Moose on loose: 13 crashes on a single stretch of Saskatchewan highway

Moose and deer are on the move this season and the number of vehicles colliding with the them is rising.

Scott Osborne, a volunteer firefighter in Foam Lake, said he's seen a spike in vehicle collisions with moose along Highway 16. 

Osborne said there are typically one or two collisions involving moose per year on the 90-kilometre stretch of road his department covers. This past year, there have already been 13.

"The damage done to vehicles is very extensive and (moose are) entering into the cabin area, which is very concerning for us," Osborne said. "Their legs basically get knocked out from under them and the body is landing right on the front end of the vehicle on the wind shield area."

To make matters worse, many drivers and passengers are lucky to get out alive.

"We only had 20 per cent where minor injuries or none," Osborne said. "The rest have been fairly serious."

As the sun goes down, wildlife are more on the move and Osborne said the spike usually happens between 6 p.m. and midnight.

"They're almost impossible to see at night," he said. "Everyone we been to, every person reported there was nothing, and then there was bang."

Osborne's message is clear: be alert and drive carefully.