,” Jurk said of deer in the area. “They can show up just about anywhere.”

Police data, which includes close to 100 cases between the beginning of 2017 and the end of May 2019, doesn’t show every collision, though. Many collisions go unreported or the deer get up, walk off and die several hours or days later after being hit, Jurk said.

When police get a call about an injured deer, typically they go to the scene, call their supervisor to get permission to euthanize it, if necessary, and then call Austin Resource Recovery to have it picked up, said officer Destiny Silva, an Austin police spokeswoman.

"Watch the road — be prepared, though, because they can dart out in front of traffic just like any animal," Silva said. "First and foremost your safety is the most important."

Jurk said most vehicle-deer collisions are fatal for the animal, even if the deer gets back up and walks off afterward. Deer are practically made of playing cards compared to cars, and almost any hit will cause internal damage to the animal, he said.

“It’s really traumatic when they get hit by a car,” he said.

Jurk said deer can most often come out during the early morning or late evening. Deer on the side of the road or trying to cross the road are commonly spotted in wooded or partially rural areas. Areas near creeks also provide attractive habitats, he said.

Despite the seemingly obvious danger presented by cars, deer run across roads without paying much attention. Jurk said one even ran into the side of his car once when he was picking up his son from tennis practice in Georgetown.

“When they feel like they want to go somewhere, they’re going,” Jurk said. “But it doesn’t always work the best for them.”

During the mating season for deer — from late October to the end of November — Jurk said the males pay even less attention because they only have one thing on their mind.

“Don’t expect the deer to see you and stop,” Jurk said. “Their focus is on finding that doe.”

If someone hits and injures a deer outside of city limits, Jurk said they can euthanize it themselves if they have the ability to do so. They just need to call Texas Parks and Wildlife to get permission first. Doing this actually helps game wardens, of which there are only five in Travis County. That way, they don’t have to run all over the county putting down deer all the time.

Jurk said deer are so common across the county now, even in urban areas, that drivers just need to be constantly vigilant no matter where they are. If anyone sees one, “you want to slow down, be prepared and be on high alert.”

“Be aware of the sides of the road, especially in rural areas, but now even in neighborhoods,” he said. “And if one crosses the road, there’s a good chance there’s going to be more following it.”