Oh Deer - What a good habit!

[Checkswrecks]

So thar I wuz last evening, tooling along I-70 at the speed of the flow of sparse traffic, indicating about 80-85 mph.
::001::


I've long had the habit in deer season of following another vehicle, and last night was behind a little 1990-ish Ford Explorer when a huge doe decided to pop out in front of him. He hit it square full on.
???


There was a highway light beyond the Explorer and the backlighting of the hit was one SERIOUSLY impressive blood spray. It looked like the car hit a dark red water balloon and there was splatter & guts everywhere. The smell and the red mist hit me almost immediately as the hind quarter came tumbling at me and went past at about the height of my left thigh. The Ford never hit the brakes till he eventually pulled off to stop.


Years ago, I killed a little doe with my Ducati ST2 on Skyline Drive and even managed to stay up. This one was big momma and I doubt I would've been so lucky. It was SO nice to be able to wipe the residue off the front of the bike today, rather than how that may've come out.


Yes I said a prayer of thanks on that one!

 

[~TABASCO~]

WOW... glad your OK... ??? Just have someone pull out the hose and wash you down...

 

[barkingllizard]

A friend was taken out by a deer that jumped a concrete barrier, in between riders.
She is okay, badly bruised, and provided definitive proof for the full face helmet.

Since then we have been using deer whistles..... They seem to be doing their job.

 

[MrTwisty]

Damn forest rats!

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Bob, glad you were not hit. Sounds like a good strategy. I've only had one minor hit on a bike, but had more close calls that I can count. Stay safe out there.

 

[dcstrom]

Bob, sounds like you got lucky! I think it's a good strategy, unless you have the body of a deer (or in my case, kangaroo) laying in the middle of the road and the car ahead runs straight over the top of it. There's not much time to react when you see a grey-brown lump come out from between the wheels of the car. I know my headlight was pointing to the sky, dunno how I got away with that one! Still, probably better than hitting a live one in full flight.

Trevor

 

[Siseneg]

Caught a doe out of my periphery just in time to think that if she'd jumped it would've been really close. This was northbound on 15 out of Leesburg. Tis the season and I seriously like your habit of letting a cager run point. I'll be looking for an F-350 to run that interference for me

 

[thfraser]

Sounds like a bloody mess :-X But I'm glad you are Ok. My stepdaughter recently hit a deer with our car. It was over 2k in damage. No one was jurt, the forest rat didn't make it. I'm always looking out for those forest rats. And every time I see one at the side of the road, I become hyper aware.

 

[sail2xxs]

Glad you made it Bob!! I've had more close calls on I-70 and 68 than I care to think about. I use the same strategy you do - let the car/truck in front clear the way. I try to stay in their tire tracks to minimize the likelihood of having a similar experience as Trevor did.

Chris

 

[True Grip]

Glad your OK. Its getting to be that time of year to be extra vigilant with the rut and hunting season. Good reminder for us all.

 

[Smellyhound]

Happy to hear you made it out unscathed (excepting the gut shower). Assorted critters out here are just part of life. My general rule is "Where there's one, there's going to be another. So if you see one, plan on another to jump out nearby. This saved me a couple years ago near Port Angeles. In a string of 5 vehicles on the 101. The leaders were 3 big hairy pirates on Harleys with loud pipes ::26:surprise surprise). As the Harleys went by a section of trees in the median, a doe spooks, and jumps out and runs in front of the next car. I saw that one, and scanned left and right really quick just in time to see the big ole buck following. The car ahead of us didnt see it until it was nearly jumping his hood. I had a couple extra seconds to lock them up, and I yelled "DEER!!" over the headset to the wife who was behind me. She asks "where?!!!" rather than just braking. Almost ran into my rear end. Then I had to listen to the 4 hours of complaining about how I "didnt give her enough warning". She saw the first one apparently but not the second. Could have been really ugly. I have to laugh every time I see those stickers that say "Loud Pipes Save Lives". Yeah... not so much. Not the first time Ive seen forest critters freaked out from the onslaught of earth shattering decibels.

 

[Tremor38]

Re: Re: Oh Deer - What a good habit!

A friend was taken out by a deer that jumped a concrete barrier, in between riders.
She is okay, badly bruised, and provided definitive proof for the full face helmet.

Since then we have been using deer whistles..... They seem to be doing their job.

I simple whistle ;-)

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