What Animals Have You Personally Hit?

[DIGGER]

I have been riding motorcycles since I was 14....I'm now 68.   In my riding career I have never hit a human....ha.    I  have never hit a deer...but came close many times.  I have hit dogs, cats, possums, racoons,  squirrels, qlanced off a buzzard once, and nearly had my head taken off by a quail.   I've hit assorted birds, turtles, rabbits and had wasps stuck in my helmet several times that stung the heck out of me before I  could get stopped    There are Probly more but can't think of any right now.....how about you guys

[Wizzard]

I hit a dog and broke its rear hip. I hit a fox and killed it on impact. I hit a quail on the right handle bar in Missouri and it exploded all over me. I hit a red tailed hawk in Alberta and it bounced off my handle bar and almost hit the guy behind me. One day I wore my face shield on my helmet (I rarely do) and had a red headed woodpecker hit me right in the face.

[The emperor has no clothes]

One day I wore my face shield on my helmet (I rarely do) and had a red headed woodpecker hit me right in the face.

Sounds like a punchline to a joke. 

[Wizzard]

One day I wore my face shield on my helmet (I rarely do) and had a red headed woodpecker hit me right in the face.

Sounds like a punchline to a joke. 

Was not a joke at all,, it about knocked me off the bike at 60mph. But I get your drift

[DIGGER]

One day I wore my face shield on my helmet (I rarely do) and had a red headed woodpecker hit me right in the face.

Sounds like a punchline to a joke. 

I bet that did hurt......that quail I hit was at freeway speed and he hit just about eye level breaking my face mask and pushing the parts into my face cutting my lip and a small cut on my cheek.....but mostly it whiplash ed my head back so hard I was dazed for a second at a time you can't afford to be dazed.   

[Ron Baker]

I've been riding since 1972 and have been blessed to only have hit wasps that somehow end up down my shirt or inside my helmet. Had a lot of near misses with squirrels, raccoons and possums until May 23rd this year when I hit a deer broadside. Turned my 05 wing into scrap and broke a chunk off my Tibia. They screwed it back together and the next day laying in the hospital I started looking for my next scooter. I found a 99 Interstate about 90 miles away and bought it the next week. I didn't get to ride it for 2 months, but I'm lovin it now

[..]

Bumble bee in the forehead at age 17. Pretty much full face helmets ever since.

Squirrels

Deer - once

A couple of small birds.

Squeaked past some cows at night 

Squeaked past some horses at night 

Squeaked past some bears in daylight 

Squeaked past some deer in daylight 

[signart]

 
Bought entire riding gear for my wife, from a woman, who on her maiden  motorcycle passenger ride was hit head on by an owl flying under a low hovering fog... after her husband ducked in the nick of time. She said it came very close to knocking her off the bike, she was still not ready to see the humor.

[f6john]

One deer encounter. Luckily it was a glancing blow at a low speed. It’s nose broke my right side turn signal and when it’s head snapped back around it hit my wife’s leg and left a sizable bruise. We stayed upright and continued on to the house counting our blessings.

[Chrisj CMA]

Had a bee hit me in the forehead and go into my open face helmet.  Luckily the impact killed the bee.  I hit and killed a 40lb Lab a few years ago.  We had a block of instruction from a highway patrol officer on how to properly run over a dog.  It worked, no damage to the bike and the dog didn't suffer just DRT.

I ran over a dead possum, does that count?  Found it to be a fantastic way to clean the under side of the engine, do you know what baked dead possum smells like?

I have also hit various flying things like dragon flies, and moths one dragon fly hit my mirror and half of it landed in my mouth, a bit bitter if you ask me.

Lastly I had one small bird hit me in the chest, not sure how it made it over the windshield then down behind the shield but it bounced off my chest and landed on the gauges looking quite stunned.  It was on the freeway at 70 .  I slowed down to pull over but as soon as I got down to maybe 25mph it flew off unharmed I guess.

[Pete]

On a  motorcycle:

Possum, song bird, bees, snake.

None caused any damage or concern, except the possum was a significant bump with both wheels.
Bees were inside the helmet and shirt, got stung every time.
Song bird was to the windshield and was a mess.

Love bugs in Florida - geez what a mess.

Does having a bird land on the windshield, set off the alarm and $hit all over everything count?

[da prez]

  Just about all of the above. The first I remember was a June bug between the eyes. Also a bat , mosquito swarm, bee and wasp swarm ,birds ,near miss on a cow. I hit a deer in 1988. The dam thing did not have insurance.  I still ride so there may bee more to add.

                                     da prez

[GiG]

Hit the same gopher twice  
Cruising on a country road with my feet on the crash bars, and Mr Soon to be ex Gopher rund out from the gutter into the front wheel on my Moto Guzzi Eldorado. He bounced off and ran into my rear wheel for good measure.
Rob Roy Ross was following and he saw the whole thing and laughed for days...  

[Jess from VA]

Besides a variety of bugs, I ran over a great big groundhog.

We saw each other, and I slowed and he stopped. I started going faster, and he started going again.  I slowed again, and he stopped.  Then we both nailed it and I ran over him square (with a 60 car tire).  (they must be related to squirrels)

It was like hitting a big speed bump at 40 mph, and I came clear off the seat, only thing touching the bike was hands on the bars.  Damn!!

I dropped the throttle to look back, and he was waddling off the road.  He didn't look injured, but a bit stunned.

Tough little bastard.

One time cranking home from MI to VA on the OH/PA turnpike one night (100 degree days), I slowed down hard for what looked like a herd of big dogs jumping over a really tall median fence (glowing eyes).  But as I got closer, it was deer.  I rolled to a near stop (no other cars anywhere), and they just kept coming.  I stopped and waited for ALL to pass (and watched my mirrors).  I got way right and slowly rolled by the jump zone.  

I did not see a deer crossing sign.  

I've ducked some huge birds (vultures)  

[¿spoom]

A few birds, and in the '80s, a possum that seemed as big as a FIAT when it appeared in my headlamp. My fault for over-driving my headlamp on the way to my 3rd shift job. All I could do was lock my elbows and roll on the throttle a little (1100 Shadow). Came off the seat like Jess' story.  I was really surprised at the size of the mess on the road the following morning when returning home. Valuable reminder that I'd been riding enough years to become complacent instead highly skilled. If it had been a dear, I probably wouldn't be here now.

[Gryphon Rider]

Various small and medium-sized birds, though never hitting my body, many gophers, at least one jack rabbit, and whacked the head of one small deer, which did superficial damage to my Suzuki GS850L, but didn't make me crash.

[Oss]

On Ohio Voai ride turkey vulture missed me (dont know how) and also a deer ran between me and the bike in front of me at speed        Also a deer missed me on my October ride. That got my attention for sure

On way to Spesarfish inzane something took out my rear tire  I never saw a squirrel but O2Soon says it was one  

Have missed several other deer, dogs, had june bugs and also bees hit me and get stuck in my half helmet in the earpiece. That was not enjoyable.


Deer in the mommyvan, no damage to van about a mile from home

oh yeah
I have a dog but never hit her.  we will scold her when she farts on the couch  while I am watching TV
dont know if it really was the dog      she aint talking

[Wizzard]

On Ohio Voai ride turkey vulture missed me (dont know how) and also a deer ran between me and the bike in front of me at speed        Also a deer missed me on my October ride. That got my attention for sure

On way to Spesarfish inzane something took out my rear tire  I never saw a squirrel but O2Soon says it was one  

Have missed several other deer, dogs, had june bugs and also bees hit me and get stuck in my half helmet in the earpiece. That was not enjoyable.

oh yeah
I have a dog but never hit her.  we will scold her when she farts on the couch  while I am watching TV
dont know if it really was the dog      she aint talking

It's always the dog here 

[hubcapsc]

I remember once catching a glimpse of a bird to my right, my brain
started calculating our intersection, there was nothing I could do.
It bounced off my mirror.

The same thing happened with a deer at the Morgantown InZane...
There seemed like nothing I could do, but I nailed the throttle anyway.

-Mike "I guess it worked"

[fudgie]

Quail
opossum
a few sparrows

Almost a peacock 3 yrs in a row

[The emperor has no clothes]

Squirrels, rabbits, birds. Came within a foot of a moose once.

[sandy]

Back in '05 I was traveling due East from Trinidad, CO across the Comanche National Grasslands. I was towing my Roll-a-Home tent trailer as I crested a small hill at 80+. About 75 yards ahead was a prairie dog laying in the middle of my lane. I hit the horn and it jumped up and ran straight down the lane away from me. Poor thing thought he could outrun me. I zigged left so did he. I zagged right, so did he. I was slowing as I nailed him at maybe 60. I looked back as he came out from under the trailer. Laying on his back with all 4 feet shaking violently was my last memory.

[3fan4life]

On dirt bikes, other riders, rabbits and squirrels.

On Street bikes, small dogs, cats, squirrels, snakes and a buzzard that left scars on my Interstate's fairing.

Too many near misses with deer to count, but "close" only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades.  

[DirtyDan]

Seagull of the windshield in Nova Scocia 2004

Jack rabbit - brake disc in Utah in 2007

Chipmunk - rear tire in Colorado in 2011

3 small birds in Alaska/Canada in 2012

Young deer in Minnesota in 2015

That’s the vertebrates (dragonfly’s HURT ! )

Dan

[JC19]

I've hit various birds, bugs and such. Have come close on a few deer. (Our family, wife, six kids and myself have hit 21 deer while living in our current home...all in cages) But the most frightening was a bat that hit my chest. It landed straight down between my legs and was flopping, scratching and biting. I almost ran off the road before I was able to knock it away.

[DIGGER]

Looks like we all got motorcycle-animal stories.    Years ago while taking a Texas Hillcountry tour, out in the middle of nowhere, there was a sign on the side of the road that impressed me.    I can't remember the person's name or the date so I will improvise here.   The story and the sign is true.  The sign said :

" On August 27, 1990, at this location,   a doe and Brian Johnson died in the bright sun light"

[The emperor has no clothes]

I've hit various birds, bugs and such. Have come close on a few deer. (Our family, wife, six kids and myself have hit 21 deer while living in our current home...all in cages) But the most frightening was a bat that hit my chest. It landed straight down between my legs and was flopping, scratching and biting. I almost ran off the road before I was able to knock it away.

Man, that would suck !

[old2soon]

          Tween the motorsickle and 18 wheelers I have personally ended a Lot of furry critters feathered critters dry slick skinned critters and domestic and not so domestic critters lives. Some were in fact askin fer it-deer versus 18 wheeler-deer generally BUT Not always loses. Had a black bird couple years ago came over the W/S on my I/S and slammed into my left shoulder and left a mess after impact. Had a squirrel stop in front of me and Tried-without success-to look innocent and I sped up and hit him with both tires on the motorsickle. Lotsa furry critters in my big trucks cuz ya just DO NOT swerve an 18 wheeler without dire consequences. Got a vulture in Texas but he crapped as I hit him and his droppings burned the paint on my 76 Olds Toronado. Had a bat flew thru the cab of my Chevy pickup but he lived-in one side out the other. Bees/hornets/wasps up my trouser legs in my shirts jackets gloves and helmets. Had a B-29 moth wrap itself around my right lens of my glasses one night-eye swelled shut and I thought my eye was on fire. Picked bits of that moth outa my eye fer a couple days. Like da prez said-may be more as I still ride. RIDE SAFE.

[Avanti]

Sandhill Crane hit helmet. No helmet, no me.

[RP#62]

Ground squirrels
A small ground hog
A turtle
Numerous birds (picked the pieces out of the front brake and headlight shell)
Had a turkey cross my path eye level about 2 feet in front of my face - I was doing about 70 at the time.  It was a toss up on who looked the most terrified.
Bumble bee lodged in the bridge of my glasses - stung the crap out of me.  
Crossed paths with a swarm of 17 year locusts once (found that below 45 they bounce off the windshield, above 45, it looks like you hit a tomato)
Almost got a porcupine in the Allegheny National Forrest.  I didn't want to run him over and was afraid to kick him.  Held my leg out (fortunately with thick leather boots on) and it startled him and he stayed put in the middle of the road until I passed).
Had to yield to a couple of buffalos once
Black bears on the Blue Ridge Parkway (found its much more exhilarating  seeing them up close from your bike than it is from a car window).
Ran over a rattlesnake
Ran over a gophersnake
Weaved thru a heard of deer trying to get from the north rim of the canyon back to Jacob Lake before the gas station closed.
Almost got nailed by an elk.  He ran across the road in front of me while I was looking down at something on the bike.  My wife told me all about it.  She was behind me on her bike and couldn't believe I didn't see it.
Ran over several tarantulas somewhere between Walsenburg and La Junta Co.
That's all I can think of.

-RP

[cookiedough]

Man,  you guys have some stories.   I need to put more miles on to top almost all of them.

Only hitting bees and birds for me on the cycle, with a few close calls with raccoons, possums, one turkey, and a few deer of course.  Man, a few years ago that turkey was so close flying right OVER my cycle windshield I could hear his feathers flapping and it seemed like slow motion in a movie.

Only significant damage on my cages are one deer just this past year and near 30 years ago hitting a german shepherd dog head on doing 60, not pretty!  Been lucky otherwise dozens of times mostly deer close encounters. 

My kids must not be lucky,  both only been driving cars a few years and winged a mailbox with truck mirror,  then ripping off both left side rocker panels on 2 different cars, and my kid just recently hit a raccoon on his new to him fjr1300 cycle this late summer - damn plastic is expensive to replace.

[Hook#3287]

On a bike.

Hit a dog that got away from its owner, just as I was riding by.  I heard the human yell its name and then saw him run out of the fenced driveway hitting his head on my highway peg.  The peg put a dent in my valve cover and I'm sure in his skull.  Good size boxer.  He yelped big time, but I don't think it killed him, didn't stop to find out.

Hit a momma racoon that was crossing the highway with 3 youngsters.

Did a cat in.

I've come very close to 2 deer.

One was standing in the middle of the curved highway exit ramp.  I couldn't do anything, but she saw me at the last second and jumped out of the way to the right, around me and then back behind me.

The second, came out of the woods and saw me coming at her,  She changed direction, fell, and I could hear her hooves scraping on the pavement.  She got traction just in time to jump to the tree belt, then after I went by, she jumped back onto the road in front of my buddy behind me.

I could hear his horn and tires locking up and thankfully, he missed her.

In a cage or truck.

Hit a deer walking out of the side woods with my 74 caddy.  Just about took her head off and smashed my headlight.

Ran another over with my truck and equipment trailer.  It walked in front of the truck and went kabump, kabump, then the trailer, kabump, kabump.  Tore the front license plate off and left some fur on the bumper.  Some day walkers found it by smell a couple of days later.

Three of the four deer encounters happened at night.  That's why I've decided to not ride at dark unless necessary.

Actually, now that I think on it, all but one hit happened at night.

[..]

Stopped for about 300 elk crossing somewhere in Montana or Wyoming.

Tried to hide behind a car in Yellowstone as I got very eye to eye close with a BIG bull buffalo

Saw a black bear run between Coot and Steamer on the BRP.

Too many feathered close encounters. A couple of large birds I tried to grab the feet of as I rode beneath them.

The bird and insect scenes in "Wild Hogs" made me smile.

[..]

Three of the four deer encounters happened at night.  That's why I've decided to not ride at dark unless necessary.

 

[Pappy!]

in 2015 heading up to Magee Valley with Lesa I hit a wasp that got up under my partially open face shield on my full face and proceeded to sting the daylights out of my face while I was smashing the helmet into the side of my face at 75mph trying to kill the sum'bitch........ Lesa, riding behind, me was on the radio asking me what the HELL I was doing to myself!
In 2016 I was riding with Bronxboy on my way home from INZANE and running around 80mph... I hit a full sized Raven or, to be accurate, it hit me! Had my full faced helmet on and had I had no helmet or a little half helmet with goggles or glasses I would not be here typing this it hit me so hard. Nick was behind me and said it looked like a small explosion! Hit right in front of my left eye.

[Hook#3287]

Three of the four deer encounters happened at night.  That's why I've decided to not ride at dark unless necessary.

 

Yeah, Newvalker and I took a ride to NH last fall after work and stayed out a little late.  Scary coming thought the New England backwoods roads at night.

[NewValker]

I’ve managed to end the lives of a few creatures, bunches of bees, usually getting stung, got hit on the noggin without a helmet by a bluejay, nailed a pigeon at 90+ on the edge of the windshield on my VTX.
2 cats, a German Shepard and a lab puppy. The puppy was sad, it got loose and the kid was trying to catch him. The Shepard went between the wheels of my GS 700, he survived to chase me again.
Half a dozen near deer misses, and rode over 1 that had just been hit by the truck in front of me. It was night, pouring rain and 2 up, I saw it in my lane a split second before we hit it. Was like a speed bump at 60...
Couple snakes, and a flock of cicadas in Red Hook NY. That was a mess to clean up.
No idea how many bushy tailed rats I got, not enuff as there’s tons more out there.
Craig

[Hook#3287]

No idea how many bushy tailed rats I got, not enuff as there’s tons more out there.

You hate those, don't you!

[NewValker]

Yup, squish em or shoot em.
Long as they die
Craig

[Rams]

I've hit various birds, bugs and such. Have come close on a few deer. (Our family, wife, six kids and myself have hit 21 deer while living in our current home...all in cages) But the most frightening was a bat that hit my chest. It landed straight down between my legs and was flopping, scratching and biting. I almost ran off the road before I was able to knock it away.

Man, that would suck !

Not sure but, I believe the fear was it would bite....... 

Rams