This kind of incident is not exclusive to late season trips. 20+ years ago, early summer, myself and my coworker drove from SLC to Bullfrog in an RX7 packed with tools to service a houseboat in Halls buoy field. It turned in to a very long day and wanting to get back to home, we left after dark with the little car repacked with tools and a small cooler in the middle top with a few drinks and ice. We agreed B would drive to I 70 while I tried to get a few winks. Then I would take over and maybe get home by 2 or 3 a.m. Welll.... made it about half way to Hanksville, at a probably accelerated rate of speed, when I was awakened by a sudden deceleration, cooler of ice water on my shoulder and lap, and a BIG BLACK cow in the middle of the road. The RX 7 was sliding sideways with the passenger side aimed squarely at the broad side of the future road kill. B released the brake , the car straightened out and the only contact was the cows tail into the windshield. No damage, but we both needed clean underwear, and there was no snoozing for the rest of the trip!
Glad everyone's mentioning the cows. I would've not thought of that.
Stay alert slow down at night be careful ! Good luck fishing!