SCOTT SHALAWAY Acorns, deer, the highway and you

It took a few days to see the pattern.
I almost hit a deer several times on my way to town recently. That's normal this time of year. The rut is under way, and deer have more important things on their minds than highway safety. Bucks are battling one another and chasing does. Does are contemplating the increasingly bold advances of the rutting bucks. But all these near misses came at the exact same places.
Finally, when I had to come to a complete stop a few days ago as six deer boldly blocked the road, the light bulb flashed on. It wasn't coincidence that I encountered deer at the same spots each day. It was the oak trees along the road.
The crunching sound I heard when I passed these places was more than the normal gravel road noise. It was the sound of acorns being crushed under my tires.
Some of the oaks along the roads I regularly travel have produced a bumper crop of acorns this year. And deer love acorns. They gathered at these spots every day to eat the fallen fruit. That's why I had so many close encounters. Now that I've made a mental note to drive more cautiously when I notice roadside oaks, my brakes are getting far less use.
Problems in fall
Fall is a dangerous season in deer country. Road-killed deer litter rural roads, interstate highways, and even city streets. Understanding that a roadside food supply can worsen the problem can make driving just a little safer. If you know of some big oaks along your regular travel routes, beware.
The physical structure of white oaks, in particular, adds to this problem. White oak branches grow almost horizontally and sometimes stretch for 50 feet. So while the trunk of the tree might seem a safe distance from the road, acorn-laden branches can hang directly overhead.
Another tip to reduce the likelihood of hitting deer with a vehicle is to remember that in the fall, they run in small groups. This is particularly important to keep in mind at night. If one deer dashes across the road, several more are almost certain to follow. And often there's a delay of several seconds until the stragglers appear.
When a deer crosses your path, slow down. Scan the road ahead from side to side, expect more deer to follow, and be prepared to stop. Follow this advice, and you'll be sending me a thank-you note instead of calling an insurance adjuster.
Of course, fallen acorns and other nuts attract more than just deer. Gray fox and red squirrels and chipmunks also want their share of the harvest. So keep your eyes open for these smaller mammals, too. Just yesterday my wife remarked that she's seeing more squirrels dashing madly across the road this year than ever before. And I've already noticed dozens of road-killed squirrels and chipmunks. On the other hand, crows and vultures don't mind the roadside buffet.
If you've observed a big crop of acorns, walnuts and hickory nuts this fall, spend a Sunday afternoon collecting some for the birds. Nuts are also favorite foods of blue jays, red-bellied woodpeckers, turkeys and nuthatches.
Collecting freshly fallen nuts, however, is not as easy as it might seem. You'll be competing with deer, chipmunks, turkeys and squirrels. Timing is critical. Collectors must find newly fallen nuts before the critters do.
Helping out
To make my backyard birds' lives a bit easier, I crack the harder nuts before putting them on the feeder. This allows smaller billed birds such as chickadees and titmice to eat these high energy foods and saves bigger billed birds the headaches that might come from opening intact nuts. After watching birds flock to a tray of nut meats, it's easy to understand why several birdseed manufacturers now include nut meats in their better mixes.
Oaks are the most important trees in the eastern deciduous forest; their acorns feed a surprisingly large percentage of woodland creatures. Understanding this universal appeal, especially where oaks grow along the road, can help keep our highways just a little bit safer this fall.
sshalaway @aol.com