7 Ways to Avoid Hitting a Deer in Michigan

According to Michigan State Police there are nearly 2 million deer in the state of Michigan.

In fact, with the deer population in Michigan continuing to skyrocket wildlife officials with the Michigan DNR are actually looking to hunters to help curb deer-vehicle collisions in the state.

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Think about it this way: the more deer are harvested in Michigan, the fewer deer there are to cause accidents on our roads. Adds the Michigan State Police,

In 2023, more than 58,000 vehicle-deer crashes occurred across Michigan in rural, suburban, and city settings...Because deer are most active at dawn and dusk, it is not surprising that most traffic crashes involving deer happen from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Despite having grown up in rural West Michigan in nearby Allegan, I surprisingly do not come from a hunting family. That doesn't mean I don't still enjoy venison jerky and steaks thanks to my friends that do!

Personally speaking, while the idea of encouraging people to kill more animals doesn't thrill me, neither does the idea of my car being totaled. With fewer hours of daylight in Michigan, here are some tips from MSP to staying safe this season: