# Letter to the Editor..................Sioux Falls Argus Lead



## sodakfop (May 23, 2007)

Hunting leads to car accidents
Published: August 6, 2007
By Joan K. Lownds, Staff writer, Friends of Animals
Darien, Conn.

The Argus Leader recently reported that South Dakota state officials are considering shooting some of Pierre's deer to keep roads safer for drivers ("Efforts look to curb deer-related car crashes," July 28).

Examining the data, we have found strong evidence that hunting exacerbates roadway deaths of deer. About half of all these collisions occur in just three months: October, November and December - hunting season. Not surprising, given that hunters can frighten deer into unsafe movements, including darting into traffic.

Viable solutions exist such as better speed limits, public service reminders to drive slowly in areas where deer abound, road reflectors and greenways. And South Dakota officials are to be commended for their use of fences, whistles and warning signs to try to keep the number of deer-related traffic accidents to a minimum.

Ed Rodgers, operations maintenance engineer for the South Dakota Transportation Department, said large electronic billboards will be used in the coming autumn to warn motorists to remain alert during deer mating and hunting seasons. From that statement, it's fairly inferred that motorists must be more vigilant at these times because of the problems created in part by hunters.

There is no surefire way to end collisions as long as people drive cars. And hunting is far from a surefire way. It's ethically problematic as well.

We should all be doing our best to live peacefully with deer, remembering that they have interests in their territories that ought to be respected.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Good ol sound logic from the PETA dip-sh!ts!!!! :eyeroll: Lets ban hunting so they reproduce even more, so there will be more of them to try to avoid while driving. Maybe they would like to ban driving as well.

Bob


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## FlashBoomSplash (Aug 26, 2005)

That sounds more like pre rut, rut, and Post rut activity. They should do a study on how many of them are hit during legal hunting hours. My cousin is an insurance agent and an avid bow hunter and he plans his hunting trips on when people start reporting deer hits.


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## szm69 (Apr 28, 2006)

WOW, I have never heard so much BS spewed out in so few of words.........


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