Saw my first deer of the season this AM at approx 0330!

November 30 is the first day of deer season in PA. The Etown public school system celebrates this "holiday" with a teacher inservice day so as not to fight with the parents about their children missing a day of school. It truly is a holiday. Matt informed me that many of his college students said their public school districts "back home" don't have school on the first day of deer season! Who knew!?!?!?

When I drive home around 0330 ish from work I have my own version of deer hunting....This week: Wednesday morning was a full moon on a very clear, early morning...should have seen deer, no deer. Thursday morning is was raining like crazy no expectation of deer, no deer seen.

This morning after a wonderful, non-eventful shift at work I headed home around 0323. The morning was perfect-calm, still, no rain or wind....As I headed out of Hershey and into what I call the twilight zone between Hershey and Etown I was on the lookout for deer. I passed a few trees and then an opening ready to catch the glimpse of four legs or a flash of light from two black eyes....there it is...a very, very large deer. I can tell she is thinking about crossing the road and I see her soon enough to slow down. She stays on the shoulder and turns to run back into the field. "Smart little (big) deer!" I say to myself.

Little voice in my head..."It's not the first one that gets you, it's the second one." I take what feels like forever, but was really only seconds to look "for the second one." No second one, so I continue home safely.

I arrive home safe and sound thankful for good brakes, great car headlights, and for the invention of contacts that keep my eyesight keen! Oh- and thanks dad for always being that "little voice" when it comes to deer season!

I have seen many deer run across the road in front of me and I have seen the second one that "can get ya." It's always the first one of the season that takes my breath away-even when I am ready for it. I am so grateful to have never met the fate of impact; but working in the ER I have seen the result. It can be devastating!

Please be diligent as you travel during "the rut." The deer are out there, luckily I saw a smart one today- but there are others out there that don't look both ways before crossing the roads!