Hitting Deer or Other Animals - Page 2 - Truckers' Trucking Forum | Message Board

IROCUBabe · #11 04.17.2008

Never hit a deer, came damn close once when a prize buck came up from one of those little areas with the concrete rain creek bed and without a care in the world leapt out in front of me, gave me a terrified look, and took off. Damn close maybe feet from hitting it. Wonder if you hit it can you claim the antlers

My hubby got one though, we have a 379 hit in the side it went under the truck. Never swerve to avoid a deer. In fact the only thing I'd EVER swerve for is a kid in the road.

AfterShock · #12 04.17.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by IROCUBabe

Never hit a deer, came damn close once when a prize buck came up from one of those little areas with the concrete rain creek bed and without a care in the world leapt out in front of me, gave me a terrified look, and took off. Damn close maybe feet from hitting it. Wonder if you hit it can you claim the antlers

My hubby got one though, we have a 379 hit in the side it went under the truck. Never swerve to avoid a deer. In fact the only thing I'd EVER swerve for is a kid in the road.

WhAT!

You won't swerve for a dear deer, but you will for an (old) goat?

Highballin · #13 04.17.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by AfterShock

I have installed and used those 'deer whistles' on my Big trucks. Even had one the evening I hit Bambi in Kansas while he was rutting at a dead run.
Hey Aftershock wish you could have got pics of this.Never seen a deer rutting while running.I know I couldnt do it.
Of all the devices I've used to prevent hitting deer, I think the most effective was the one I had mounted on my dash --- a little hula girl with a grass skirt on hips that shimmied the hula.If you see an animal before hand and IF you CAN slow down. But, often, an abrupt and unexpected slowing of your vehicle (checking-Up) can cause rear-end collisions behind you. Not good.
Hula girl works great but make sure she has skirt on,Goverment will want to ban it then.
SOMEtimes, all you should do is try to aim the impact for an area of the Big truck that will suffer the least damage. I hit Bambi with the right front bumper/fender of a T-600, which spun Bambi's antlers into the grill area and radiator and the air conditioning stuff mounted up there.
Lucked out though. Just dented the radiator vanes -- no punctures.
Had to replace the front (plastic) bumper -- or the part that rolls under to be more exact. Cost was $1,000 just for the part.

The cost could have been avoided because the bumper was only bent, tweaked and crinkled -- but that doesn't look good.

As hard as it might seem, and maybe cold-hearted to some, SOMEtimes, it's best to hammer down when an impact is eminent. Makes it quicker and less painful for dear deer.

However, the new aerodynamic Big truck hoods are sloped -- some more than others. When those hoods impact dear deer, the dear deer have been known to be thrown UP onto the sloped hood --- and slide all the way to the winshield. And, on occasion -- through the windshield.

Traditional 'classic' Big trucks don't seem to have that happen. Usually, with classics, an impact with dear deer will result in said deer going UNDER the Big truck. Or, if hit at speed, thrown forward and away from the truck -- which makes it possible to hit the deer again.

If a larger deer's body goes UNDER the Big truck -- it CAN lift steer tires off the ground, and you'd be officially out of control until the body grinds down or goes farther under the Big truck --- you know, where the air lines and (on some Big trucks) the fuel tank cross-over line is located. Deer under a truck have been known to tear those things out.

No brakes, and leaking fuel.

Hello?
E.P.A.?
I'd like to report a fuel spill ...................
Dont forget the blood an guts clean up.
Which WILL cost thousands of dollars in clean-up and fines.

Truth be known, there isn't a 'one size fits all' way to clobber critters on the highway. That's where experience, aptitude, ability, quick-wits, and resolve comes in.
YOU, the driver, makes the decision -- in a split second.
Question is,........ will you be ready?

Driving a Big truck down the highway becomes second nature with experience and practice. But it's only PART of your duties.
The other part is hard to practice for to get the experience. I don't know of ANY Big truck truck drivin' schools that have their students hit deer -- for practice and experience.

Rather, I think, that's the "UNknown" they keep tellin' us to be ready for.
Expect the unexpected.
Ya reckon.

Chip Trucks here used to hit them all the time.One truck had thee run under his trailer made a small mess any one for burgers??

AfterShock · #14 04.17.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highballin

Chip Trucks here used to hit them all the time.One truck had thee run under his trailer made a small mess any one for burgers??

Fire up the Bambi barbie.

broncrider · #15 04.17.2008

anyone else here ever got to watch one run into the SIDE of thier trailer??

saw it a few times runnin the rockies pullin a rocky set

what to do then??? i just laughed

AfterShock · #16 04.17.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by broncrider

anyone else here ever got to watch one run into the SIDE of thier trailer??

saw it a few times runnin the rockies pullin a rocky set

what to do then??? i just laughed

Nope!
But I did watch one slam into the side of a Schneider Big truck. A cab-over --- right in the utility compartment door.

Local cop wanted to know if Schneider was gonna keep the dear deer. Schneider said "no". Cop asked if Schneider minded it he took it.

I didn't notice if cop hand-cuffed the dear deer prior to putting said dear in his patrol car's back seat though.

broncrider · #17 04.17.2008

must be a southern thing....noone i know in the north would eat roadkill

wait i take that back....i do know a few...LOL

AfterShock · #18 04.17.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by broncrider

must be a southern thing....noone i know in the north would eat roadkill

By golly!
You're right!
Southern Ohio.

Quote:

wait i take that back....i do know a few...LOL

Don't we ALL?!

I might ---- but I'd draw the line at armadillos.

BTW, my friend's great-aunt owned the first dairy in Helena that went to homogenized milk. Phillips Dairy. Milked those ol' cows by hand. Little bitty woman.
Imagine that.
And,................
She wants me to ask you what the name of the Chinese restaurant in Helena with the best pork noodles in the State is.

She was borned in Montana.
Then migrated to California.
I know, .... I know ....... so does she, now.

broncrider · #19 04.17.2008

she must be asking about the one that used to be on mt ave years ago, i cant remember the name right now but i liked thier egg rolls!....the newer ones all suck ( even if they stay open over 6 months)

she was a little backwards there...usually it is the other way around

if she has been back in the last , say 6 years, jade garden is pretty good....but i dont think thats the one shes referring to

AfterShock · #20 04.17.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by broncrider

she was a little backwards there...usually it is the other way around

No kiddin'!
I'm about ready to do the move, somewhere, almost ANYwhere -- outta California.
Big Sky is on my list of places.

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