Police, motorists dealing with increasing deer collisions

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<p align="justify">Johnna Ingersoll may want to find a new route to work.

<p align="justify">Twice in the last three months a deer has crossed Southport Road and struck her vehicle's left front fender, first on her work car and the second time on her minivan.

<p align="justify">"The deer bounced off the left front fender, went down on the ground and thrashed about for a few minutes and ran away," Ingersoll, Peoria County's coroner of Elmwood said, referring to both instances.

<p align="justify">While she was not hurt in either occasion, it cost more than $3,000 to repair damage to her minivan.

<p align="justify">Police are dealing with a noticeable increase in automobile collisions with deer, especially in more rural areas.

<p align="justify">"We have been having a big increase on them after it gets dark," Illinois State Police Sgt. Rick Jackson said. "We've been running to four to five a shift."

<p align="justify">Illinois State Police Trooper Tony Halsey said deer-car accidents always increase during this time of year. He said this fall has seen no more than past years.

<p align="justify">While deer-car crashes can in some circumstances kill a driver or passenger, typically the deer and car absorb all the impact, Peoria County Sheriff Captain Dave Briggs said.

<p align="justify">Halsey said it is safer to drive toward the deer and hit it than to try to swerve and avoid it.

<p align="justify">"Yes, your car will get damaged," he said. "But, the impact of hitting a deer is much less than rolling a vehicle or swerving and hitting something more solid."

<p align="justify">Deer that have so far avoided collisions with cars should look out for orange clad hunters. That's because firearm deer hunting season opened Thursday.

<p align="justify">While the hunting season helps control the deer population, it doesn't necessarily cut down on deer-car accidents. In fact, Halsey said hunting is one cause for the yearly fall increase of roadway deer accidents.

<p align="justify">"With people hunting them, they are stirring them around all over the place," he said.

<p align="justify">Halsey said deer that eat leftover farm crops also attracts them closer to human areas, and also increases their movement.

<p align="justify">"The deer go into fields to eat corn that wasn't picked," he said.

<p align="justify">Last year hunters in Peoria County killed 1,147 deer during the first, three-day firearm deer hunting season.

<p align="justify">During the entire seven day deer hunting season, 115,192 deer were killed across the state. Peoria County ranked 21st out of all counties where deer hunting is available, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

<p align="justify">"I think hunters are our best resource for being able to keep our deer herd in check," Illinois Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman Marcelyn Love said. "That's why deer hunting is so beneficial to the state."

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