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Statistics about car and deer accidents
In order understand what car and deer accident reports
really mean you must consider all of the factors that influence the numbers. In
order to do this it is necessary to look at a lot of statewide and national data
related to these factors and then extrapolate the probable data related to this
subject because specific data does not exist. We hear a lot about
misinformation, when it comes to deer in Michigan there is an abundance of that.
Articles are loaded with we think, maybe, probably, no one knows for sure,
possibly, probably etc.. In other words the information is tailored to whatever
agenda the author is pushing. We are not attempting to downplay the seriousness
of car deer collisions but want to put them into perspective as a justification
for killing deer via a cull.
This is the published information used to draw
conclusions about car deer accidents.
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There are about 7,303,104 licensed drivers in
Michigan today. See page 41 of pdf.
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There are about 2 million deer in 2022, up from 1.7
million deer in 2020. An estimated population of 1.75 million deer in 2016
through 2018, up from an estimated 1.58 million deer in 2015. Based on
harvest data about 1.4 million deer in 2014, 1.6 million in 2013 and 1.7
million in 2012.
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The herd declined following harsh winters of
2013-2014.
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The deer population is reported to be 1172905 in
1938.So despite the variances caused by winter conditions the increase has
been 827,025 in the last 84 years or about 10,000 per year. Hardly an
explosion.
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The deer population data is all conjecture but it is
the best data there is, albeit conflicting, as the state has never done an
accurate count, which with new technology could be done.
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There were 51,103 car deer
accidents in 2020 706 in Mason County or .00719 per licensed driver. If
you drive 10,000 miles per year the odds of being in a car accident is .0278
and it goes up the more miles you drive.
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So, you are 3.86 times more likely to be in an
accident with another vehicle than with a deer and deer collisions are far
less likely to be serious or injure the driver or passengers.
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About 2.5% of deer are involved in car deer accidents
so the number of deer you must kill by a cull is many time the amount the
DNR ever permits.
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The only reasonable conclusion one can draw is that
culls are a money making scheme for the DNR and a waste of money for the
communities involved in them. There are legitimate concerns related to crop
damage and to a lesser extent ornamental planting damage but these can only
be resolved by individual efforts to protect one's own property.
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There may be times when state involvement is
justified but not in the killing of the deer, if for no other reason than it
does not help unless you are prepared to kill a lot of deer.
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