Deer Carcasses Dropped Off in Flint, Mich. Are Overwhelming to DNR Workers

So many deer are killed from auto accidents. But take another look at the deer that's lying on the side of the road. It may not be what you think.

Each year during hunting season, Michigan state officials have to deal with many deer carcasses that are dumped on the sides of roads.

The majority of hunters will take their captured animals to a processor or get rid of the rest of the dead carcass at a landfill licensed to accept the deer. However, many in the county are hunting irresponsibly and leaving the carcasses all over roads along fields. The deer are an eyesore and often leave a trail of odor. As the hunting season comes to an end, more and more deer are left to rot.

As many as eight deer have been spotted piled up along roadsides. Often times the deer have been poached or legally shot, but then the hind part of the deer is cut off while the rest of it is dumped off the truck onto the road. No, that's not roadkill you see.

However, the people who dispose of the deer to a processor aren't always getting what they pay for.

"Many times processors are working for themselves and attract customers who pay their money expecting the deer to be disposed of properly. That isn't always the case," Department of Natural Resources Sgt. Dan Whalen says.

"The processors take the money, they don't have to do any work, and they just dump the deer off somewhere where they're then left to decompose. They have many so they leave them in quantities."

The dumping of deer this way is actually illegal and persons caught doing so can be prosecuted under several various offenses, including improper disposal of infectious waste and even an offense as simple as littering.

Although, deer are left behind on roads with little traffic so no one is caught. It is impossible to keep up with the small staff working at the DNR.

"If information on vehicles or persons doing this is available, we want to know. We can't catch many people when we don't have very much staff."

Many residents call reporting dead deer near their homes. Before calling however, check to make sure the deer isn't missing parts. Typically, the hind is removed, the head may be removed as well. If the deer is gutted, chances are it was illegally dumped after processing. Check for signs of a collision with a car such as broken legs. Local city governments many times will pick up roadkill and dispose of it properly.

Between now and mid-January, the majority of deer are dumped. Take note that in the springtime the deer will start showing up again. No, deer aren't being shot illegally. They have merely been frozen all winter under snow banks and are thawing.