...highways around me are 2 lane, and some of the roads less.

We have had this talk for years, about deer. Dh has always been very firm that, while it's terrible, he won't endanger himself, any of us, or people in other cars by swerving into oncoming traffic, or veering into a hill/tree to avoid a deer, or other animal.

Then, once, he had a deer jump out right at the car. He turned the wheel enough so that the deer didn't go through the windshield, as they can, but hit the corner panel, instead. It was incredibly sad, but no one in our car, or oncoming car, was hurt by how he handled it.

I don't see how, when there's only one northbound, and one southbound lane, one can avoid a deer that leaps from behind a bush.

There is one bit of advise that I can give.

If you happen to see a deer or other animal jump onto the road, and you are far enough away, and no one's going to rear end you if you slow down, it's a good bet. That's because when you see one cross the road, they are often followed by others that will be at your car by the time you get there. We've seen more than one following the first. So, just don't assume there's only the one. Maybe there's a driveway or turnout that you can turn up, or maybe you can safely slow down.

That happens less on the highway, though it does happen, than it does on quiet roads. We generally just stop if we see one on a quiet road, assuming that there are more to follow. First, there are rarely other cars, and second, we aren't speeding.

That's the other problem - speeding.

I'm sorry about your firefly. :-( I think that they are cool, too. That sounds like my bat and bird incidents. They don't belong in the house, no matter how cool they might be outside.