Deer

[PhredValk]

I've seen a few video clips lately, and heard some stories and I'm getting a little worried. In three videos of people hitting a deer at hiway speeds, I have yet to see the deer! I would like to hear from riders that have hit these cute little critters; did you see it coming? or do they just come out of no-where?

I've had deer jump in front of the car once or twice, and managed to stop, but in these videos they just seem to materialize out of no-where...
Fred.

[shooter64]

I hit one about 4 months ago in a car. I think I am pretty observant but I just saw a "flash of deer" and she hit, all at the the same time. Deer was knocked into a ditch and got up, but rear end was broken up I could tell. Allstate paid for car damage. Now, every time I ride the Valk I worry about a deer hit. It was at 10:00 in the morning with neighborhoods in all directions except woods on one side. Many times I have noticed that when one crosses the road ahead of you, better slow down to a crawl because more will be coming.

[biguglyman]

better slow down to a crawl because more will be coming.

+1

There are ALWAYS more than one.  Upstate NY swarms with them especially in the spring and fall.  Had a deer hit my car once, not the other way around.  Ran right into my passenger door.  Hit one once in the cage in the middle of a driving rain.  Four of them were having a tea party in the middle of the interstate.  Never hit one on the bike although I have had several close encounters.  Probably a combo of better visibility and usually too cold to ride when they come out in the fall.

[..]

Shoot all the little B B B B B B B B Bambi's. 

[Jess from VA]

On my recent trip to MI, on the PA turnpike, broad daylight, a BIG deer appeared out of nowhere, over a 7-8 foot dividing wall.  Graceful jumping bastards.  Had the hammer down at 80 or so, swerved a little to miss him behind.  Looked around to see if anyone else saw the Olympic jumper, no one else there.

Jumping Deer - a dream for Fenton the dog?	powered by Aeva

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[Daniel Meyer]

Hit more than my share. The ones I hit I didn't see anything but a "flash" right before impact. My theory is they've developed teleportation.  Too bad they keep using it to explore the road in front of high speed iron.

I've missed a bunch too. Saw them coming.

I've not noticed a pattern as to when they are active...I've never hit one at dusk or dawn...they are easier to see during the day I suppose.

The only safe option is not to ride.

[alph]

i hate deer.  i've hit two with my car, one with the wifes van, and had one jump out infront of me on my cycle, run infront of me for about 100 yards then dart down into the ditch.  the three with vehicles were just seen as brown streaks in the headlights then a thud.  the one with the cycle was in broad daylight, i saw it coming down the hill from my left when it jumped out infront of me, i wasn't going but 25-30 MPH so it kept up easily as it ran down the gravel road.  i do hate deer.....

wild boar are pretty stupid also!!  had one of them trott out infront of me at Maggie Valley last year, broad daylight, stupid animal trotted out of the woods, straight lined across the road infront of me, missed him by about 6 inches!!  had some pork chops for dinner that night at the restuarant, made me wish it was that boar!!

[Rams]

We've taken two (out or season), one took out the front of my wife's Jeep Liberty, the other ran into the side of one of my Fieros.  Both times, significant damage to our vehicles and venison for the vultures.  I am NOT a fan of Bamby.

What really ticks me off is, there are signs, specific places for them to cross.  Apparently they can't read.   

[Black Dog]

On my way to Timbr n Chilli's Q in The Woods, this past weekend, I was zipping along HWY 2 in the UP of Michigan, when I came up on a semi, just barely doing the posted limit...  I waited for a clear shot to pass him, being bounced around in the 'buffer' behind the truck...  Just as I swung out and hit the hammer, the driver swerved to his left (WTF? ).  I thought the driver was being a douche bag...  As I let off the throttle to pull bak in behind him, I saw why he had blocked my path...  Four deer, came out of the woods, left to right, right in front of us...  Trucker had seen the deer (I was too focused on the pass at hand to see the critters), and most likely saved my bacon, by not letting me pass    This was maybe 3:00 in the afternoon!

Up here in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnisota, they are everywhere, and there is no rhyme or reason to how they move...  I'm inclined to believe Daniels theroy  

Black Dog

[solo1]

I have never hit a deer yet (knock on wood).  Maybe I'm subconsciously aware of where they might be since I bow hunted deer for many years.  

Basically, if I don't have a clear long view of the road side, corn, trees, brush, structures, etc. I do tend to watch for them.  They do not come out of nowwhere but it seems like it because deer can be moving fast.  They're smart but stupid as squirrels when vehicles are involved.

A few years back, coming back from a Michigan VRCC meet in the UP, I wanted to see how fast the Miata would go. Pure stupidity on my part, running somewhat over a ton(actually more than somewhat) on 127 with trees on both sides. A deer hit would've been spectacular!

[MarkT]

I have lived in whitetail country and mule deer country, now.  The whitetails move faster and are more unpredictable.  The mule deer are usually, more in a mosey mode.  Even so, I have hit both with vehicles - killed 2 mule deer with the Valk 11 years ago.  They were standing in the road 3 hours before dark in June and I would have seen them in time, if I was not just completing a pass of 3 cars, which blocked my view and had my attention for most of the pass.  I have averted many impacts since, watching the edges constantly and with extra diligence when there is cover.  There is almost always several deer if there's one - see one, slow down immediately and be extra alert.  I have prompted them to move with the loud horn - a good blast will get them moving NOW rather than when I am on top of them.  The whitetail hit was at 70 in my truck in N. WI - ran in front of me from heavy cover after dark. Heavy damage to the truck front end even with the plow rig - the deer sounded like a bag of broken glass when I picked him up.

[Joe Hummer]

Funny thing is...after reading this post this morning before leaving the house...I saw 2 deer on the road.  I was going slow and they took off before I got there.  Am in the cage today. 

I have seen several while riding.  Had one run out in front of me during the early morning hours in southern IL a few years ago.  Talk about appearing out of no where and vanishing into nothing...well...except for the brown streak that appeared in my drawers.  That was the closest I have been to hitting a deer.  I have had deer run across the road on different group rides but luckly no one got clipped. 

Ride safe out there!!

[Spirited-6]

DEER crossings are like "red light" crossings, DUH, stay awake.  Turn off the "tunes", stop looking at the signs, watch the "FRIGGEN" roads. 

[Jess Tolbirt]

i hit one about 10pm one night, it broke the windshield up pretty good, the wife was holding the baby and glass went everywhere, i thought i had hit a hitch hiker but after looking at the chrome it had brown hair in it,,,drivin down the road about 60mph and BAM!!!!!

[musclehead]

one doe tried to jump over my semi trailer once upon a time, didn't make it. 

[hubcapsc]

You know how every now and then a bug flies in from off-camera and THWAK
bounces off your faceshield, the whole event lasts less than a second...

I'm guessing that's what it is like when a deer jumps out of the woods in front of
you...

-Mike

[Willow]

There is significant evidence that deer are some of the few creatures having the ability to use short term time-warp relocation.  Interestingly, they often are witnessed appearing at the arrival end of that maneuver, but almost never at the departure.  It's strongly suspected the visual observation of the animal prohibits the initiation of the time-warp movement.  This is not unique to deer as it has long been known of leprechauns.

The best advice we can give regarding the avoidance of deer and vehicle impact events is that when you do happen to see one in your pathway, hold your speed, but look away. 

  

[Chrisj CMA]

There is significant evidence that deer are some of the few creatures having the ability to use short term time-warp relocation.  Interestingly, they often are witnessed appearing at the arrival end of that maneuver, but almost never at the departure.  It's strongly suspected the visual observation of the animal prohibits the initiation of the time-warp movement.  This is not unique to deer as it has long been known of leprechauns.

The best advice we can give regarding the avoidance of deer and vehicle impact events is that when you do happen to see one in your pathway, hold your speed, but look away. 

  

Sending the ATF and DEA, FBI and maybe even FDA to Willow's house.......we need to know what it is he is smoking 

[MrKris]

The guy who bought my ZRX on Saturday hit one on Tuesday morning.  He sent me a text and said he was going about 45 and it just popped out of nowhere.  It put him in ICU, he'll need pins in his elbow and a complete shoulder replacement as a result of the crash.

[Quicksilver]

Last spring near home, 6 started to cross the road as I came up on them. I locked up front and rear brakes for a second, left a 10 foot strip of rubber on the road, bike held vertical, I let off the brakes as I reached them and swerved between 2 of them. Pulled over for a bit until I stopped shaking. Heading home one evening doing 60, I had a big Buck roar across the 2 lane  6 feet in front of me. Lots of white tail around here, brake is always covered when trees are near the road.

[Hook#3287]

Deer (and now moose) are the only thing(s)  that scare me on the road.  I've hit and killed two over the years, one in a car and the other in my truck.   First one just walked out of the brush, onto the road, as I was coming by at about 40.  Hit her square in the head with my headlight in a 78 Coupe-de-Ville.  Lights out for both of us. 

Second one jumped out in front of me while I was in my dually pulling a tool trailer that weights about 6K.  Ran over her with the truck, then the trailer.  Just keep going, didn't need any forms filled out.  In the morning, cleaned the fur off my bumper.   I heard a jogger called the highway guys about a week later, something about something stinking on that road.

Few years ago, some friends and I were riding the Kancamagus Highway up in New Hampshire.  We had to stop and turn around cause the road was blocked ahead of us.  Seems a biker and a moose connected and neither made it.

[J.Mencalice]

Colorado State Highway 13 between Rifle, Rio Blanco, Meeker, and Craig. 

Infested.

Then there's the Elk (Wapiti); like hitting a tank.

[PhredValk]

Time to stop?!? Apparently not even time to dump the bike and try to slide under the cursed things. Last spring a 72 year old guy hit a moose on a Goldwing (the guy, the moose was walking) just north of the city. They fixed the moose's leg, but no hope for the guy or the Wing. Not a bad way to go, but I'm only 58...
Fred.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I've killed a boat load, maybe 50 with gun and bow and had many close calls with them on motorcycles over the years. Twice I've changed my mind about riding to work at the last minute and connected with my truck that morning.

I use 50w spot lights, with the right one turned out somewhat to light up their eyes at night on the roadsides. I also have a 70w center light which I can switch to come on with my highbeam.

When the trees, corn or brush comes right up to the edge of the road all you can do is try to run on the other side if traffic allows to give yourself a little more reaction time. But, under those circumstances it's pretty much a crap shoot.

Unlike many on the board, I truly love deer. I love to be up very close to them hidden in the woods and watch them. I enjoy letting them walk by knowing I could have taken them with gun or bow if I'd wanted to. And, I enjoy eating them and sometimes wearing their skins.  My ride bells are held on my bike with leather I made from a deer I killed.

All that being said, they are very dangerous animals when you're on a scooter. Anytime your ridin' in deer country you gotta realize, they may kill you.