Deer · Kent and Ottawa counties
A deer on the property
Lots that border woods, the Grand River corridor and the parks get deer through them, and some die there. On your land, a deer is a private job that this Grand Rapids line arranges. In the road, it is a road agency's, and the split is below.
Whose deer it is
| Where it lies | Who | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| US-131, I-96, I-196, M-6 or another state route | Michigan Department of Transportation | MDOT states it removes carcasses that pose a hazard on I, M and US routes, reported through its nearest office. |
| A county road | The county road commission | MDOT's FAQ: county road commissions handle roadkill on roads in their jurisdiction. |
| A city street in Grand Rapids | Report through 311 | The city takes dead-animal-in-the-street reports via 311, the grcity311 app or 616-456-3000, for locations inside city limits. |
| Your yard, lot or acreage | You | The Bodies of Dead Animals Act puts disposal on the owner of the premises. Road-killed deer in the road are exempt from its rules; a deer that died on your land is not in the road. |
Sources: MDOT common questions; City of Grand Rapids, Report a Dead Animal in the Street; MCL 287.671. Check with the agency before acting on it; these arrangements shift.
What the job turns on
Weight first, then how close a vehicle can get. A deer near the drive in Cascade is a manageable job. One down a ravine behind a lot along the river with nothing but a footpath is a different afternoon, and that difference is most of the price.
Time matters too. A deer that went down last night and one that has been in a warm woodlot for a week are not comparable pieces of work.
Burying it yourself
Michigan allows burial at not less than two feet, within 24 hours. For a full-grown whitetail that is a large hole, and on much of the ground east of the city it is clay a foot down. Most people who start with a shovel finish with a phone call.
Before you move it to the road
Dragging a deer to the shoulder so a road crew takes it puts you in traffic and may not get it collected. Call whoever maintains the road instead.
Helpful to have ready
- Distance from the drive or a gate
- Whether a vehicle can reach it
- How long it has been there
- Slope, soft ground, water