In reference back to issue No. 35 (“Deerly departed,” Nov. 2): The deer population deserves our respect, not our scorn. Humans have invaded their habitat, and we expect them to adapt, but that’s not the way it works; they are wild animals.
With that said, drivers need to slow down on Highway 1, 4 miles either side of the main Vandenberg AFB entrance, especially at night and the pre-dawn hours. This is prime deer area, and a little over a month ago there were several incidents of vehicle/truck versus doe. It must be remembered that deer can and do cross Highway 1 in search of food.
Also deer will dart across roads if they are being chased by a predator, or even have the fear of such. You have to anticipate that a deer may cross in front of you at any time!
This article appears in Jan 4-11, 2018.