Anyone actually hit a deer in a car or bike?

[onthedot]

Yesterday I rode about 700 miles down to the Redwoods. I was going to stay overnight somewhere, but it was a beautiful evening, so I decided to ride about 4-5 hours back home.

Going to the Redwoods, I saw probably a dozen deer killed on the side of the road in various places. Enough I was kind of freaked out--I would have been in a car too.

Coming back at around 10PM to 1AM last night, I was around Crater Lake. The moon was full, and EVERYWHERE, I saw little reflectors beaming back my headlights. This went on for miles. It's the deer that didn't look at me that I was most concerned about because I wouldn't see them until it was too late.

It made me wonder: how DO people hit deer? It looked like a lot were actually hit on the side of the road where someone veered into them. In other parts, there was gore all over the middle of the road. In no case did any deer ever jump or run in front of me. They all just sort of looked at me. I'm just wondering what the conditions are that make them run in front of cars, trucks, motorcycles, or whatever. I was pretty freaked out after seeing hundreds of deer on the side of the road, watching me.

[woobie]

There's 2 vids that come to mind. Google or hit a video site and you should find them.

1) guy cruising along in a straight and dear runs out, boom all caught on tape.

2) 2 guys are railing and the second guy has the camera.They hit a few corners then as they're taking a tight left hander a deer runs out from the right and the lead guy hit's it while leaned over pretty good.

I think Matt clipped one a few weeks ago, me the worse I've done is clip someones farm cat at about 140km/h, little bugger bent my brake pedal. But he still managed to roll with it and take off running .

[meanstrk]

The deer tend to jump out across the road and get hit. Yes, I clipped one a couple years ago too. Damn thing jumped out across the road and it was all I could do to slow down enough to keep from nailing him dead center. I just barely cought the hind leg, but it was enough to scare the crap outta me!

[WildKat]

I never hit one on my bike.. *knock on wood* , but Ive hit one several years back. Living in PA, where's it's a very popular area for hunters and offroading, there's always tons of deer trying to cross the roadways all through out the year.

Actually when the deer hit my camaro, he literally ran into me. I saw him on the side of the road, at night, and stopped in the middle of the road (back country road, no traffic ) and the dumbhead actually looked right at me and ran and hit the front end of my car

[BarMatt80]

i personally haven't hit a dear, but i was in my dad's truck and he was driving and a dear hit just behind my door, ran right into it. i have also heard of a dear jumping on top of a car, the hill was cut away for the road and the hill was taller than the car. yeah basically they just walk out at last second and boom.

[md86]

I think Matt clipped one a few weeks ago

Yeah , pay attention : .
I hit one , then like 2 weeks later another dude on the noard hit one with video . Mine looked ALOT like his video .
My story ...

http://www.katriders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18154&highlight=hit+deer

His story ...

http://www.katriders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=266475&highlight=#266475

[Justin]

I ran over a deer torso on the highway one night, it's amazing how quick you can out-ride your low-beams. I kept it upright, but I had burning deer flesh on my headers for a long time.

[Mojoe]

I have hit 4 deer with my cars, put my car in the ditch to avoid hitting a moose, and layed a dirt bike down on a gravel road to avoid hitting another moose. I stopped sliding about 10ft from him. He snorted, waved his rack around a bit, then walked off into the woods. when my a-hole unpucker, I picked up my bike and went on my way. I can't begin to guess how many deer I had to lock the brakes or swerve to avoid hitting. I hit the last one about 18 months ago and still have the puck in my fender from it. I have also hit countless number of skunks and racoons. All 4 deer were hit on the same 18 mile stretch of country road that I tavel home on from night shirt over about 10 yrs total. All in my cage. To date, the only animals I hit on my bike was a racoon (went right over it with a "thump thump"), and a cat in my neighborhood....which was a smaller "thump thump".

so speaking as someone with a bit of experience on the subject, there is no definate answer to that question. They are wild animals and they are unpredictable. They can be standing in the middle of the road, and swerving to miss them is a gamble at best, because often they will try to move out of the way as well, and you don't know which way they will go. However, I was given advice that stated it was a safer bet to swerve towards the front of them instead of behind because they will have the tendancy to turn around and retreat in the direction they came from isted of running in the direction they were headed due to the fact that they are aware that it was safe where they came from. Many people have stated disbief in this theory, but I practice it myself with good results. The 4 I did hit were not standing in the road. They just jumped right out in front of me.

My brother has hit a deer on his bike. It was a long time ago, and he did it on a honda nighthawk. He told me he knew he couldn't avoid it, so he just leaned into it instead of clipping it while trying to avoid it and possible being pushed out of control. It worked. The deer died, and he stayed up. He bruised his leg...that was it. The deer ended up in my dad's freezer. It was delicious.

[The CyberPoet]

The only deer I've struck was in Europe, and it was a butt-blow to the deer. I was running in an overnight rally event down a single lane improved gravel road (not one lane in each direction -- just one lane period; think fire access road) through farmer's fields and forest when it jumped into the path of the car out of a patch of forest... It focused/transfixed solely on the headlight splash on the ground (rally lights -- massive brightspot), and it was running forward in the same direction as the car. I slammed brakes and down-shifted a couple times, plus canned the driving & headlights right as I ended up still hitting it's butt with my hood... whereupon it finally ran off into the forest.
We backed up about 50 meters & set the lights back on, and the navigator and I got out & searched for about 35-40 seconds to make sure it wasn't lying dying next to the road, then we got back in and resumed the rally. The deer was probably OK I think (it wasn't anywhere close to the road), but the time delay did hurt us in the event (and may have cost us moving up to a better class with more sponsorship $$)...
It would seem that bright enough lighting at night and they transfix on that lit area, not seeing the vehicle because of the high contrast between light and dark. At least that's my theory and one that is popular in rallying circles.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Mojoe]

It would seem that bright enough lighting at night and they transfix on that lit area, not seeing the vehicle because of the high contrast between light and dark. At least that's my theory and one that is popular in rallying circles.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

your theory is actually fact. deer will freeze when hit with a light. that is why a spotlight is the favorite tool of "jackers". Although it is not entirely illegal to carry a spotlight in your car, you will get the work-over by the game wardens if you are caught out cruising on a back road in the middle of the night with one in the car. they will ticket you and you will have to prove in court that you were not molesting deer. don't laught...that is what it is called.
another MISTAKE that is made by many motorist is blowing the horn. This will also cause deer to freeze in their tracks. Most deer hunters know that if you jump a deer and it takes off on a run, that often a sharp whistle or hollering "hey" will cause them to freeze as well. One deer that I shot when I WAS a hunter was done in this manner. I was in my treestand when one came out into the field. My movement spooked him and he took off across the field. I followed him in my scope and whitled like you would for a dog. he stopped dead in his tracks...literally. I dropped him on the spot.

[GytRDunKat]

Being from the Minnesota/Wisconsin area, deer are more common than not. I see at least 1 deer a day on my travels. I've probably hit about 5 of them, anywhere from $10 damage (skinned her/him, deer hair stuck in the fender, pressure washer took care of that) to $5800 in damage (read 85MPH story below). The trick with deer is that they always travel in groups. So, if you see one, ALWAYS look out for his buddy. The scariest one I had was 85 MPH on I-90 in Southern MN at night. Didn't even see her till she was flying into my windshield, so I didn't even get the chance to hit the brakes. Massive Front end damage, and Windshied, Roof, and rear deck lid smashed on her return flight. Plus, deer poo all over the place...ewewewweee. That was quite gross. Deer suck, but, we are technically driving through their home.

[trojanftbl52]

I live in the Wisconsin northwoods and just like gytrdunkat said, the deer are everywhere and if you see one cross - you can be sure two or three more will follow. I've been lucky with them so far.

A couple years ago in the Tomahawk area, a motorcyclist was traveling on Hwy 107 when a deer bounded out into the road. The deer hit the motorcyclist square in the chest mid-bound at 60mph, killing him instantly. The motorcycle continued on it's two wheels into a ditch, where it came to a gentle, rolling stop. All that was wrong with the bike was some dirt/sod caught on the bodywork and a chunk missing out of the windshield where the deer's foot hit it.

The deer barely touched the bike but took out the rider completely.

[trojanftbl52]

Define irony - one of the safest motorcyclists in the US, Lawrence Grodsky, died in April while on a ride from California to his home in Pittsburgh in which he hit a deer. Larry wrote the "Stayin' Safe" articles in the motorcycle magazine Rider. You can read about his life (and death) in the July 2006 edition of Rider.

[Junior]

Deer are stupid animals...STRONG, but stupid. They will stare directly at you for 2 miles and then jump out infront of you once you are close enough to hit them.

I clipped one in the minivan at 4am a few summers ago. Caught him out of the corner of my eye as he bounded out of a deep ditch. By the time I pulled over to assess the damage he was long gone across the field.

They definately scare the sh!t outta ya.

[FieroAddiction]

I hit a deer with my ZX-6 about 8 years ago. Just cruising about 40 mph and it leaped out in front of me. I managed to keep the bike up, but the front end was wrecked. I sold it shortly after fixing it and I just got back on one again for the first time this year. Any accident will put a pretty good scare into you, but one as unpredictable as a deer hit just about did it for me. It's one thing to learn to look for oncoming cars at intersections, but looking for deer is a whole different game. I've hit deer with my truck since then, and with such a large deer population running around here there's just no way to prevent and occasional incident. I've got one of those girlfriends that actually encouraged me to get a bike, and that's the only reason I'm still riding.

Although it is not entirely illegal to carry a spotlight in your car, you will get the work-over by the game wardens if you are caught out cruising on a back road in the middle of the night with one in the car. they will ticket you and you will have to prove in court that you were not molesting deer. don't laught...that is what it is called.

Here in PA it is perfectly legal and somewhat common activity to spotlight deer. When I was younger we would go out "spotting" for entertainment. Hunters do it to find out where the deer hang out since they are more active at night.