Deer Crossing

I used to have a much better opinion of deer, but daily pre-dawn driving on Hwy 97 has completely ruined my appreciation for them. My official distaste for the pea-brained creatures took root a couple of summers ago during the big repaving project. We were cruising along the freshly grooved pavement when Adam and I spotted the herd in front of us. I remember both of us letting out a startled shout as Adam hit the brakes and the tires began to screech! We skidded for what seemed like forever before finally coming to a stop, smoke billowing from the tires, just a few inches from several crossing deer. As we sat there holding our hearts in our chests, the deer continued across the road, without so much as a flinch, dopily ambling their way to the other side. Wouldn't you think they'd be a little frightened by the noise and commotion? It was as if they didn't even know we were there.

This was just one of many near-misses we have experienced during our early morning commute to Wenatchee. The deer on this side of the river seem to have become very accustomed to traffic and the multitudes of carcasses littering the roadway certainly don't deter them. It is interesting to me that you never seem to hear about the Hwy 97 deer hazard on local radio, yet there is always talk of the big horned sheep that love to hang out on the shoulders of 97A. I really hope it isn't "just a matter of time" before we actually hit one.