EVALUATION OF THE FLASH (FLASHING LIGHT ANIMAL SENSING HOST) SYSTEM IN NUGGET CANYON, WYOMING

U.S. Highway 30 between Kemmerer and Cokeville, Wyoming bisects the migratory route of the Wyoming Range mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herd and is the site of hundreds of deer vehicle collisions each year. The Flashing Light Animal Sensing Host (FLASH) system, which consisted of infrared detectors that sensed deer as they passed through an opening in a deer proof fence and activated a sign with flashing lights to alert motorists to the presence of deer on or near the highway, and a geophone deer detection system, were assessed in order to determine their reliability, or accuracy of hits, as the sensors picked up deer approaching the area. It was found that more than 50% of the hits registered by the FLASH system were false hits not caused by deer, though the geophone system worked well throughout the study period, with no false hits detected. Vehicles did not slow down significantly for the warning signs. When deer or a stuffed decoy was adjacent to the road, and the lights activated, vehicles reduced their speed (12.32 and 6.63 mph on average for passenger vehicles and tractor trailers, respectively). This lack of speed reduction may be attributed to non-local motorists unfamiliar with the danger of deer vehicle collisions in the area. Investigation into the application of the warning light system on stretches of road heavily used by local residents familiar with deer migratory patterns and deer-vehicle collisions is warranted. The geophone system is more reliable than the FLASH system and should be used as a model for development of similar systems in the future.