NSFW! The Deer Are Getting Dirty In New Jersey

Does anybody else hate that it's basically pitch black outside by 5:30 p.m. these days? If you answered "yes," I'm right there with you. Not sure you feel the same way, but once it gets dark outside, I hate leaving my house.

It's hard to live that way with the holiday season bearing down upon us. It's time to shop! Not only that, but it's the time of year when you make plans to catch up with your friends and loved ones. That means there will be plenty of drivers on the road at all hours of the day.

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It's also that time of year when the deer smell the pheromones. Deer may not celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas, but this time of year, they sure do celebrate their own version of Valentine's Day. It's rut season here in the Garden State. That means the deer are getting freaky! Now through January, the deer will be getting wild. It's mating season. When it's spring, we'll see all the babies and remember why so many deer hopped out in front of our vehicles around the holidays.

Photo by Peter Burne on Unsplash

They're a lot more active this time of year because they're trying to engage in *ahem* activities *ahem* that we'll say aren't safe for work.

Photo by Peter Burne on Unsplash

They're getting busy! That's why it seems like they're a lot more active at night this time of year. According to the Department of Environmental Protection, the peak of rut season is right now, mid-November. That's why it's so important that you remain on high alert when traveling around on back roads. Most of them are poorly lit (if they're even lit at all) and have a lot of twists and turns. A deer could jump out at any moment.

Just be careful!

Source: DEP.NJ.gov

With all the construction that's gone down in South Jersey, it's no wonder deer are on the move. Check out these 28 Google Maps pics that show JUST how much South Jersey's changed

Empty lots are now stores in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. Existing stores were demolished to build new ones. Roads were changed for the better -- and they put red lights around that traffic circle at the airport.

Pay attention to NJ traffic patterns during rut season. Here's the reason some drivers won't turn right on red:

Unless there's a sign telling you otherwise, turning right on red in NJ is perfectly legal. But why are some hesitant to do so? Let's take a look at a few plausible reasons.

Gallery Credit: Mike Brant