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Deer mating season a costly time of year for drivers

They come out of nowhere and can do a mess of damage to your vehicle. We are in mating season for whitetail deer and they are everywhere, especially in the Poconos.

MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — Front ends are off of almost every vehicle you see at Pocono Motion Body Shop in Stroud Township.

Those pieces are being repaired and whitetail deer are to blame for the damage.

"It has been crazy busy with deer hits this year more so than in most years. I don't know, I thought the warm weather would have calmed it down but it's just been crazy. We are packed, packed with deer hits right now and they just keep coming and coming and coming," said Rich Banks, Pocono Motion Body Shop.

According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, deer are now in the rut, their mating season.

Rich Banks owns the body shop and says the damage coming in is mixed from extensive to bumps and bruises but it's all costly.

"Right now, I have 35 cars on the schedule coming in. Some people are driving them but we've got a couple nine or ten thousand dollar deer hits this year," said Banks.

Alright, so you hit a deer with your car, now what? Well if you're me, you panic and call your dad but what you should actually do is call the police and then get in touch with your insurance company.

Norval Davis is an insurance professional at Shirley Katz Insurance near East Stroudsburg.

"If you don't have comprehension which is what covers deer hits, then there's no coverage and you're on your own to repair your vehicle. If you do have coverage, what will normally happen is that you're responsible for any deductible that needs to be paid. Then you'll be instructed to take your vehicle to a shop of your choice and or a shop that works with your insurance company," said Norval Davis, Shirley Katz.

Davis says common mistakes people make are forgetting to file a police report and believe it or not forgetting to call your insurance company.

"A lot of people pay for insurance don't even know what they have. That's when you have to sit down with someone like me here at Katz to go over your coverage and make sure you're protected, especially where we live here in the Poconos there are deer all over 80," said Davis.

If you do find a deer on your commute, Game Commission officials say slow down, blow your horn to urge the deer to leave the road. Don't try to go around it.

The rut goes through at least the end of November.

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