Deer crossing signs are nowhere near as common as they used to be? Reason being, you're about as likely to hit one just about anywhere as opposed to merely frequent travel paths alone.

Amongst the recent road killed carnage noted along Interstates 77, 79, Corridor G and just about anywhere Elseville, West Virginia, deer blood and guts are literally strewn across our highways.

It should also come as no surprise then that the insurance companies rank the Mountain State as one of the highest risks for hitting one with your vehicle.

Maybe the few remaining signs should instead read "Getting Cross with A Deer."

With nigh 20,000 reported road kills last year alone, just about everyone has either hit one or knows someone who has in the recent past.

And, those numbers are absolute reported minimums not including the ones going off to die in the woods, dragged off by bears or picked up and salvaged by humans.

By the way, you may utilize a road-killed deer for consumption but should call DNR or the nearest enforcement authority before doing so.

As for the gruesome task of picking up the remains of the more ripe or smattered ones, that goes to the DOH, Highways or state road garage folks.

What a thankless chore not to mention the substantial costs of disposal.

Still yet, many are opposed to deer hunting which is deer population control in its purest form, one with a positive boost to the economy as well.

State hunters will bag between 150 and 250 thousand per annum to keep the herds in check.

A year or two without such massive culling and the nigh million head herd would double just like that.

Yet you still kind of miss all those signs with the immortalized bounding whitetail image.

And for the holidays, there was some kindred spirits that went through all that trouble to put those little red noses on them as in Rudolph the red-nosed deer crossing sign.

And you also have to admit that the bullet holes were ample testament of some different breed that used them for target practice with about the same frequency of the red nose painters.

One thing for sure, the folks that perpetrated the shooting were some pretty poor shots.

At any rate, it's that time of year when deer and vehicle collisions are rampant. The deer mating season is in November and there is a lot of chasing and running, plus feeding up for winter and not to mention being pushed around by hunters.

So slow down and drive with caution. Keep your eyes peeled for those bounding whitetails especially in the peripheral vision.

Even so, there may be times when deer collisions are absolutely unavoidable.

All you can do is do your best.

So let's be careful out there. Stay organized with simple drag and drop from Windows Live Hotmail. Try it.