Locals in a northern Minnesota community have reported more than 100 dead deer along a railway, where a cart apparently leaked corn along the tracks for miles. According to the Facebook page of Steve Porter, owner and operator of a deer farm in the area, he’s documented droves of deer and turkeys feeding along the tracks and fielded similar reports from other hunters and landowners.
The corn spill spans from Thief River to the Canadian border, a more than 80-mile stretch that has lured the deer to their deaths. In a response to MeatEater, the Minnesota DNR said it is aware of the incident and that it isn’t uncommon.
“Unfortunately, when this happens, wildlife are occupying the tracks when another train comes through,” The Minnesota DNR told MeatEater. “The deer often respond by trying to outrun the train rather than move out of the path, especially if the snow is deep beside the train tracks. Regrettably, this can result in deer being injured or killed.”
In a video posted to his Facebook account, Porter said there are “reports of dead deer like never before.” He zooms his phone closer to the rails, revealing the corn spillage and hordes of deer tracks.
It’s unclear whether this incident will have noticeable repercussions on local deer herds, but that hasn’t stopped locals, like Steve Porter, from posing the question.
“Dead deer for miles and miles and miles,” Porter said in his video. “I wonder what that will do for hunting this fall in Pennington County, Marshall County, Kittson County with all these dead deer.”
Other news outlets asked the Minnesota DNR for an estimate on deer deaths related to the incident, but were told there hasn’t been a noticeable difference from prior years.
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