Have you run into a deer on campus? You aren’t alone. The SUNY Old Westbury community has been battling an unexpected, furry obstacle—deer have become infamous for popping up all around campus. 

Night and day, rain or shine, spring and fall, the deer are out there. Students have had numerous encounters with wildlife all over campus, from the main entrance at Gate A all the way to roads behind the Woodland Halls or the Student Union. 

Is this a matter for concern? Deer have a tendency to walk on roads and stop in place while cars are driving, making themselves a danger to all drivers.

Sightings on campus are mostly unexpected, likely due to a lack of deer crossing signs. Only two are reported across Old Westbury’s 604 acres—one right by entrance A and one behind Woodland Halls. However, a majority of sightings take place in between them, with main lookout spots being on Ring Road, Wenwood Drive, or Elm Road, more populated streets by the main buildings. 

One student said that her encounter took place during the evening in October, which is regarded as prime deer season. She was on the alert for deer at dusk after leaving an evening class.  “I looked up and there were three or four of them crossing the street right in front of me,” said Alexandra Castillo, a commuter student. “I used to play a game with myself, whether I’d see them today or not, since I was always expecting to.”  

“They stop in the middle of the street,” said Sam Robinson, sharing her encounter from the winter of her sophomore year. “We were there for like, 5 minutes honking. They still didn’t move until I got out of the car and walked towards it.”

It’s hard to see deer crossing at night. Drivers must be aware of the risk of hitting a deer, especially in the dark because of a noticeable lack of streetlights on campus roads. “At night, half of the streetlights don’t even turn on,” laughed Robinson, a dorming student. 

Deer sightings also bring attention to the many runners who share the roads on campus. Both students and residents from nearby neighborhoods use these same, beautiful streets as their personal tree-lined track. Runners in dark clothing are hard to see between dusk and dawn. That dark shape in the shadows could be a deer or a jogger. A lack of protective gear such as reflective clothing or running lights can make them just as invisible at night. 

Every driver on campus should pay much closer attention to the road, following appropriate safety measures like headlights and driving slowly. Deer may be cute, but safety always comes first— keep your eyes peeled for anything that can put you at risk!