– Game bands should be compulsory in all cars on the same level as vests and warning triangles, says game hunter Kjell Håvard Horverak in Kristiansand municipality. He is back at the place where two deer were hit a few days earlier. Autumn and winter are high season for game encounters. Due to the warm climate, there are now more wildlife collisions than ever. Horverak has noticed the increased trend. – Especially among deer. So far this year, we have had 110 collisions and over 200 people registered that may have something to do with collisions. Fall game hunter Kjell Håvard Horverak believes game bands should be compulsory and kept in the car. Photo: Vetle Hjortland / news The fall game hunter believes that a game band will make the job of him and his colleagues easier and mean that fewer animals suffer unnecessarily. – We can start the search immediately and animals will not suffer longer than necessary, says Horverak. A so-called game band provides information on what the driver should do if he is unlucky and runs into an animal. It can also be used to show the hunters where the collision occurred and in which direction the animal disappeared. – Scary situation This week, Agder county council had an information campaign about wildlife collisions. Here, among other things, they handed out game bands to residents. Wildlife expert Katrine Skaiaa Gunnarsli in the county council believes that the bright yellow band is important to have in the car in the event of an accident. Game expert Katrine Skaiaa Gunnarsli in Agder county municipality hands out game bands to residents. Photo: Vetle Hjortland / news – Driving a large deer is a frightening situation. Then it’s done quickly and you don’t think clearly. The tape tells you what to do. She says that there is a peak in the number of wildlife collisions at this time of year. – People are in the forest hunting and picking mushrooms and berries. Then there is more movement of the animals and a greater risk of collisions. Hang from a tree According to Statistics Norway (SSB), collisions with wildlife have increased by almost 10 per cent in the past year. Since 2019 and until today, almost 9,000 deer have been hit. Gunnarsli says the most important thing to remember when hitting a game is to notify the police on 02800 and to secure the scene of the accident. She reminds of the importance of putting on a reflective vest before getting out of the car. – If the animal runs out of the way, take the game band and hang it on the nearest tree or ploughshare. Since 2019 and until today, almost 9,000 deer have been hit. This is shown by statistics from Statistics Norway. Photo: Jøte Toftaker Not being punished A game band that has been set up in the right place also makes the work easier for dogs that have to search for deer game. Fall game hunter Horverak says it saves a lot of time in the search. – It is important for my dogs that they are put on where the animal has been hit. It also makes the job easier for them if there are several animals. – Do most people have enough knowledge of what to do if they drive over a game? – No, they don’t and it’s sad that animals have to suffer unnecessarily. I have experienced that game has lain for up to two days before it is registered, says Horverak. He points out that a driver is never punished for driving deer or other animals. – You are not doing anything illegal, but it is very important that you report it to the police. It is much better to speak up than not to let the animal suffer.
ttn-69
Encourages the use of game bands – easier to find injured animals – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
