DEER PROGRAM REPORT DEER ROGRAM REPORT

MDWFP personnel have monitored statewide deer road kill sinceJanuary 1997. All dead deer observed on or adjacent to roadsand highways are recorded during the personnel’s regular course oftravel from October 1 – January 31. The cause of death of theseanimals is assumed to be a vehicle collision. The specific location bycounty is recorded for every deer observed. Personnel also recordtheir monthly mileage. In the past these data were analyzed, and theaverage number of deer observed per 10,000 miles is was calculatedby district. However, with changing district lines and MDWFP personnelroutinely traveling outside their home district, we have changedthis to a statewide average and not district averages.Graphical monthly statewide summaries of these data are presentedin Figure 3. The precise value and accuracy of this method of data collectionhave not been critically evaluated. No evaluation has been madeto determine if number of vehicles on the highways has increased, decreased,or remained constant. Therefore, any inferences or interpretationof these data should be approached cautiously. Every effort has beenmade to standardize sampling protocol.When these data are examined graphically, fluctuations over time areapparent. Certain assumptions may be logical. For example, an increasein observed deer vehicular related mortality is a result of an increase indeer activity. Data are currently collected from October – January. Activitypeaked during the fall and winter around breeding seasons, whendeer activity is at its highest.A second assumption is if deer numbers are fluctuating annuallyand the number of deer observed is density dependent, then in lowerpopulation years, fewer road-killed deer will be observed. Conversely,during high population years, a greater number of road-killed deer willRoad Kill Data By Month (InDeer Per 10k Miles) 2006-2007Figure 3Road Kill Survey Report2006-2007Figure 4be observed. If this assumption is correct, deer populations increasedduring the 2006 – 2007 season. In addition to increasing or expandingdeer herds, road kill observations may be heavily influenced by weatherconditions and mast availability. The dry weather during the summer of2006 may have caused deer movement to increase earlier in the yearin addition by causing mast crops to fail. This past year, observed roadkills increased the most during the months of October and November,with December and January remaining consistent with previous years.This is most likely due to increased deer movement due to dry conditions,stressed browse, and an overall poor mast crop caused by the latesummer drought. Also, road side right-of-ways being which are plantedin cool season grasses and legumes tended to congregate deer alonghighways.We also collect road-kill data from two outside sources: State Farm InsuranceCompany and The Mississippi Office of Highway Safety. Accordingto State Farm’s estimates there were 12,146 deer-vehicle collisions in2005 – 2006 and 13,197 in 2006 – 2007. These estimates fit the sameincreasing trend from the MDWFP personnel’s road-kill observations.The data from State Farm has been projected for the whole insuranceindustry, based on State Farm’s known auto insurance marketshare within each state. This data is based on actual comprehensive andcollision claims, and as such, would not include deer-vehicle collisionswhere the policy holder had only liability insurance coverage (which istypically carried on older vehicles in some states).Ro a d Kill Su r v e yTable 2. Road Kill Data By Month (In Deer Per 10k Miles)2006-2007Month 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 Avg. all YearsOctoberNovemberDecemberJanuarySeason Avg.6.76.47.68.17.26.38.15.98.37.25.98.610.48.38.36.67.310.19.58.46.59.213.011.210.08.411.112.811.811.06.78.510.09.5242006-2007 Mississippi Deer Program Report