Pennsylvania Deer Keep Jumping to Death From Bridge in 'disturbing' Scenes
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Pennsylvania Deer Keep Jumping to Death From Bridge in 'disturbing' Scenes
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Deer keep on jumping to their deaths from a bypass in Pennsylvania, with one resident calling the scenes "disturbing."
A total of 25 deer have jumped from the U.S. 219 bypass in Johnsonburg, Elk County, WJAC reported, and rotting carcasses continue to line the ground below.
Many residents are now urging the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to do something about it. One such resident is Bill Boylan. "They get frightened out on the bypass and panic. One jumps off, and they all leap off," Boylan told WJAC in a broadcast.
The deer are falling to their deaths over one area in particular. It is the only point the bypass crosses over a populated area, and there is a steep incline below, meaning it proves more dangerous to the deer.
Pennsylvania has a population of about 1.5 million white-tailed deer. Deer live in meadows and forests, and can sometimes venture out onto nearby roads while in search of food. Cars can confuse deer, especially at night when there are bright headlights. They are also spooked easily, which may play a role in why so many are leaping from the bypass.
Boylan told WJAC a barrier on the bypass could easily divert the deer from jumping to their deaths.
Related video: Neighbors get creative to free a deer stuck on their shared fence (USA TODAY)
However he told the broadcasting service that the Department of Transportation "doesn't see the wisdom" in installing a fence or some nets for the deer.
Another resident, Julie Padasak, is troubled by the sight of the carcasses. "They're literally jumping to death, and looking at them, it's disturbing," she told WJAC.
Padasak said she was concerned that all of the dead deer appear to be does, meaning it could affect the deer population, and, as a result, the hunting season. "[That] potentially could have been how many more deer populating ... they are the mothers to carry the baby deer," she said.
As the weather begins to warm in the spring, she is also concerned that the bodies lining the ground will start to smell.
District executive of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Tom Zurat, told WJAC they need to determine "where the deer are coming from" before they are able to do anything about the issue.
"How they are ending up on that bridge is really the problem we've got to solve first before we can determine if there's anything we can do or not," he told the television station.
Zurat said that over the next couple of weeks, the department will "try to get an answer together" and "at least an idea" of what is causing the problem.
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This doesnt sound like an insurmountable problem.
Fence on top of the concrete walls ought to do quite nicely.
Driving here on our highways at night, sometimes you can see deer on the side of the road. I bet people throwing out trash and the like has something to do with it.
I have seen several of them running across a four lane highway.
I am surprised we don't have more accidents.
I almost hit a deer in my driveway the other morning and it's not the first time that happened. About a year ago I had to wait a few minutes for the herd to cross my driveway
Deer eat the shrubs that grow on the edges of the woods, the deeper forest doesn't have that much low growing food. That's why you see them feeding on the edges of fields and on the sides of roads.
A fence will redirect the deer into traffic.
That is correct, the road commissions mow down the road sides allowing for a lush vegetation to grow again attracting the deer.
You'll be able to see them if they can't jump off and are milling around on the road.
Yes, as long as the drivers encountering them know not to swerve to miss them, not only endangering themselves but also others around them, you just brake keeping straight and hit them if they can't get out of your way.
Yep that's what I was taught.
Except to the deer involved.
I am surprised people are not waiting and collecting the deer after they jumped...
I'll wager there have been a few LOL
I was watching that Lone Star Law the other day. Not being a hunter, I was surprised at all the rules and regulation regarding deer. How many one can take, the size of the deer, how big the antlers are (have to be 13 inches wide, or something), have to be tagged, what kind of deer, etc.
Just did that about a month ago, a doe was hit just down from our driveway, talked to the police officer doing the report and I let him know I would take it, because the driver that hit it didn't want it, he had to call it in to let the DNR know I had this deer without a permit.
We processed the deer and found the hind and front quarters on one side were too bruised and were junk. Something that surprised us was the amount of fat it had for it being February, usually a deer has burned up most of it's fat making the meat taste bad.
What a bunch of lemmings.
sorry
Morning...well at least our kangaroos have more brains...they don't jump off bridges that is so mundane.
They like abit of action so jump in front of cars, trucks, trains, pedestrians, bike riders, planes and anything else that moves...
Heard stories about roos doing it, thought oh yeah till one did...was going like the clappers (fast) beside the road and then straight in front of me.. Stopped in time but nearly had Skippy on the bonnet...
Hope they find a solution for the deer... can't have Bambi jumping off bridges, it is not a good look.
If I'm doing 65-70 down the highway I'd rather have them jump off the bridge than jump in front of my car. Putting up a fence won't save the deer it will just change how they die and possibly kill a few people as well.
Maybe Trump can crowdfund another wall.