Here are some safety tips on avoiding car-deer crashes, or to minimize damage when the accident is unavoidable:
- Use special caution in those areas marked with deer crossing signs.
- If you see one deer, expect there will be others. Slow down and be alert.
- Do not swerve your vehicle to avoid striking a deer. It is better to strike a deer than another vehicle or a fixed object.
- Continually scan the fields and areas adjacent to the roadway for deer. Often, you can see them approaching the roadway and can slow down.
- During hours of darkness, use your bright lights when no traffic is approaching. The high beams will illuminate the eyes of the deer approaching the road or already in the road.
- Deer are active year round within Tompkins County.
- Always drive at a safe and prudent speed, and always wear your seat belt
To report a dead deer in the right-of-way, please contact the following: 
On State Highways - (607) 756-7072
On County Roads - Email or (607) 274-0300
On Town Roads - Please call the Town Highway Department involved.
Note: The Highway Department will pick up dead deer in the County right-of-way (typically 25' from the centerline of road), on County Roads only (see roads listed on "County Roads" link). They do not pick up other dead wildlife or domestic animals.
Deer Removal by County Highway Employees in 2023 (January - December):
Male Deer : 40
Female Deer : 95
Fawn : 8