As hunters venture north, they are clearly in 'deer country.' With the gun season just days away the heaviest traffic is expected Friday afternoon. 600 thousand hunters are expected to hit the woods and with all those drivers, chances of hitting a deer on the highway go up.

Shawano County Sheriff's Department Captain says drivers should use caution especially during the gun hunt. "Certainly when the deer are being pushed around, they're running and they're not following their traditional trails."

And with new highways cutting through the northwoods and bypasses in Peshtigo and Oconto, drivers have smooth sailing, but deer may have new obstacles getting around. Tie that in with the mating season and DNR Biologist Jeff Printzl says; "This is the peak of the car-deer accident season, unfortunately."

But are the new by-pass areas a prime killing zone for deer? Pritzl says time will tell, but age-old advice must be taken. "This time of year all motorists need to be especially on guard for deer crossing highways whether it's new roads or old roads."

Captain Tuma advises drivers and hunters to slow down. "Just a few miles an hour that someone slows down, really can make a difference in whether you're going to have several thousand dollars damage to your car, or be able to avoid a crash."