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Not Just In The Fall: Car Vs. Deer Crashes On Rise

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May 26, 2009 5:53 pm US/Central

Not Just In The Fall: Car Vs. Deer Crashes On Rise

Reporting
John Lauritsen
(WCCO) If you haven't hit a deer while driving in Minnesota consider yourself lucky. There's a good chance you know someone who hasn't been so lucky.

Jorden Rauscher knows that feeling.

"Hit my front left quarter panel and almost half of my hood. The deer crushed it pretty good. I was doing around 65 to 70, right around there, and it did a lot of damage," said Rauscher.

The deer that hit his truck cost $8,000 in damage.

Rauscher's story is the kind you typically hear in the fall. However, the number of animals being hit by Minnesota drivers has gone up each month since February -- and the majority are deer.

"What's really moving back and forth across the roads are 1-year-old deer just being kicked off by mom," said Lou Cornicelli of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR said younger deer are looking to establish their own territory and, unfortunately, while trying to do that they are coming into contact with cars and trucks.

The metro area may be seeing the most car vs. deer collisions because deer don't have any natural enemies in the cities. It's a formula that is harmful for the animal and destructive for the driver.

"I saw multiple deer lying on the roads already just on Memorial weekend so I'm not surprised at all. I hit one a while back and it cost about two or three thousand dollars to fix," said Mike Verdeja.

The DNR said both deer and people are on the move right now, with this being the start of travel season in Minnesota. That is playing a part in the jump in car-deer crashes as well.

The DNR recommends not swerving when a deer runs in front of your vehicle. That can help prevent a more serious crash.

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