There is a common saying in the Midwest, “you’ve either hit a deer or will hit one soon.”. With a 7.5:1 ratio of people to deer in the Midwest, it’s no wonder how common it is.
As the rut is starting, it is important to be hypervigilant – otherwise disaster can strike. The rut is what the breeding season for whitetail deer is commonly called. During this time period, deer can take more risks and be more aggressive leading to more human contact. This makes November the most dangerous month in terms of hitting deer.As we go into the cold months of winter snow, ice will start to accumulate making stopping distances much larger. That along with dusk coming only an hour after the end of the school day makes for hazardous driving conditions when deer are active. Drivers need to pay much closer attention during these times.
From 2020 to now in 2025 crashes have increased at a steady rate in Dunn county for a few reasons. The obvious first is that Covid had a drastic effect on jobs and social interactions, so people were driving less to save money on gas and there was no one to drive to. The second is more surprising, the number of hunters have drastically decreased in that time. From 2019-2024 the number of deer licenses have diminished over 24,000 around the state. WI DNR
When talking with local DNR representative Michelle Carlisle, she pointed out that they know a lot of data is missing with car-deer collisions, so if a deer is hit, please contact the authorities. Call 911 if the deer is in the road. Otherwise if it is on the shoulder or woods, contact the non-emergency sheriff number at (715) 232-1348.
To avoid hitting a deer all together, when driving at dawn or dusk, be on the look out for reflective eyes, both driver and passenger can do this. If you see one, there are others even if you don’t see them at that point; deer travel together so don’t think missing one will put you in the clear. Use your high beams when there are no cars close. Do not think a deer up ahead will move, they freeze in headlights, horns might scare them. If you are in a car, do not swerve but on a Motorcycle do whatever is safe to avoid the hit, you will lose.
If you want the carcass, wait a few moments before retrieving it as what looks like a dead deer might still be living. The person who hit the animal always has the first “dibs” on it. More information can be found at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/cardeer.html.
