Nonseasonal mortalities are those deer deaths that are not associated with the harvest of deer by hunters. Nonseasonal deer mortalities that are associated with human/ deer conflicts (i.e. vehicle collisions and crop damage) provide an index to the balance between deer populations and people. The public, DNR Conservation Officers, and DNR Wildlife Resources personnel routinely report nonseasonal mortalities. The WV Department of Transportation, Division of Highways (DOH) -Traffic Engineering Division, provides monthly summaries of road kill deer that are encountered by DOH personnel. DNR Conservation Officers provide wildlife damage investigation reports from which the number of deer killed for crop damage is obtained.

The total reported nonseasonal mortalities decreased 21% from 23,790 in 2003 to 18,714 in 2004. Reported road kill (auto) mortalities decreased by 14 % in 2004, from 17,180 in 2003 to 14,739 in 2004. Deer killed on crop damage permits decreased in all DNR Districts in 2004. Overall, deer killed through the crop damage permit system decreased 36% in 2004, from 6,103 deer in 2003 to 3,895 deer in 2004.

The occurrence of reported deer vehicle collisions varies significantly through the year. Drivers should be especially aware of deer movements along roadways in the fall from the first of October through December and again in late spring and early summer from the first of May through June (see graph).

Written by James M. Crum