The buck came into view suddenly. From the corner of my eye, I saw it miss being struck by a car coming from the west on Montauk Highway. I braked quickly and steered my own car toward the shoulder. There was a loud thud.
This is the time of the year that deer are killed by vehicles here in great numbers. I would say that during October and November there is never a morning on my way to work that there isn't at least one dead on the side of the road. What once was an occasional shock has become routine as the deer have increased. We coexist warily, with high fences around farmland and fortified lawns.
Mid-fall is when deer reproduce. Shortening days trigger estrus in the does. Bucks clash antlers for dominance and a better chance at breeding. These struggles put the males on the move, as can their pursuit of less-than-receptive does.
Does give birth about 200 days after fertilization, typically in May and June, when the air is warm again and there will be plenty for the fawns to eat once they begin to graze when about a month old. A doe that does not become pregnant will cycle back into heat in 28 days, which is likely why you can see a second round of fawns emerge in early summer. No small subset of these will be struck and killed on the roads.
In my case, the buck struggled to his feet and disappeared into the big, town-owned field in Amagansett near Bunker Hill Road. Examining the exterior for dents later, I could find no signs of the impact. I drove the rest of the way to visit a friend in Sag Harbor more cautiously, staying at least five miles per hour below the speed limits, perhaps irritating the drivers behind my car, but about that I did not care a bit.