colorcountrykid
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LAST EDITED ON Mar-29-12 AT 07:06PM (MST)[p]Today I was driving on old highway 91 between Summit and Parowan, Utah and it was really disheartening seeing the number of roadkill deer carcasses strewn all over the shoulders of the road in this short distance. So many deer meeting such senseless deaths in a deer herd that is already struggling.
The thought came to me that in certain areas with high traffic from wintering deer that maybe they should consider lowering the speed limit during the deer herd's wintering months. I believe that a person cruising along at 40 to 45 miles per hour would have a much better chance of slamming on the brakes and avoiding a collision with darting deer than someone clipping along at 55, 60 or 65 miles per hour. I'm not even advocating this for long stretches of road where there is only a possibility of hitting a deer but more for short stretches of road where the deer crossings are at their most frequent and a collision with one becomes less of a possibility and more of a probability.
Now you might say it wouldn't work because people are just gonna drive the old speed limit anyway. This is where we could put our civil servants to work and have them patrol these areas especially heavily and be generous with the citations to get people to slow down. We all know our deer numbers aren't doing too great right now and deer/vehicle collisions are a major piece of the puzzle in what has been causing mule deer decline.
So what do you think Monster Muleys? Good idea? Dumb idea? Wouldn't make a bit of difference? Weigh in on this proposal.
The thought came to me that in certain areas with high traffic from wintering deer that maybe they should consider lowering the speed limit during the deer herd's wintering months. I believe that a person cruising along at 40 to 45 miles per hour would have a much better chance of slamming on the brakes and avoiding a collision with darting deer than someone clipping along at 55, 60 or 65 miles per hour. I'm not even advocating this for long stretches of road where there is only a possibility of hitting a deer but more for short stretches of road where the deer crossings are at their most frequent and a collision with one becomes less of a possibility and more of a probability.
Now you might say it wouldn't work because people are just gonna drive the old speed limit anyway. This is where we could put our civil servants to work and have them patrol these areas especially heavily and be generous with the citations to get people to slow down. We all know our deer numbers aren't doing too great right now and deer/vehicle collisions are a major piece of the puzzle in what has been causing mule deer decline.
So what do you think Monster Muleys? Good idea? Dumb idea? Wouldn't make a bit of difference? Weigh in on this proposal.