Minnesota sees decrease in deer-related crashes: "This is a real head-scratcher"

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota is seeing fewer deer on state highways, and crashes are becoming less common — but experts are having a tough time explaining why.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says the peak of white-tail deer mating season is in November, which the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) says is also the typical peak month for deer-versus-car collisions in the state.

The HLDI says the rate of November crashes over the last decade is lower in Minnesota compared to neighboring states, with last November's crash frequency being the lowest in the past 10 years.  

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"This is a real head-scratcher," said HLDI Senior VP Matt Moore, senior vice president of HLDI. "Originally, we thought we might get a big spike in November 2021, thinking more deer might have survived the 2020 season. Maybe an increase in hunting prevented that from happening. But that doesn't explain the drop in 2022. It might be related to changes in commuting patterns as people continue to work from home, or we might just be seeing variations in the data. Time will tell."

They say new automatic brake systems and better headlights could be helping, but they'll be watching insurance claims closely next month.

The National Deer Association also says there's no evidence of a decrease in deer population. In fact, populations may be increasing, specifically in urban areas.