By: Kara Murphy

University of Georgia researchers are warning drivers to be on the lookout for deer this fall. According to a new UGA study, that’s the time of  year when deer are mating and most likely to create a hazard by running across the road.

Between 2005 and 2012, 45,811 deer-vehicle collisions were reported in Georgia, according to the study.

The peak time for deer movement in Barrow, Jackson, Hall, Madison, Clarke, and Oconee counties is Nov. 10-16, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources map. In Oglethorpe County, the peak time is Nov. 3-9.

Rutting season in the fall is when white-tail deer look for mates, according to James Stickles, lead researcher on the UGA project. Stickles says mating season is why deer-vehicle collisions increase.

The research compiled data from deer-vehicle collisions and compared it with deer movement information from deer wearing GPS collars in Harris County. It also compared data with the old “rut map” from Georgia Outdoor News to get this new information.