MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - This year Meridian Township ran the 4th annual Deer Harvest. The harvest aims at controlling the deer population around the Township in order to decrease the number of deer car collisions and deer related complaints.

The harvest runs from October 1, 2014 to January 1, 2015 and is archery only. 17 highly qualified hunters have been given permission to hunt on 19 township properties and 1 county property.

"Meridian Township residents are selected, they have to be 19 years or older, we ask that they take a proficiency test at the MSU Demmer Center just to make sure they can hit a target, we also do a background check," said Nick Sanchez, Meridian Township Assistant Park Naturalist.

Most of the deer harvested will be donated to local food banks. The processing fee is being paid by Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger.

Hunters are required to donate harvested deer with the exception of
each hunter’s second harvested deer or when the processor cannot accept
donations.

So far 1100 lbs of venison have been donated and 105 deer have been harvested. This is about 10 more deer than had been harvested last year at this time.

Ingham County is just out of the top 10 list of counties with the highest deer car collisions in Michigan.

As of October of this year there had been 55 deer related accidents in Meridian Township compared to a total of 82 in 2013 according to data provided by the Michigan State Police.

In order to safely avoid or minimize harm from deer car collisions township officials suggest always wearing a seatbelt and being alert especially at dusk and dawn. Officer Frenger also encourages drivers not to swerve for deer.

"To try and avoid a car deer collision the safest thing you're going to do is to slow down. If you see a deer coming towards your path way veering to avoid the deer is probably the worst thing you can do," he said.