Deer Living Amongst the People on Marsh Island

ORONO, MAINE -- Orono is not only home to college students, but also to a large deer population. The town is set up as a no-hunt zone, causing the local deer to not be afraid of humans. It is common to see deer standing in neighborhood yards eating grass.

The deer frequently cross the road without worrying about traffic. Orono Police Captain Josh Ewing says this has not caused as many traffic accidents as one would expect, as there were only nine reported car accidents involving deer in 2008. That number more than doubled in 2009, when there were twenty deer-related car accidents, but so far in 2010 there have only been two reports.

Captain Ewing speculates that one reason for these low numbers is the dramatic difference in traffic from May to September when University of Maine students leave for summer break. The deer are most active in the area during this time.

Captain Ewing stressed the need for drivers to be mindful of the deer population to avoid further accidents.