Hitting Deer or Other Animals

I've had 2 interesting animal stories from the road.

About 0430 late summer, I was making an early morning run to Spokane. About 30 miles out of town, Bambi decides to walk from the left side of the road to the right. I was loaded heavy with nobody around, so I let off the throttle on full jakes and gently moved to the left lane. He hears the noise and reverses course. I managed to slow to about 50 mph, with him scrambling straight down the road right in front me at about 35-40..... that's when he decided to turn and attack the bumper with a head-but. 80lbs deer vs 4 axle Freightshaker with 60k in the box. Perfect strike; Bambi got a flying lesson. I pulled over to check, just a blood smear on the bumper. Bambi broke his neck and died right as I got there to end his suffering.

The second one was much more fun. On a back highway in OR, I saw that on-coming traffic had stopped on a hill but I couldn't see why due to a bend in the road with trees screening it. So I did the wise thing and cut my speed. As I rounded the curve, I saw what will stick with me forever: A donkey sitting right on the divider line. I had to file a Mac 22 (late on delivery) which had a line for the reason your running late. I typed " Jack-*** on road". Took pictures and sent it to the DM. Now if only I'd had a Swift mentor shirt to put on him 1st......

 

I aim for center mass...

 

I avoid as much as possible.

Considered driver damage to the trailers I pull.

 

Reminds of my driver education class in years gone past. Girl swerves to miss squirrel. Hits tree. Kills squirrel that was climbing tree...

 

Hit one in Pennsylvania last December. I guess a Doe got lost in a construction zone and panicked. It decided to suddenly lunge across the concrete barrier and went right under the truck.

No damage but it tore up making a big stinky mess splatter across the frame and trailer landing gear.

 

I use extreme care at night. I try to not swerve, but avoid.

If there is a body on the road, I move to miss it.

If there is road debris, I try to miss it.

Caught some debris in Canada from a semi that I passed and it damaged the trailer, and cost me 323.00 in damages.

I will not wreck a vehicle, but I will use common sense.

 

I keep a Christmas card in my cab with the pre-written words :"Sorry Santa . . " and if I come upon a deer in the road, I TRY to mow it down and as I pass the carcass, I throw out the card so it lands as close as possible . . .

 

To avoid a deer, you have to think like a deer.

Anyone seen that doe? Me neck is swelled!

 

I was up in BC late one night.....between Jasper and Kamloops on that long two lane......and a deer just appeared in front of the truck.No time to react & nothing I could do but hit it, and it was vaporized. A small hole in the grill of the 379, and blood and hide everywhere. Took many washes to get rid of all that.
Another time in my POV, in the east TX panhandle, 2 deer walked into me. Driver's side fender and door needed to be replaced.

 

Remember that when you do your incident report to let them know that you "were driving down the road when a deer ran out into the road and struck your vehicle." Make sure to let Safety know you "applied the brakes, sounded your horn, and flashed your lights but the deer struck you anyways." Also, you "made every reasonable attempt to keep the deer from striking you, but the deer was very determined."