An increasing deer population in Nebraska comes with increased risk to drivers and farmers. Wildlife experts say the deer have brought more mountain lions, too. Now, state lawmakers are looking at how to cut back on both problems.

A major problem Sarpy County Sheriff's Captain Rolly Yost has seen, are collisions between deer and vehicles. There were 217 last year in his county alone.

But in April, he was the one behind the wheel. When it happened, he was headed back from checking on suspected deer poachers on 84th Street, south of Hwy 370. "Two deer crossed in front of me and missed me but the third one kind of came in to the left front-end fender of my car."

Speaking with a legislative committee Wednesday, Senator Scott Lautenbaugh said, "They're everywhere. They aren't endangered. We're in danger. Our crops are endangered. Our livelihoods are endangered. Our family members are endangered."

Lautenbaugh’s proposal, LB 836, would give landowners year-round hunting licenses. Opening their land to hunters could net them tax incentives. Nighttime hunting would be allowed, with spotlights.

Controlling the population is something Craig Bolz, a farmer east of Lincoln agrees with. But he does have concerns which he voiced to lawmakers. "Everybody that's going to be shooting deer especially at night. How are you going to patrol it? Everybody's going to be a farmer, everybody's going to be a landowner."

While gearing up for the Big Buck Classic at the Qwest Center, Larry Yost, a hunter and regional director for Whitetails Unlimited, expressed concerns, too.

"The spotlight situation, it's not a fair chase,” he said. “You've now got an animal that's now locked into a beam and they're looking at you and you're then shooting the animal."

He also worries the bill could take away the regulation currently in place, tracking the deer taken and harvested. “It only encourages illegal activity."

Larry Yost believes a better approach is to get a handle on the doe population. In other states, he said, hunters have to shoot a doe before they can shoot a prized buck. He'd like to see that here as well.

"The number is going up,” said Captain Yost. It’s the one thing on which all parties agree. Any steps to control deer numbers and damage in their wake, he said, are steps in the right direction.

Estimates on the deer population in the state range from 350,000 to 400,000. The deer have drawn more mountain lions to the state, as well, providing them a food source.

Another bill introduced Wednesday addresses the mountain lions. LB 747 would allow farmers and ranchers to kill them without prior permission if they are threatening livestock.

The legislature has yet to take action on either bill.