No one wins when wildlife is struck by a vehicle, with the possible exception of the body shop that gets to do the repairs.
About 10,000 deer are killed each year by vehicles in Utah; in many cases, drivers don't know what to do after being involved in one of these accidents.
While drivers are not legally obligated to call the Division of Wildlife Resources or police, it's not a bad idea, especially if the animal is hurt or suffering, says DWR law enforcement sergeant Tony Wood.
"Call a local dispatch center," said Wood. "They will dispatch one of our officers or a deputy."
Citizens are not allowed to shoot or otherwise kill injured wildlife themselves because of liability concerns. And they won't be charged with poaching or other wildlife violations when such an accident occurs.
A county sheriff, local police officer, highway patrolman or wildlife conservation officer will likely come out and euthanize the injured animal.
Of course, that's not always a popular or easy job, either. Salt Lake City police recently shot and killed a deer injured in an accident near Foothill Drive and Wakara Way, only to face criticism from a witness.
In a story published in The Tribune , Cindy Prass was quoted questioning why the deer had to be killed.
"It wasn't lying there with blood coming out of it," Prass said. "It had a couple minor scrapes and an injury to one of its back feet."
According to Salt Lake City police spokesman Robin Snyder, it is department policy to euthanize severely injured animals. Most law enforcement agencies will likely respond in much the same manner.
"The reality of the world we are in is that if we leave an animal to suffer, we will get calls. And if we euthanize it, which in most cases means having to shoot the animals, we are going to get complaints," said Wood. "We can't send biologists with a euthanization drug kit every time we have an injured animal."
Curtis Breitweiser of Breitweiser Insurance in Ogden said that wildlife-vehicle collisions that damage the vehicle are usually covered by an auto policy's comprehensive section instead of collision. That's a good thing for the insured because the deductible for comprehensive is usually less or equal to collision.
"No report is needed," said Breitweiser. "All that is required is to basically turn it in like any other claim like a windshield crack."
Breitweiser speaks from personal experience. Several years ago, a deer jumped into the side of his car and caused extensive damage, including to the windshield which was hit by the deer's antlers. The insurance company handled the claim without a report even though the agent wondered if he should have asked for one from law enforcement.
Not all vehicle-wildlife encounters are so innocent. Wood remembers a case a few years ago when a poacher in eastern Utah shot a bull elk with a .22, but when that didn't kill the animal, ran it over with his truck. The antlers flattened all of his tires so he couldn't move. In that case, poaching charges were filed.
