Wisconsin drivers are being urged to watch for deer as the annual mating season, known as the rut, gets underway.
A Wisconsin sheriff’s office reported six deer-vehicle crashes in the past 24 hours, giving deer movement a rating of four out of five stars.
The sheriff’s office is launching daily rut reports to help motorists stay alert and give hunters a better idea of when deer may be most active.
Deputies will use reported deer-vehicle crashes to track activity throughout the season, assigning daily ratings from one to five stars.
Last year, the highest number of crashes occurred Nov. 5, when deputies responded to 12 incidents.
The sheriff’s office plans to release updated crash totals and deer movement ratings each day at approximately 10 a.m. over the coming weeks.
Officials encourage motorists to remain vigilant as deer activity increases during the mating season.