Deer Mating Season: More Dangerous In Illinois Or Wisconsin?

If you’ve lived in northern Illinois or southern Wisconsin for any length of time, you already know that the time of year between October and January comes with a special kind of anxiety, the kind that jumps out of a ditch at 55 miles per hour and can wreck more than just your vehicle.

We’re at the tail end of white-tailed deer mating season, also known as “the rut,” and it’s when deer are at their least predictable. They’re moving more, chasing each other, and paying zero attention to traffic laws. So, when it comes to deer-vehicle crashes during deer mating season, which state is actually more dangerous, Illinois or Wisconsin?

Turns out, the numbers tell an interesting story.

Both Illinois And Wisconsin Have A Really Large Number Of Deer-Vehicle Crashes Every Single Year

In Illinois, recent state data shows roughly 14,000 to 15,000 crashes involving deer each year. That’s not a small number. In fact, deer crashes make up about 5 percent of all traffic accidents statewide. Nearly half of those crashes happen during the fall months of October, November, and December (January, too), which lines up perfectly with peak mating season. Every year, hundreds of people are injured in these crashes, and tragically, a small number are fatal.

But then there’s Wisconsin.

Wisconsin consistently reports more deer-vehicle crashes than Illinois, with recent totals topping 17,000 crashes in a single year. Injuries and fatalities are also slightly higher. Part of that comes down to geography and deer density. Wisconsin has more rural roads, more forested areas, and simply more places where deer and vehicles cross paths. Insurance industry rankings often place Wisconsin among the riskiest states in the country for hitting a deer.

So, Which State Is More Dangerous During "The Rut" Each Year?

If we’re going strictly by the numbers, Wisconsin wins (or loses, depending on your perspective) that title. Drivers there statistically have a higher chance of encountering a deer, especially during the fall rut. That said, we Illinois drivers shouldn’t feel smug about things. The danger in our state is very real, especially at dawn and dusk, when deer are most active.

The bottom line is whether you’re driving Illinois back roads or Wisconsin highways, make sure that you slow down, stay alert, and remember that if you see one deer, there’s a very good chance another one is about to follow. The rut should be over and done with over the next week to two.