Wyoming Drivers Urged to Watch for Wildlife

Wyoming Game and Fish Department warns that the end of daylight saving time raises the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions on state roads.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Wildlife

Mule deer standing at the shoulder of a straight rural highway across open sagebrush plains at dusk, with distant mountain ridges on the horizon. — Wyoming Game and Fish Department urges drivers to watch for wildlife on state roads as the end of daylight saving time brings darker evening commutes. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Wyoming Game and Fish Department urged drivers to stay alert for wildlife after the clock change over the weekend. Commuters are now traveling in darker conditions while animals are not expecting the shift in traffic.

Why it matters

A 2022 study found deer-vehicle collisions rose 16% in the week following the autumn clock change, and Wyoming records more than 7,600 wildlife collisions on its roads each year. Earlier evening darkness and changing animal movements during the migration and breeding season raise the risk for Wyoming motorists.

Teton County recorded a 10-year average of 239 wildlife-vehicle collisions from 2014 to 2024, though collisions are typically underreported and actual totals could be two to four times higher.

The players

Wyoming Game and Fish Department

The state agency responsible for managing Wyoming's wildlife, which issued the warning to drivers about wildlife on roads after the clock change.

State Farm

A major insurance company whose report placed Wyoming among the top 15 states for wildlife-vehicle collisions.

The details

Deer are foraging to build final fat reserves before winter and moving to different seasonal habitats as fall shifts to winter. Migrating wildlife are also distracted by breeding and hunting season during this period.

- 2014 to 2024: Teton County's 10-year period for its average of 239 wildlife-vehicle collisions.
- 2022: A study showed a 16% increase in deer-vehicle collisions in the week after the autumn clock change.
- Weekend before publication: Daylight saving time clock change occurred, shifting commutes and evening darkness.

Seasonal Patterns

The 2022 study documenting a 16% rise in deer-vehicle collisions after the autumn clock change applies to Wyoming, where State Farm ranked the state in its top 15 for wildlife-vehicle collisions. Wyoming's Teton County data shows a steady average of 239 collisions annually over the past decade.

Drivers should slow down and scan roadsides during dawn and dusk, especially in deer-heavy areas of Wyoming. Watch for animals near roads during the fall migration and breeding season when movements are less predictable.

The takeaway

Wildlife-vehicle collisions are likely more frequent than official counts suggest, so extra caution during evening commutes after the clock change can reduce the risk of collisions on Wyoming roads.