Rogers County Driver Warns Of Deer On Tulsa-Area Highways

A woman who hit a deer on a Rogers County highway is warning others.

Beth Clark says she was driving on Highway 169 in Oologah on her way to work about 7:30 a.m. when a deer came out of nowhere.

"By the time he's in front of me, I can't miss him. I can't get around him or turn, I'm going to hit him," Clark said. "He goes into my windshield, busts my windshield. Totally trashes the hood. Hits the top with his head."

"I'm white-knuckling it the first day back, just to make sure I'm not going to hit anything," Clark said of getting behind the wheel after the incident.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation says deer-versus-car accidents are not typical in the summer.

"It's not that common to see them due to the high temperatures. They're just not moving around much this time of the year," said Mike McAllister.

McAllister said it's important to watch out during mating season, which is mid-October to November.

"The bucks are traveling all over the place, 24 hours a day, seven days a week looking for does," McAllister said.

And in the meantime, be on the lookout for deer anyway, especially at dawn and at dusk when it's cooler out.

"If you have one suddenly dart out across the road, there's a good chance that there will be another one or two or three behind," McAllister said.

And if one does jump out in front of you,he says you should never swerve to miss them.

"Fatalities usually occur when the driver swerves to miss the deer, loses control, rolls the vehicle, or hits something more substantial than the deer," McAllister said.

Editor's note: Beth Clark is married to a News On 6 employee.