In this June 11, 2008, file photo, a wounded deer lies in the road after being hit by a car on the northbound lane of Interstate 295 near Freeport, Maine. Credit: Pat Wellenbach / AP

Maine, which sees thousands of vehicle crashes a year involving deer, moose and bear, is embracing a new method to help prevent them from happening.

Over the past four years, the number of deer strikes reported on Maine roadways has topped 6,000 annually. Deer strikes have been on the rise over the past two decades, data from the Maine Department of Transportation show.

Moose strikes, which are around 13 percent more deadly than deer collisions, have decreased over the past two decades. In 2024 there were 217 reported moose collisions, compared with the 699 reported for the year of 2004.

See the data on large animal strikes in Maine with the chart below.

Leela Stockley is an alumna of the University of Maine. She lives in northern Maine with her two pugs and a cat. Send videos and photo submissions to lstockley@bangordailynews.com.

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