Michigan's deer crash season runs from late October through November, and that window is right now. November is the worst month, with 10,017 deer crashes statewide in 2024, and October is second. About 48% of crashes happen in the 6–9 a.m. and 6–9 p.m. windows, around dawn and dusk. Calhoun County drivers had 1,382 deer crashes in 2024, 10th of 83 counties and nearly 3 in 10 local crashes, with rural townships such as Convis and Albion most at risk.
On Sunday, November 1, the clocks fall back an hour, and the drive home from work in Battle Creek, Marshall or Albion lands in the dark during the busiest weeks of the Michigan deer crash season. Bucks are chasing does, hunters are filling the woods, and Calhoun County drivers are already crossing the paths of deer in the two worst windows of the day.
Here is when the risk peaks, where deer crashes pile up in Calhoun County and its neighbors, and what State Police say to do behind the wheel.
When Is Deer Crash Season in Michigan in 2026?
Michigan's deer crash season runs from late October through November, peaks in November, and is underway right now, with most crashes in the 6–9 a.m. and 6–9 p.m. windows around dawn and dusk.
Michigan recorded 58,324 vehicle-deer crashes in 2024, the latest year with a full official breakdown. November led every month with 10,017, and October came second with 9,428. Those two months alone produced one in every three deer crashes of the year. Source: Michigan Traffic Crash Facts, 2024 deer report.
November isn't a one-year fluke: it was the top month in every year we checked, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024. Sources: 2020 deer report, 2021 deer report, Bridge Michigan.
This season's calendar, with 2024 counts (badges show relative risk, not a forecast):
| When (2026) | What changes | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| All of October | 9,428 deer crashes statewide in October 2024, second only to November | High |
| Sun., Nov. 1, 2 a.m. | Daylight saving time ends; the evening commute shifts into darkness overnight | Very high |
| First 2–3 weeks of November | Peak breeding (the rut), per a DNR wildlife technician | Very high |
| Nov. 15–30 | Regular firearm deer season; hunters moving deer and driving at first and last light | Very high |
| December | 5,592 deer crashes in December 2024, still the third-worst month | Elevated |
| January–September | Roughly 3,000 to 4,400 a month in 2024 | Lower |
What Time of Day Do Most Michigan Deer Crashes Happen?
Two three-hour windows, 6–9 a.m. and 6–9 p.m., produced 28,248 of Michigan's 58,324 deer crashes in 2024, about 48%, and Calhoun County's split was almost identical.
The state reports deer crashes in three-hour blocks, not by the hour, so the honest answer is a window, not a single peak hour. The 6:00 to 8:59 a.m. block was the worst in 2024 with 14,274 crashes. The 6:00 to 8:59 p.m. block was right behind at 13,974. Source: 2024 deer report.
| Time block (2024) | Michigan deer crashes | Calhoun County deer crashes | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00–8:59 a.m. | 14,274 (highest) | 356 (highest) | Peak |
| 6:00–8:59 p.m. | 13,974 | 312 | Peak |
| 9:00–11:59 p.m. | 9,776 (most fatal crashes: 5) | 230 | Elevated |
| 9:00 a.m.–2:59 p.m. | 5,612 combined | 129 combined | Lowest |
In Calhoun County, the two blocks made up 668 of 1,382 deer crashes, 48.3%, per the 2024 Calhoun County crash profile. Statewide, 53% of 2024 deer crashes happened on dark roads with no streetlights, 9.3% at dawn and 4.8% at dusk; only about a quarter happened in full daylight.
Add the time change and the evening window gets worse: after November 1, the 6–9 p.m. drive happens in full darkness on the unlit roads where deer crashes cluster.
Why Do Deer Crashes Peak in Late October and November?
Several pressures stack up in the same few weeks: the rut puts deer on the move, the November 1 time change pushes commutes into darkness, and firearm season from November 15 sends deer out of the woods.
The rut: deer that aren't watching the road
"Typically, the first two to three weeks of November is when most breeding is happening in whitetail deer," DNR wildlife technician Colter Lubben told WLUC. Source: WLUC, Nov. 3, 2025.
DNR deer specialist Chad Stewart told Bridge Michigan that deer in the rut are "focused on other deer instead of other things around them." Source: Bridge Michigan, Nov. 8, 2024.
The November 1 time change
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks go back to 1 a.m. Source: FOX 2 Detroit. Sunset arrives an hour earlier by the clock, so a drive home that ended in daylight now ends in the dark.
A 2022 Current Biology study of 23 states found deer-vehicle collisions rise an average of 16% in the week after the fall change to standard time; that's a national figure, not a Michigan one. Sources: Cunningham et al., Current Biology, Science News.
Firearm season, November 15–30, and the harvest
Michigan's 2026 regular firearm deer season runs November 15 through 30 statewide, per the DNR's 2026 deer regulations summary. Lubben said hunters in the woods end up "bumping deer, pushing deer," and that traffic to and from stands "is going to increase the amount of deer that are on the roads."
Legal shooting starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset, per the DNR. Our inference: hunters drive rural roads in the dark at both ends of the day. Hunters, see our firearm deer season insurance checklist.
November is Michigan's worst month for deer crashes; October is second.
The 6–9 a.m. and 6–9 p.m. windows held about 48% of 2024 deer crashes.
53% of Michigan deer crashes happened on dark roads without lights.
Most breeding happens in the first two to three weeks of November.
Clocks fall back Nov. 1; a national study links it to 16% more deer hits.
About 80% of Michigan deer crashes happen on two-lane roads.
Source for the two-lane share: the State Police Office of Highway Safety Planning, repeated by DIFS on October 15, 2026.
How Risky Is Calhoun County During Deer Crash Season?
Calhoun County recorded 1,382 deer crashes in 2024, 10th among Michigan's 83 counties, and deer were involved in nearly 3 of every 10 crashes in the county, against about 2 in 10 statewide.
Calhoun County's deer crashes have risen every year since 2020: 936, then 1,247, 1,267, 1,332 and 1,382. That's a 47.6% increase in four years. Over the same stretch, the statewide count rose about 14%, from 51,103 to 58,324.
Calhoun has also held its place near the top of the state list. It ranked 10th in 2022 as well, per FOX 2 Detroit. We use 2024 county figures, the latest year with the state's full county profile and time-of-day detail.
Which Calhoun County Communities See the Most Deer Crashes?
Battle Creek had the most deer crashes by count in 2024, 130, but in rural townships such as Convis and Albion, deer were involved in most of all reported crashes.
Counts show where the most hits happen; the share of all crashes shows how much of a community's road risk is deer. Source: 2024 Calhoun County profile; percentages are our arithmetic.
| Community (2024) | Deer crashes | All crashes | Deer share | Deer risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Creek (city) | 130 | 1,664 | About 8% | Most by count |
| Marshall Township | 122 | 301 | About 41% | High |
| Emmett Township | 96 | 579 | About 17% | Elevated |
| Convis Township | 92 | 139 | About 66% | Very high |
| Sheridan Township | 84 | 162 | About 52% | High |
| Marengo Township | 77 | 153 | About 50% | High |
| Pennfield Township | 71 | 188 | About 38% | High |
| Tekonsha Township | 70 | 105 | About 67% | Very high |
| Albion Township | 62 | 76 | About 82% | Very high |
| Bedford Township | 52 | 145 | About 36% | High |
| Marshall (city) | 29 | 142 | About 20% | Moderate |
| Albion (city) | 17 | 92 | About 18% | Moderate |
Battle Creek's 130 deer crashes are only about 8% of the city's crashes. Outside the city the balance flips. In Convis Township, 92 of 139 crashes involved a deer. In Albion Township it was 62 of 76. Homer and Eckford townships were also above three in four, so the pattern isn't limited to one corner of the county.
The county profile doesn't tie deer crashes to particular highways, so we won't name a "worst road." The numbers do show that rural township roads carry most of Calhoun County's deer risk. Townships and small villages account for most of the county's 1,382.
Your drive likely starts on the roads where deer make up the biggest share of crashes, and from November 1 that stretch is in the dark.
How Does Calhoun County Compare With Neighboring Counties?
Among its neighbors, only Jackson County had more deer crashes than Calhoun in 2024, with 1,557 and a 3rd-place state rank; Branch, Eaton, Barry, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph all had fewer.
| County | 2024 deer crashes | State rank (of 83) | vs. Calhoun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | 1,557 | 3rd | Higher |
| Calhoun | 1,382 | 10th | Home county |
| Branch | 981 | 23rd | Lower |
| Eaton | 959 | 24th | Lower |
| Barry | 723 | 32nd | Lower |
| Kalamazoo | 612 | 42nd (tied) | Lower |
| St. Joseph | 531 | 49th | Lower |
Calhoun recorded more than double Kalamazoo County's total. If you commute east toward Jackson, you're driving into the third-worst county in Michigan for deer crashes. Kent County led the state with 2,097. Ranks come from the 2024 statewide deer report.
What Changed This Season for Michigan Deer Crashes?
The 2025 statewide total came in at 58,271 deer crashes and 13 deaths, State Farm's 2026 report moved Michigan from 4th to 5th, and the 2026 hunting calendar got shorter.
2025 held steady. Michigan logged 58,271 deer crashes in 2025, with 13 people killed, per 97.9 WGRD citing Michigan Traffic Crash Facts. That makes four straight years above 58,000, after 58,984 in 2022 and 58,806 in 2023, per AAA.
A new State Farm ranking. State Farm's report released September 15, 2026, covering July 2025 through June 2026, puts Michigan 5th among states, with 1-in-68 odds of an animal-collision claim; the national figure is 1 in 145. Its 2025 report had Michigan 4th at 1 in 61. Sources: State Farm 2026, State Farm 2025. We cite it as industry data; we aren't a State Farm agency.
A shorter hunting calendar. For 2026 the DNR cut the statewide muzzleloader season from 10 days to three (renamed the December firearm season in the Lower Peninsula) and dropped the January archery and extended late antlerless seasons, so no deer season runs past January 1; November 15–30 is unchanged. Sources: DNR/NRC release, DNR bulletin.
How Can Calhoun County Drivers Lower Their Risk This Fall?
Slow down in the dawn and dusk windows, scan the roadsides, use your high beams, expect more than one deer, and if a hit can't be avoided, brake firmly and stay in your lane.
Here is the Michigan State Police wording. Source: MSP Office of Highway Safety Planning.
- Watch the edges. "Scan the roadside while driving, especially woodlots, fencerows, field edges."
- Light it up. "Use high-beam headlights and additional driving lights to see the road better," and "look for the reflection of headlights in a deer's eyes and deer silhouettes on the shoulder of the road."
- Count on company. "Deer typically follow one another in single file, so if you see one deer, there are likely more nearby."
- Ease off. "Slow down. Be prepared to stop if deer are near the road." If a deer stops and stays on the road, MSP says, "do not try to go around it."
MSP's instruction is to "Brake firmly and try to stay in your lane," hold the wheel with both hands and come to a controlled stop. Swerving can mean a worse crash than the deer. Our guide on why swerving for a deer can change your claim covers the insurance side.
After a hit, MSP adds: "Stay away from the deer. A wounded, frightened deer could be dangerous."
What Should You Check on Your Auto Policy Before November?
Make sure you carry comprehensive coverage, because in Michigan it's the optional coverage that typically pays to repair your own car after you hit a deer.
The state insurance department put it plainly in its October 15, 2026 release: coverage for "collision with things other than another vehicle, such as a deer" is "an optional coverage that won't be part of your standard policy unless you select it," said DIFS Director Anita Fox. Liability-only generally pays nothing toward your own car. Source: DIFS.
Farmers reported in September 2026 that animal collisions make up 72% of its Michigan comprehensive losses, second-highest among states. Source: Farmers newsroom. No current Michigan average repair cost is published.
Coverage varies by policy and carrier. For how comprehensive and collision split a deer claim, see our comprehensive vs. collision guide for deer hits. If it already happened, follow our step-by-step checklist for after you hit a deer. Or ask for a free coverage check and quote before the rut peaks.
We're independent, with direct appointments at Farmers, Progressive, Bristol West (auto only) and Foremost, plus other carriers through Kraft Lake. Our Battle Creek car insurance comparison walks through the local market.
What Else Do Michigan Drivers Ask About Deer Crash Season?
These five questions cover the timing and local-risk details that the statewide warnings usually leave out.
Are Michigan deer crashes more likely in the morning or the evening?
Slightly more in the morning, but the evening is deadlier. In 2024, the 6–9 a.m. block had 14,274 deer crashes statewide and the 6–9 p.m. block had 13,974, nearly a tie. Calhoun County followed the same pattern, 356 in the morning block and 312 in the evening.
Fatal crashes skewed later. The 6–9 p.m. block had four fatal deer crashes, and the 9 p.m. to midnight block had five, the most of any period, against one in the morning block. After November 1, both evening blocks fall in darkness.
Does the end of daylight saving time really raise deer crash risk?
The best evidence says yes. A 2022 study in Current Biology looked at deer-vehicle collisions in 23 states from 2013 to 2019 and found they rose an average of 16% in the week after the fall change to standard time.
That 16% is a national average, and the study doesn't publish a Michigan-only figure. The authors also estimated that permanent daylight saving time could spare about 37,000 deer a year nationally. In 2026 the change happens at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, which lands it at the front edge of the rut and two weeks before firearm season opens.
Is deer crash season over once firearm season ends on November 30?
Not entirely. December 2024 had 5,592 deer crashes statewide, far below November's 10,017 but still the third-worst month of the year. Hunting continues too: the Lower Peninsula's December firearm season runs December 4–6, late archery runs December 1 through January 1, and the Lower Peninsula's late antlerless firearm season runs December 7 through January 1.
The steepest drop comes in January through September, when 2024 monthly totals stayed between roughly 3,000 and 4,400. Keep the dawn and dusk habits through the holidays.
Are deer crashes rising in Calhoun County?
Yes, and faster than the state as a whole. Calhoun County went from 936 deer crashes in 2020 to 1,247 in 2021, 1,267 in 2022, 1,332 in 2023 and 1,382 in 2024. That's an increase every year and 47.6% over four years, while Michigan's total rose about 14% over the same period.
There's some good news in the same report: none of the county's 2024 deer crashes was fatal. We're using the 2024 county profile, the latest with full local detail, so we can't yet say whether the climb continued. Statewide, 2025's 58,271 nearly matched 2024.
Why are motorcyclists at such high risk in a deer crash?
The numbers are lopsided. In 2024, motorcycles were just 291 of the 58,567 vehicles in Michigan deer crashes, about 0.5%, yet riders were 7 of the 14 people killed. Researchers from Michigan State University and partners reviewed 2012–2021 State Police reports and found 509 of 2,445 riders and passengers in deer crashes were severely injured or killed, per Great Lakes Echo.
The State Police give riders their own advice, separate from the guidance for cars: cover the brakes, ride staggered in groups, and avoid riding at night and during dawn and dusk, the peak hours of deer movement.
The Bottom Line
Michigan's deer crash season is happening now: November is the worst month, the 6–9 a.m. and 6–9 p.m. windows are the worst times, and Calhoun County ranks 10th in the state with a rising count.
The next five weeks bring the November 1 time change, the peak of the rut and firearm season from November 15 to 30. Slow down on township roads, use your high beams, brake rather than swerve, and confirm you carry comprehensive. For coverage basics, start with our Michigan auto insurance page, or call our Battle Creek office at (269) 404-4049.
Related Questions
What day of the week do most Michigan deer crashes happen? We couldn't find a published answer. The state's 2024 deer report breaks crashes down by month, time block and light condition, but not by day of the week, so we won't guess. Month and time of day are the patterns that matter.
Do deer whistles prevent deer crashes? There's no good evidence they do. Iowa State University's deer-crash countermeasure toolbox reviewed the research, cites testing that found whistle sounds "not likely to be heard by deer unless they were broadcast at very high intensities," and warned they can create an "unproven sense of security." Source: Iowa State InTrans.
How many people are hurt in Michigan deer crashes each year? In 2024, 1,816 people were injured and 14 were killed in Michigan's 58,324 deer crashes, and half of those killed were motorcyclists. The 2025 count was 13 deaths. Deaths have ranged from 5 in 2020 to 19 in 2023, per the 2020 deer report and AAA's 2024 release.
Are deer active in spring and summer too? Yes. The State Police say deer are most active from April through June and from October through December. June 2024 had 4,431 deer crashes, the most of any month outside October through December, and four fatal deer crashes, more than any other month that year.
Written by Terry Smith, a licensed Michigan insurance agent, for Terry Smith Agency, 153 Columbia Ave E, Battle Creek, MI 49015. As of October 2026, the 2024 Michigan Traffic Crash Facts reports are the latest with full month, time-of-day and county profile detail; for 2025 we use statewide totals only.
General information, not legal advice; coverage varies by policy and carrier.
Last reviewed by Terry Smith on October 26, 2026.