Busted a deer tonight

[f6john]

I was within a 1/4 mile of my destination and bam, 4 deer are right in front of me. First time in 67 years for me. Luckily, I was driving the Titan, it would have been bad on the Valkyrie. I was concerned traveling on the day before Thanksgiving thinking traffic would be horrendous. It was heavy but everyone kept moving and no tie ups.

I had to pull and yank on some plastic and metal pieces that were dragging on the front tire but I was able to drive it the rest of the way. I’ll get a better look in the morning.

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

I sure hope you tossed it into the back of the truck. Somehow, having a nice venison dinner takes a very small bit of the sting away from insurance dealings. As my buddies and I say, a little fender makes 'em tender!

Glad you weren't hurt, too. I don't like riding the bike in the "dusk" time of day, for just this reason. I came inches from hitting a moose on my snowmobile years ago. Wouldn't have ended well. Not sure which of us was startled more when I rounded the turn, but I imagine it was me.

[DirtyDan]

 

Dan

[cookiedough]

sorry to  hear that expect 3-5K in damages on the truck.  I winged one on my truck almost 2 years ago and was tad bit over 3K in damages and truck was driveable but front passenger door would not open too well hitting mostly passenger front panel above tire but did some damage to front of passenger front door as well as hood/plastic.  Even if a small scratch on the door panel,  the body shop says must repaint entire door panel again not able to blend in a small spot very well or so they say?

If you have Progressive insurance expect a 14% rate increase on ALL your vehicles even if comprehensive deer claim not an at fault accident - they screw the pooch on that one and do not tell you until renewal time.  Also,  inspect all repairs BEFORE leaving supposedly the TOP rated repair shop in my area did not align up the gap very well in front passenger door vs. the front right quarter panel I could tell the offset in gap and not flush you would think the repair guys should as well?  Inspect, inspect, and inspect ALL OVER with a fine tooth comb even if they have a lifetime warranty on their repairs as most do nowadays.  

almost winged another one with the car this morning going to work never saw the first one that crossed but the 2nd one moving across the road in swift time was about 2 seconds in front of me slamming on the brakes ASAP.  I drive some rural roads where there are more deer than people, or so it seems since nearly every single day I see deer right alongside the roads usually in 3-5 well known deer spots/crossings.

One of those 5 deer areas there are 3 deer still laying alongside the road all about 50 yards apart from one another on same side of the road so it was 3 separate deer collisions in just a few days very close to one another. 

[baldo]

One of those 5 deer areas there are 3 deer still laying alongside the road all about 50 yards apart from one another on same side of the road so it was 3 separate deer collisions in just a few days very close to one another. 

They need to move the sign....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFCrJleggrI

[DDT (12)]

John,

Spooky stuff, for sure! Glad things were no worse, and you weren't injured... Hopefully this will just be a relatively inexpensive reminder that they're out there, and they can come at us at any time from any direction, leaving us little to no options... But for the grace of God, I would have been dead long, long ago!!! Appears your guardian angel hasn't left you yet...

DDT

[Rams]

Glad you weren’t injured John.
Thanks for reducing the threat to the rest of us by one.    Now that the front end is already damaged, get out there and take out a few more.  

Rams

[cookiedough]

always thought of adding a beefy cow catcher in front (brush guard) that is super tough thick and has lots of bars going across it to my truck.

I bet still some damage to vehicle behind would occur right but might be under my 500 or 1K deductible more than likely maybe?????

[f6john]

I was happy there was not enough damage to make the truck undriveable as I’m about 2 hours from home. It bent the front bumper back into the drivers side tire but a length of chain and a tree took care of that. I’ll need another bumper, grill, headlight, fender and possibly some supporting hardware behind all that. I had a momentary memory lapse in what this cost me until someone mentioned deductibles, ouch.

Oh well, even with 183,000 miles it is still a good truck that I enjoy driving so I have to make a little further investment.

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The hood alignment is still good so I don’t think the front end moved too much. The Titans have strong frames. I just spent about $600.00 this summer upgrading to larger brakes on the front so that may have helped me scrub off some speed in the 1 or two seconds I had to react.

[Willow]

How did the deer make out?  Will his insurance be able to correct the damage?   

I'm glad there is minimal damage to the pickup.   

[f6john]

How did the deer make out?  Will his insurance be able to correct the damage?   

I'm glad there is minimal damage to the pickup.   

I hate hitting the deer, I had to drag her to the side of the road or someone would have had a hard time avoiding her. Still alive but not able to do more than a slight kick. Someone came by later and got her as it was gone the next day. I failed to ask for her insurance info under the circumstances.

[Willow]

I hate hitting the deer, I had to drag her to the side of the road or someone would have had a hard time avoiding her. Still alive but not able to do more than a slight kick. Someone came by later and got her as it was gone the next day. I failed to ask for her insurance info under the circumstances.

Oh.  It was a female deer?  Females are unpredictable and dangerous on the roadways.   

[MarkT]

I whacked one at 70 decades ago with my Scout Terra pickup, North WI, Nicolet forest area.  It was rigged for plowing.  The deer wrapped around the plow rig and took out both OEM headlights and the metal around them.  Picked up the deer and threw it in the back.  Sounded like a big bag of broken glass. The plow lights were still OK so I could use those to drive home to Racine area - I was almost in Michigan, far north, hunting. Thought I could do something with the meat and hide.  Nope.  Completely bloodshot, not even good for dog food.  Significant repair cost just for the truck's corners.

[f6john]

I have a feeling that at 70 I would be looking for another truck! I hit a doe but she was fully developed and I bet I wasn’t going more than 25 at impact thus no crumpled hood or airbag deployment.

[cookiedough]

I have a feeling that at 70 I would be looking for another truck! I hit a doe but she was fully developed and I bet I wasn’t going more than 25 at impact thus no crumpled hood or airbag deployment.

all depends on how it hits the vehicle.  My wife had a graze thump saw it clip the rear end of her SUV heard a slight noise but was dark out and could not fully see any damage.  Do NOT report it to the police unless there is damage over what you think of your deductible since it goes on your driving record for like 5 years here in WI as a minor collision even if a deer collision being a no at fault accident being a comprehensive claim on insurance.  All it was when light out in 1 hour was a 4-5 inch scratch thru the paint and if look really close at a certain angle a crease in the right rear door but unless perfectly clean SUV and only at the right angle, can hardly notice it.

2 years ago now almost the deer that clipped my trucks right front fender was driveable more damage than that Nissan truck but rolled off in front of the passenger front tire and down the side creasing in my passenger front door as well a smidge.  3K in damage on a near new truck, thought it would be 2K tops but guess not nowadays does not take much to get 3K anymore in repairs.

[f6john]

Estimate $3200.00, not too surprising I suppose. $500.00 out of my pocket but Farm Bureau has always treated me well if anything else shows up during the teardown. They are not the cheapest but they take care of me.

[cookiedough]

Estimate $3200.00, not too surprising I suppose. $500.00 out of my pocket but Farm Bureau has always treated me well if anything else shows up during the teardown. They are not the cheapest but they take care of me.

seems a tad bit high but not off by much am sure in price, hard to see any damage from behind.  Did you ask your insurance company if they will jack your rates up by say 10-15% even on a deer collision being a no at fault comprehensive claim upon next renewal?    Wanna bet they say NO but come renewal time it will be a big YES - been there, done that....

[Bighead]

Removed

[f6john]

Estimate $3200.00, not too surprising I suppose. $500.00 out of my pocket but Farm Bureau has always treated me well if anything else shows up during the teardown. They are not the cheapest but they take care of me.

seems a tad bit high but not off by much am sure in price, hard to see any damage from behind.  Did you ask your insurance company if they will jack your rates up by say 10-15% even on a deer collision being a no at fault comprehensive claim upon next renewal?    Wanna bet they say NO but come renewal time it will be a big YES - been there, done that....

No guarantees but my wife had an at fault accident two years ago and totaled her 2015 Camry and no increase in rates.