White-Tailed Deer
Did you know that the White-Tailed Deer was named as Pennsylvania’s State Animal in 1959?

When driving through Cook Forest State Park, you should be very alert after dusk and before dawn if you do not want a collision with a white-tailed deer. Deer eat along the road, making your collision even more probable.

In the spring, fawns are on the move as their mothers chase them away to prepare for the next cycle of fawns. Young bucks disperse to set up their own home range. Yearling does usually travel no farther than necessary and will often later reunite with their mother after her new fawns begin traveling with her.

Young deer make mistakes when crossing roads and moving through unfamiliar areas. their movement increases their chances for an accident. If you see one, there are probably more. Deer usually move in single file so more deer may be following. Slow down if you see one to make sure they have all passed in front of you.

Deer also may reverse their direction right after crossing a road. They do this because sometimes they get startled so that they retrace their footsteps to the other deer that they are traveling with. Deer are unpredictable but are creatures of habit. It is a good idea to slow down if you see a deer-crossing sign posted along the road. The signs are posed in areas where deer have been crossing for years.

This article was adapted from the State of Pennsylvania deer information.

Connect to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) web site to find out more about white-tail deer and/or hunting regulations pertaining to white-tail deer.