It’s a Plague: Crazy Deer Are Killing Iowans Every Year

Oh deer... Okay, got that pun out of the way. Ahem, oh deer indeed. Here's a "fun" or morbid factoid, deer are killers. In fact, the outwardly cute and lovable deer is actually the deadliest animal in America. And, especially here in Iowa. Forget sharks, pay no attention to nasty ol' rattlesnakes, no, a rabid dog likely won't getcha, it's Bambi that you should be worried about, according to Vox, and about anyone who's ever driven on a highway in this state.

Deer don't eat meat, but they sure do like to make humans dead meat

Deer are pretty tame, skittish animals. If you ever encounter one in a park, an acreage, or just in your yard, they're likely to run off if they see or hear you coming. That said, they're also pretty dumb. As they come upon a road, they'll cross with no sense of care if a car is heading their way. As a result, they get stuck. A LOT. Yours truly hit a deer during a stink living in northern Minnesota. Luckily in my case, I didn't swerve, and the road was quiet. And it's a good thing too. THIS is why deer are so deadly.

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Naturally deer "attacks" are still rare. Sure you may hit one, but the chances this spirals into a deadly crash is pretty rare. The Vox report sites only (roughly) 120 cases a year nationwide. Compare that to about 58 by bee sting, which was the number 2 cause of animal-related deaths.

Still, as the natural habitat of deer becomes more and more urbanized as we humans expand our footprint, the issue of deer-to-car wrecks is of growing concern. Some cities are even sterilizing deer to control the population. Others have expanded the deer hunting season when needed. there is some good news, however...

You're still very unlikely to die from a deer incident or any animal one for that matter. Vox says the odds of an animal killing you are one in nearly 1.4 million. So your goal for today: don't become a statistic! Watch for those pesky deer on your drive home.