Hitting Deer or Other Animals

I've hit many a deer. Don't try to avoid them, just hit 'em. Actually passed a buck standing on the shoulder and when I passed him, the stupid thing dropped his head and charged me. He lost. Left a big dent in my gas tank. Not the brightest animals in the kingdom.

The only thing I did try to avoid was a Canandian Goose. Came outta the median and almost came thru the windshiel. Didn't panic, but I was trying to suck the seat up my ###. Took him off the sunvisor on the cab right about the drivers window on my Pete. Called safety to report it and they got a good chuckle out of it.

 

people dont seem to understand this: You have a brake pedal. If there is a deer in the way, you can usually slow down a little, giving it more time to mooove.

 

I'll slow down for deer but if it comes down to avoid the deer or avoid the ditch the deer is getting it.

 

How many deer have you hit?
Climbing on the binders isn't always a good choice. If there's traffic behind your Big truck and they can't see around your rig, they wouldn't be expecting you to hit the brakes. You might miss the deer, and as a result collect a 4-wheeler under your donkey. With the evidence long gone, try explaining why you caused a crash by hitting your brakes.

Well seasoned Big truck truck drivers usually opine that it's better to gouge on it and make it a quick kill than to try to avoid striking an animal and only wound it. Sounds heartless, maybe. But in the interest of safety for all on the highway, it makes sense.

 

I 100% agree. Ive only been driving a year and I do exactly that

 

How many times have you exactly had to do that?

The reason I ask is we all, or most of us, think we know how we'll react during certain situations. We know what's proper, and why. But until we're presented with making a split-second decision, can we really be sure it'll be the correct decision? Best thing we can hope for is that we'll never have to know.

Hitting animals, even small ones, (think skunks), is unpleasant in many ways.
The larger the animal, the potential for damage is obviously more likely. When impact is eminent and an attempt to avoid it would create safety issues, the best advice I have to offer is, while still in control, try to anticipate where and how the impact will occur. What y'all don't want is for a carcass to become wedged under the steer axle --- lifting the tires off the ground. From there it only gets worse.
As the tractor rolls over the body, it tends to tear things apart under the Big truck, like air lines, drive shafts, and fuel tanks. Could even roll y'all over.

Y'all don't wanna just bump Bambi --- Y'all wanna knock Bambi away with a glancing blow to the side. A line drive puts Bambi directly in front for another strike. Not good.

It's very important that y'all keep your wits about you. No time to panic. Know what to do and do your best to do it. Attempting to avoid isn't always a safe option.
And the best option isn't always pleasant.
Actually, it rarely is.

 

So try to catch it on the corner of the bumper instead of dead on, right?

 

YuP.

Or time it so Bambi plows into the side of the Big truck.

If y'all have no choice but to hit head on,
make it a hard hit to knock Bambi far enough away
to have enough time to steer around the body,
if necessary and possible.

Even doing everything possible, y'all are mostly just along
for the ride. Come what may, being alert is the most important.
The sooner y'all see it comin', the more prepared y'all will be.

 

so far i've hit and killed: packs of dogs, a lolcat, a mountain lion, several owls, bambi, bullwinkle, and yogi the bear. bullwinkle and yogi also killed the trucks i had been driving at the time.

 

Ive hit 5 deer thru the years with a semi and never done any serious damage to the trucks I was driving. Worst one I shoved the bumper into the tires and dented it really bad. The only animal I ever slammed on the brakes for was a huge Pennsylvania bear- and it was the middle of the night on a backroad and fortunately no one was behind me. Normally the only species I will brake for or ever consider swerving for is a human and I have had a couple close calls with humans who are dumber than the animals.