I was headed home about 1:00 this morning, crested a hill and BAM!
Deer just ran straight at me and there was no place to go but through her. Truck is messed up pretty bad but I was able to drive it the last couple of miles home.
First wreck I’ve had since I was 16 years old and that one was just a minor bump. Just thankful I didn’t end up hurt myself. One of our job superintendents rolled a company vehicle after he hit a deer last year and another guy was killed when he hit a deer not too far from where I hit mine.
He went off the road and it was nearly a year before a couple of hunters finally found his truck in the cedar thickets several hundred feet off the road. Everyone had concluded by then that he had just run off and left his family but he was still in the truck when they found it. Kind of sobering.
Pretty sick about the wreck. I bought the 83 Toyota I was driving as a construction vehicle while I build our house. 20 minute drive to and from work so gas mileage was important. It was in near mint condition but the blue book is lower than what it would cost to fix it. I did not have full coverage.
I’m weighing my options- May just swallow my pride, fix the mechanical issues and drive a bent up vehicle till the house is finished. Hate to see any vehicle that was taken care of so well end up in this shape.
What is your opinion of those deer whistles that stick on your bumper? I don’t want to try this stunt again.
Kevin Halliburton
“One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.” -Elbert Hubbard-
Replies
Sorry to hear that Kevin.
Those big rats with antlers can really make a mess.
I don't know about those whistles. I used 'em but to say if they worked is like trying to prove something with inductive logic.
Suffice it to say, I'll take all the help I can get.
The most reliable answer I ever saw was a guy in Del Rio Texas who made "grill guards" for the US Border Patrol.
More like a cowcatcher (or deer thrower) for your truck.
My brother's co-worker hit a deer with one of these on the front of his truck. Had to hose off the radiator and peel the hide off the grill guard to keep the engine from overheating. Otherwise no problem.
DRC
Hi, just passing by on my way to Knots. Glad to hear you're OK, and the deer didn't come through the windshield.
My employee came by the shop last year to show me the damage to her Ford Escort stationwagon after hitting a deer. She pointed out the broken mirror, dented fender, thinking "Well, it could have been worse." Turned out it was worse! What she missed was the big, big dent in the roof where the deer had flipped up and landed broadside on the top.
Can't hurt to try the whistles.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
deer are bad.. moose are worse... moose are just high enough that the vehicle knocks the pins out and a 500 pound equivelent of a full 55 gal drum comes thru the windshield...
pretty exciting driving the Maine backroads at night with all the moose crossing signsMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
"pretty exciting driving the Maine backroads at night with all the moose crossing signs"
Why don't they take down the signs, so the moose don't cross there ???I had a friend who was a clown. When he died, all his friends went to the funeral in one car.
Dear First Lady of the Forest: Hi Jamie as you know I live in the Poconos of Pennsylvania & were in prime White tail Deer habitat ya there running & playing all over the place here & eating all the shrubs & plants & flowers..well a few of my friends bought those Deer whisles guess what they dont work worth a damn..Big surprise huh..LOL..The whole problem here is the state has deer crossing signs posted to warn the motorists about roaming deer but those Rascal deer never cross in the deer crossing walks <G>..
Take Care & Happy Woodworking.. ToolDoc
Sorry to hear about your truck.
I don't know if those whistles actually work at repelling deer, but there are things you can do to make them more likely to actually make some noise. I have seen them placed in locations on a vehicle that don't get much wind. The top of the bumper under the grill or under the headlights is probably the worst place to put them because those areas are relatively wind free, but that's where most people install them. There is much more wind on the hood, or on the fenders directly above the wheels. The leading edge of the roof also gets a ton of wind. The top of the bumper underneath the grill is a really stagnant area for airflow. Unfortunately, I think the whistles are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye on the top of the bumper and look kind of dumb sticking out of a fender. But I guess that's your call.
Check out this picture of a nice streamlined car in an air tunnel to see what I mean. http://www.cars101.com/Sub_SVX_windtunnel.JPG A truck will have an even greater variation of airflow over its skin because trucks are less aerodynamic.
Good luck!
I think the whistles are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye on the top of the bumper and look kind of dumb sticking out of a fender.
Well, yea but then- so does a deer. You make some good points about the aerodynamics. I'll give that some thought.
Kevin Halliburton
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man." -Elbert Hubbard-
Edited 4/9/2003 3:03:21 PM ET by wrecked angle
Glad to hear your ok.
I've had two deer incidents. Both where the deer ran into the side of me. Yep. I was hit by the deer.
We have an average of one deer kill by car a week on a 5 mile stretch of road. Wish people were hungrier. A few more puma would help also.
Whistles help but a sub-whoofer works better............
Whistles help but a sub-whoofer works better............
I don't know about that one - I understand that certain deer are attracted to certain sounds.
I hit this deer in the hip - seems to me that thumping down the road with your woofer blaring might actually increase your risk of hitting a hip deer.
... theory probably needs to be studied a little more.Kevin Halliburton
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man." -Elbert Hubbard-
Havn't had a deer run into yet. And when I play my kids music, I can see the deer running away from the road.................go figure.......
Best protection is to drive smart, slow down, be alert, understand deer behavior. No, this will not protect you against every deer car collision, however far to many drivers see a deer cross the road and don't bother to slow down only to get nailed by the second or third deer. If you drive the same route pay attention to where the crossings are, deer are creatures of habit most, unless they are chased, cross roads at predictable places. My dad lives in prime deer country, after 50 years of driving never hit one, I or my wife never hit one either, by contrast my brother in law nails one every year. Go figure.http://www.northernsunwoodworks.com
that's what brothers-in-law are for, armin... to dilute the gene pool.
i stopped for one deer last summer... and there were 13 more right behind her...
most of the mini-herds around the island are about 5 or so...Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Best protection is to drive smart, slow down, be alert, understand deer behavior.
Copy that- Alert driving habits, and a healthy mix of divine intervention, are the main reason this is the first accident I've had since I was 16 in spite of hundreds of near misses. Even when I was running the illegal drag races as a punk kid I took a lot more precaution than the average delinquent.
I generally try to drive with the expectation that the other guy is going to do his best to kill me. All the same, the way this one played out, I doubt I would have been able to avoid this deer if I had only been going 10 miles an hour. There probably would have been a lot less damage to the truck though.
Still, I would have to fess up- that early in the morning, on that road, this time of year, at that speed- I was asking for it. I was trying to get home in a hurry- at this point I'm just glad I got there at all.
Thanks for the important reminder. I will definitely be driving that area with a lot more caution in the future.Kevin Halliburton
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man." -Elbert Hubbard-
I've heard that the whistles don't work unless you keep 'em free of bugs. Since that's almost impossible to do, I'd say they're basically worthless.
Strip mining prevents forest fires.
Oops. Boss, you might need to get out more... There are some areas of the country where there are very few flying bugs! Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
Sorry to hear about your truck, I've also heard what Boss said, no go if they are clogged.
How bad is the truck? Busted raidiator? Thats easy to replace so is a hood.
I don't know how good you are with cars, or how close a "good" (and there is wide range of good and bad) salvage yard but used body panels aren't usualy to much $, and a few small dents is better then beat to Sh!t., if you cant hang them yourself, a body shop probably wouldnt charge to much just to replace. What ever you do, dont get parts from the dealer, absolute freaking rip off artist
If all else fails, go to an autoparts store and pick up a few gallons of fiberglass mesh, resin, and bondo and a dozen or so cans of krylon :)
My old man hit a dear 2 years or so ago, 3.5K damage to the car, and it didnt even look that bad.
In one of my other many lives I built a 4x4 truck and two bad for days hot rods pretty much from scrap. Earned several pay checks twisting wrenches so I know my way around the garage- I just don't have one right now. I can make it driveable and maybe even acceptably straight in the right light but my evenings are pretty full working on the house.
Like I said the truck was nearly mint when I bought it but I only paid 2K for it. Blue book is less than that. I'm weighing spending enough to get it "touched up" versus taking advantage of the 0% interest on a new one right now. That is a huge difference in expense but you can argue smart money both ways.
I'm thinking I'll probably swallow my pride and settle on option number one for the duration of my little construction project. I'll probably be less than a grand into getting it reasonably straightened out. Hopefully there aren't any frame issues. That might cast a little different light on things.
Hugged my wife and son when I got home, thought about the troops on the other side of the deep blue sea and went to bed with a thankful heart and a healthy perspective.
Could have been worse- I didn't loose anything that really mattered. The deer did...Kevin Halliburton
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man." -Elbert Hubbard-
Anyone ever tell you are a really nice guy?
Not many like you out there, your perspective on things is often humbling.
I'm not going to start a battle on which truck is best, but I did notice last night that chevy, at least here has 0% 60 month, they said "all" cars and trucks, and the only disclaimer I saw was not the vette. ford only has it for 36 months. Might be a regional thing though.
Anway good luck with the truck. Yeah no garage makes it hard to work on a car.View ImageGo Jayhawks..............Next Year
Actually, I talked to Kevin by phone the other day. And I can confirm that he actually IS a nice guy.
For an architect that is.................................(-:Q: What's the difference between a blonde and an ironing board? A: It's often difficult to open the legs of an ironing board.
Architectural intern- I'm not fully licensed to make truss manufacturer's lives a living nightmare yet. :-)>
All the same- Gee tanks Boss! I got the sense that you weren't half as bad as I was expecting either. <BG>Kevin Halliburton
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man." -Elbert Hubbard-
If my perspective on things is often humbling it's because I often get humbled by my perspective on things. <G>
Thanks for the compliment CAG. Means a lot coming from you.
Edit: As to the truck issue- My 4x4 was a 73 Dodge Power Wagon and the two cars were 70 and 71 Dodge Challengers. You can probably deduce my vehicular preference from there. Chevy is running the 0% for 60 here - Maybe... I put my foot down on Ford... Not in my driveway.
Kevin Halliburton
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man." -Elbert Hubbard-
Edited 4/9/2003 5:42:39 PM ET by wrecked angle
I used to live in deer country, and had a daily 30-mile farm-land commute, one-third interstate, the rest state and county roads. It was in Indiana, which probably exceeds all other states in deer-vehicle collisions each year. If Indiana isn't #1, then Texas is, but given the size of those corn-fed cuties in the Hoosier state, Texas is a for-sure second in the deer-crash tonnage stats. It was common for me to see dozens each way, coming and going, and messy road kills almost daily. It was my experience, trying whistles, and the experience of all my friends that tried them, that whistles are of no use in preventing one of those stupid cud-chewers from bolting out in front of you (or AT you, as happens a lot.) I experienced one collision when living there, and it was like those of many folks I knew that had them. No warning, no early view of a deer from afar, just a big WHAM.
i don't know.. i think New Jersey may hold the deer road kill record.. surprising , ain't it ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
It's surprising if you live in NC...the only time you can't hit a deer here is during hunting season!...and the whistles are a scam, wanna buy a dozen? EliphIno!
In Texas, the Deer Crossing sign only goes up after two reported deer-vehicle collisions. What happens to the unreported deer--like as not, they go to the now-poor (as in needing money for car repairs) driver.
Now, for a mess, my uncle had a deer try to go between the truck & the trailered boat. A real mess, and a horribly complicated insurance claim to boot.
I'm happy that Wrecked Angle came through ok. Military grille guard on the next powerwagon would make a good spot for the deer whistles, too . . .
Me again ...
We swear by deer whistles. Some people think they don't work, but in 10 years living where they're thick, no accidents. I have seen deer literally stop, look up, and watch us drive past. Maybe they would have anyway, then again maybe they'd have gone for the thrill ride. Bear in mind they don't work below about 30 mph (not enough velocity to the air through them).
Had an interesting deer rescue last weekend. Was driving to visit a relative across the state. Came around a bend in the road, and saws 3 deer standing in the ditch, and something flailing away behind them. I figure a fourth deer must have been hit by a vehicle, and was in its death throes.
I pull over as the other 3 deer bolt, and find a big doe (mule deer out here) with her front legs, just above the hoof, twisted between the top 2 strands of a tight barbed wire fence. The pasture beyond the fence sloped down, so here she is with her front legs over her head, body and rear end pulling everything tighter as she was on the downslope. I tried to pull the wires apart, but they were way too tight.
She had apparently jumped from the road toward the pasture, and stuck her front legs between the top 2 strands of wire in the process, sending her somersaulting over the fence. I figured it must have just happened, as a trauma like that will kill a deer of shock/heart attack in a couple of minutes.
I was in the car, all duded up, no tools or gloves, etc. A guy comes down the road, and I see the word "construction" on his truck, so I flag him down and tell him to grab his gloves. He has no luck either trying to separate the wires, so we go to the closest fencepost and pop the wire loose where it's wired to the post. That's all it took; she flopped a few more times and came free. She goes bouncing off down the pasture, then turns and jumps back over the same fence.
Don't know what that has to do with deer whistles ...
Formerly BEMW at The High Desert Group LLC
A guy out here hit a full grown Bison with his Ford Fiesta some time back. 2000#s plus.
Knocked the Bison down and it got back up with an attitude. It walked right up hood and than onto the roof The car is now suddenly about 2 feet high. Kenny just barely got out on time. Nobody hurt but the car isn't quite right.
Watch out. You can usually tell which deer are going to jump out.
They are the ones wearing the white headbands with the red rising sun and the Japanese characters.
More recently you might see burqas and turbans.
Deer whistles.....
Don't waste your money.
I used to work for a state wildlife dept. and saw plenty of research on them. The only positive thing I ever saw was a comparison of Wisconsin Highway Patrol accident rates before and after installing the whistles.
But when a scientist normalized the numbers by comparing the deer populations to the accident rates, it showed they had zero effect.
If a deer can't hear a car coming, how in he11 is it going to hear a piddly little whistle? Besides, there's nothing in the experience of a deer that would make them associate a high-pitched whistle with danger.
Now, if they howled like a coyote..... LOL
There is one thing that's been shown to be somewhat effective. It's a special kind of highway marker that reflects headlights out into the woods. It's too expensive to use in regular highway situations, but has been used in areas where a lot of accidents happen.
Got to http://www.swareflex.com/ click on "wildlife protection."
K
-
"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from -- self righteous sixteen-year-olds posessing infinite amounts of free time." - Neil Stephenson, Cryptonomicon
29489.25 in reply to 29489.1
Deer whistles.....
Don't waste your money.
I always figured those things should work........
Like, i mean, imagine yourself as a deer......and trying to walk - let alone run - across a road while laughing yao......
And as for the moose.... A ways north of here they are referred to as "Newfoundland speed bumps"
Doc
Hope you got out the "Betty Trucker Road Kill Helper" and made good use of that critter. Also, 1 AM!?!? Sounds like you've been staying out to late at the Woodshed Tavern.......
Seriously, glad to here you're OK.
Don't worry about the look of the pickup. I've got an 86 Nissan pickup that I bought new. Only the tailgate and the passengers side of the bed are undamaged! It all started when I hit a horse at 70mph. Same type deal, top of a little hill, it ran out, no time........
83 Toy....very fine little truck!
Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
Sometimes you wish you'd hit the deer. The most famous of my many deer encounters happened when I was driving semis, pulling double trailers. I crested a small hill to see several head begining to cross the road. I started to apply the brakes, slowing in the hope that they would get out of the way. Closer, closer, CLOSER... panic, too much brake, jackknife until I was looking out the windshield at the back of the rear trailer while astraddle of the right-of-way fence. 10,000 $ damage to truck and trailers. And NO sign of a deer anywhere. No evidence. My bosses were not amused.
From that point on, when a Bambi crossed the road in front of me I painted a mental target one the road behind it and aimed the truck at said target hoping the deer would get out of the way in time. Sometimes they did, sometimes they lost. Now I just hope the damage won't be to bad to the front of my vehicle and My insurance is payed up.
My drivers ed instructor back in the day always said, if the animal is small, try to slow down, but in most circumstances your better off hitting the animal then trying to avoid it.
PETA probably would have hated him, but I think it makes good sense. Trying to swerve out of the way can be to dangerous most of the time.View ImageGo Jayhawks..............Next Year
My physics professor's daughter hit a deer and it came through the windshield. Half of the beast on the hood and the other half in the front passenger seat (mostly). Luckily it was dead on contact Glad you are ok!