Achill IFA says a structured deer management programme is currently underway in the Achill area in response to the serious increase in deer-related road traffic incidents experienced locally in recent years.
Over the past number of years, and particularly in recent times, many people in the Achill parish have come forward with accounts of collisions and near misses involving wild deer on local roads.
In response to these public safety concerns raised by the community, a coordinated deer management programme has now been put in place in the Achill area.
Achill IFA insists that this is a controlled programme involving authorised and licensed participants only. Achill is not open to outside or unauthorised hunting activity. The aim is responsible management of the deer population while ensuring the safety of road users and maintaining a sustainable balance with the natural environment.
From the information gathered locally over approximately the past 18 months, in the region of 14 serious road traffic incidents involving deer have occurred on Achill roads. These incidents have resulted in damage ranging from several thousand euro to vehicles being completely written off. In a number of cases, people have been injured, with some still recovering, and there has also been a lasting impact in terms of trauma, particularly where families and children were involved. Many elderly who have had collisions or near misses are afraid to travel in dusk or hours of darkness.
In addition to recorded collisions, near misses are very frequent and are a regular occurrence for many road users, particularly on the Achill to Mulranny road and across the wider Achill area. These often involve deer standing on the roadside or crossing directly in front of vehicles, especially during evening, night and early morning travel.
The deer involved are Red Deer, with mature animals weighing up to approximately 250kg, and females up to 170kg, and capable of travelling at speeds of 70–80 km/h. This contributes significantly to the severity of collisions and the level of damage caused.
