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Article: Deer Vehicle accidents the past 8 years.. Shocking

huntn2

Senior Member
6,090
157
Hudson, OH
How did Coshocton Co go from 612 DVA's to 41 in 8 years?

Those are the same questions I was asking Mike. That is why I pulled licensed drivers and mileage data. I figured there must have been a corresponding decrease in those stats and was shocked to see otherwise.

Like I have said, people are either no longer reporting their accidents, or a bogus number is being published. That is either the accident number or the herd population.

It is good to hear deer vehicle accidents are factored into harvest targets. My question then becomes why is the herd estimated only off harvest data but targets use additional elements? Perhaps I misinterpreted a previous post of yours in a different thread that stated how the population is estimated.

Bottom line is some are concerned about the herd size. The concern is if some things are not adjusted in the regs it could get "worse" for those observing a reduction in sightings.

By the way, I agree with you on the right vs. privilege.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I think if anyone here attends one of the ODOW district meetings soon, a handful of copies of those DVA statistics would be a good hand-out to fellow hunters walking through the door.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Here is something I find interesting man... Look at Allen County where you hunt. It saw a 12% increase... Now we can see why you keep saying you are not seeing a decrease in the amount of deer.. They haven't decreased for whatever reason...

We never had any deer to start with!!!! It is hard to see less deer when there aren't many. I have ONE property I see deer. Why? Because we have put in the work to see deer. Put in acres and acres of food plots just to see deer or. . . EVERY other property I hunt I have not seen a deer this season.

Want an explanation for an increase in deer/car crashes? I don't know. We have continued to build and expand. Urban sprawl? Less areas to hunt? Probably part of it. In 2002 we only had one Walmart for crying out loud! Not 24hr and not a Supercenter. We have 2 of the 24hr Supercenters now. Of course, along with them comes additional restaurants and other retarded little retail shops as well. That is the only logical explanation for an increase. It isn't because our numbers are up. It is because there are less places to hunt and more traffic in areas the deer used to call their homes. 12% increase isn't much when you are talking about a small deer density area.
 

matthewusmc8791

Junior Member
288
46
NE Ohio
Really? Lucas county has an increase of 44%...I really find that hard to believe...Not saying that it isn't true, but just hard to believe that it's the highest increase in the state...I guess I really need to get out more and utilize my 6 deer urban zone limit and my Zone B 4 deer limit!!


I've been saying that for years. Thats all its about.. Now the numbers don't lie, so now in a few more years our deer hunt sightings will get worse and so one.. get ready!!!! Oh one last thing, the DNR will post tha tthe deer harvest was right on track too, or at least within a few %. We're all hunters, how many did did you see and how many did you see harvested. IT'S a coming...
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
I think if anyone here attends one of the ODOW district meetings soon, a handful of copies of those DVA statistics would be a good hand-out to fellow hunters walking through the door.

Oh trust me buddy. I have far far bigger plans than that. You're thinking too small. Spring 2012 begins the campaign.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Ryan, deer-vehicle accidents do figure into the harvest target. As a matter of fact, farmers and motorists dictate the goal set by the state. If the DOW let us set the harvest target...there would never be a ceiling...just more more more! Imagine this conversation I only saw 143 today...remember the days when you would see 200 every sit? Farmers and motorists are directly adversely affected by a bulging deer population. You can say that hunters are adversely affected by a shrinking population but it doesn't come out of our wallets.

I know this will fall on deaf ears with this crowd but here's the facts guys. Deer hunting is not listed in the bill of rights...it's a privilege. Deer hunting opportunities are better today than they were 20 years ago. Maybe not as good as 3 years ago in some areas but statewide, we have plenty of deer. These are the "good old days" for the majority of hunters in Ohio. The rate of increase of the herd seen in the past 20 years is not sustainable. IMO, if the coyotes wouldn't have showed up, we hunters couldn't control them in a lot of areas of the state. If the population continues to grow as it had been, nature will eventually step in and she can be cruel. I believe coyotes, which never inhabited Ohio until recently, are a warning sign of what's to come.

There's no doubt that deer numbers are depleted in many areas when compared to just a few years ago. I also know it's easy for me to say this as my county still has plenty of deer and I'm not directly affected by the decline.

I'm still debating if its more ironic, or humorous that the guy with the resources to gain access to prime land and who is "buddies" with Tonk, seems to give two shits about the decline in deer numbers as it effects everyone but him. Dang...
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
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.

Well Jesse, really it doesn't matter. We've said that the buck population hasn't appeared to show a decline. So Long as that remains true, why would rex care. I mean. When was the last time you saw him post a doe he shot?


Actually if you look, the only people who show opposition to this whole thing are the ones who shoot big deer on a semi consistent or consistent basis. Obviously if that we're the case personally, you wouldn't think the system works fine also. If you're accomplishing your goal as a buck hunter year after year, you would think the odnr is doing a fantastic job.. Does be dammed. Less does just means the bucks move more.. Win win for them. ;) Now for the other 95% of ohio that doesn't have the property capable of holding the genetics or age to produce such deer so they enjoy seeing and killing plain old deer.. Well, they just suck. Dumb pleasure hunters anyhow.
 
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brock ratcliff

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24,834
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How did Coshocton Co go from 612 DVA's to 41 in 8 years?

Exactly. There is a flaw somewhere in the reporting. As I said, no way in heck fayette should be showing those kind of numbers vs other counties. Heck, there was only a shade over 100 killed during shotgun season this year!
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
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38,841
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Exactly. There is a flaw somewhere in the reporting. As I said, no way in heck fayette should be showing those kind of numbers vs other counties. Heck, there was only a shade over 100 killed during shotgun season this year!

Well the numbers have the source listed. It's even referred to on the OSHP website. Could the data be flawed. Idk. But it's what they the Dow the odnr and the insurance companies are using.
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
Well the numbers have the source listed. It's even referred to on the OSHP website. Could the data be flawed. Idk. But it's what they the Dow the odnr and the insurance companies are using.

would be nice to know how many kill permits were issued in Fayette county too.
 

brock ratcliff

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24,834
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Honest to God, Eric, I don't think there are many. The farmers I hunt on will tell you that deer are not now, nor have they ever been, an issue there. I spoke to your former buddy Doug Miller last year on the matter (he owns around 1500 acres of the best habitat in the county). He claims they have never used a kill permit on his place. The guns were mighty quiet on his side of the fence this year too.

My point being there is a flaw in data collection or reporting there somewhere. No way in heck a county with such low densities should be posting such a high road kill number. In addition, Rt 35 is not that heavily traveled through Fayette, and I 71 is only about a 20 mile stretch of Fayette...makes no sense.
 

brock ratcliff

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I don't know if all counties are like Highland, but I will tell you Highland does not get an accurate road kill count.

Two or three years ago, a guy hit a really nice buck in front of me. I was on a back road on my way home from work, before sunrise, second day of shotgun season. The deer bounced off the guy's lil truck and on into the weeds. I stopped to help the guy out, he was cussing and spitting about the deer tearing up his truck etc. I asked what it was and where it went, called someone to come get him. I grabbed my maglight and went looking for the deer. I found him bedded down, but still alive a short distance from the road. The guy that hit him took off while I was looking for the deer.
I called the Highland County Sheriff's office. I asked 'em to send someone out to put the deer down...they were reluctant and I didn't want to wait all day to show them where the deer was. So, I told the deputy I had a shotgun in the back of my truck. He told me to shoot the deer ( before sunrise, maglight and 12 gauge shooting from the side of the road during shotgun season---never felt more like a redneck) He said I would have to bring the deer to the office to get a tag. I shot the sucker, but couldn't get him into the back of my truck by myself due to him being mangled up and the cap on the back of my truck....so I cut off his head and hauled it to the office. They about shit because I didn't bring the entire deer! I told 'em they could see the rest of the body if they went to the location as they should have to begin with! Anyway, this is only one example. I hit a doe on the same road a couple years earlier and they wanted me to bring it to the office. The neighbor that just ran over the big boy on Christmas Eve had to take it to the office to get a tag... I gotta believe a lot of folks wouldn't bother to go to the office, and the deer would never get reported.

BTW, the buck I shot has never been reported even though I was at the office. The deputy refused to issue a tag and therefore a report. He told me to call the WO for a tag. I did, he said he was busy w shotgun season and would get back with me afterwards...he never did. My son has those illegal antlers in his room...unreported. Maybe Fayette county actually shows up when someone reports a car/deer incident?
 

Jackalope

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38,841
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I don't know if all counties are like Highland, but I will tell you Highland does not get an accurate road kill count.

Two or three years ago, a guy hit a really nice buck in front of me. I was on a back road on my way home from work, before sunrise, second day of shotgun season. The deer bounced off the guy's lil truck and on into the weeds. I stopped to help the guy out, he was cussing and spitting about the deer tearing up his truck etc. I asked what it was and where it went, called someone to come get him. I grabbed my maglight and went looking for the deer. I found him bedded down, but still alive a short distance from the road. The guy that hit him took off while I was looking for the deer.
I called the Highland County Sheriff's office. I asked 'em to send someone out to put the deer down...they were reluctant and I didn't want to wait all day to show them where the deer was. So, I told the deputy I had a shotgun in the back of my truck. He told me to shoot the deer ( before sunrise, maglight and 12 gauge shooting from the side of the road during shotgun season---never felt more like a redneck) He said I would have to bring the deer to the office to get a tag. I shot the sucker, but couldn't get him into the back of my truck by myself due to him being mangled up and the cap on the back of my truck....so I cut off his head and hauled it to the office. They about shit because I didn't bring the entire deer! I told 'em they could see the rest of the body if they went to the location as they should have to begin with! Anyway, this is only one example. I hit a doe on the same road a couple years earlier and they wanted me to bring it to the office. The neighbor that just ran over the big boy on Christmas Eve had to take it to the office to get a tag... I gotta believe a lot of folks wouldn't bother to go to the office, and the deer would never get reported.

BTW, the buck I shot has never been reported even though I was at the office. The deputy refused to issue a tag and therefore a report. He told me to call the WO for a tag. I did, he said he was busy w shotgun season and would get back with me afterwards...he never did. My son has those illegal antlers in his room...unreported. Maybe Fayette county actually shows up when someone reports a car/deer incident?

It probably showed up in the report if the guy filed a claim on his insurance then. I think these numbers are compiled from many sources. But insurance claims being the main one.
 

brock ratcliff

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Beats me, you're probably right. Just seem way out of proportion for Fayette to be so high with so few deer.
 

Jackalope

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Beats me, you're probably right. Just seem way out of proportion for Fayette to be so high with so few deer.


You have to consider how many people are driving also, how often they drive, and how far.. The entire population of Fayette spends more hours driving than every hunter does hunting.
 

brock ratcliff

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24,834
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It doesn't make sense in any way, Joe. There are not that many people, not that many heavily traveled miles of highway or interstate, and sure as heck not that many deer. I'm just curious as to why it compares to other counties on collisions when it does not compare in harvest numbers. It isn't like Fayette is an urban county...there aren't that many people, or deer, or cars, in relation to counties with similar road kills. As you know I drove a truck for years. The guys I worked with that ran up and down 35 ran over deer regularly and always joked that once they reached the Fayette Co line they were safe. One old guy made two trips a night from Wilmington to Point Plesant WVA every night, he hit 3 in one night! Chillicothe to the river is where the adventure is, not around Washington Court House. I don't doubt the numbers Ryan posted are what's listed, I do doubt their accuracy. Coshocton killed 41 on the road? Something isn't right with the reporting.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I wish I was hunting with a bow in 03...

Hands down the best season I have ever had. I killed my first buck (first with a bow as well) that season. I hit a vine on a 150" deer that season and saw 3 more shooters that year all on the same 10 acres. Things were prime back then...