Wildlife on the Road

Suggested Citation: Kerr, Andy. 2000. Oregon Desert Guide: 70 Hikes. Seattle: The Mountaineers Books. p. 25.

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Deer and elk can also total you and/or your car. At night, wildlife can fixate on headlights, and you can often see the light reflected in their eyes. Interestingly, with cattle you cannot. Is it that they look away, or is it that their eyes don't reflect? Perhaps this is a reflection on the dullness of the species.

If one deer safely crosses in front of your car, most likely there are others. Slow down. Night driving can also result in collisions with owls and other large birds and small mammals. Rabbits in particular seem to have a game in which they run under your car as you run over—but not squish—them. The rest of the rules to the game are unclear to humans.