Illinois DNR has long used deer–vehicle collision statistics as the basis for making management decisions regarding the state’s deer hunting seasons.
A new study by Purdue University in neighboring Indiana suggests recreational hunting of deer reduces those collisions, which has always been a benefit of the Illinois’ process. But Purdue’s research adds a bonus: “Targeted recreational hunting can reduce animal-vehicle collisions and generate substantial revenue for wildlife management agencies,” is how the study was titled in the scientific journal Science of The Total Environment.
