COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – On the weekend before the start of the firearms hunting season, the deer were running in Branch County, with many running right into cars.
The Branch County Central Dispatch log showed 22 deer-vehicle crashes between Friday and Sunday.
Four deer-vehicle crashes were reported on Sunday with nine crashes on both Saturday and Friday.
One Branch County Sheriff’s Office deputy alone handled eight accident reports Saturday afternoon and evening.
Branch County recorded 942 vehicle-deer crashes in 2023. The Michigan Office for Highway Safety Planning says motorists around the state reported 58,806 vehicle-deer crashes last year.
The most were in Kent County with 2,171 crashes followed by Oakland County with 2,125.
Those collisions led to 1,725 injuries and 19 deaths. Eleven of the people killed were motorcycle riders.
November was the worst month for vehicle-deer crashes last year with over 11,000 reported.
Used to be there were more responsible deer hunters and landowners were more tolerant about allowing hunters on their properties. Now deer populations are exploding and the farmlands & woodlands they used to roam look like junk yards. The eyesores of America the fenced in Solar Panels have disrupted deer trails and have destroyed habitat. Deer have to cross more roads because of it. Travel with caution.