Hit a deer @ 60 mph

[joecool911]

On the 4th of July I by a deer going 60 mph towing my travel trailer. Lots of momentum and didn't feel it that much. Pushed the right side of the bumper in and tore up the rubber. It did out a slice in the right radiator support. I am attempting to upgrade the bumper to a Buck Stop bumper. Been on my list of mods, so I figure I might as well take the money to restore to OEM and pay a little extra to get a welded steel bumper with brush guards. The deer didn't fair well. Toast.

[MnTom]

They usually don't fare too well in that situation. Did you claim any meat from it?? :drool:

[Mopar1973Man]

One of the few reason I tend to toss the speed limit out... Because even as of today ITD (Idaho Transportation Dept.) was adding more game crossing signs in my neighborhood. When I got a a front yard like a pasture of course the deer are going to hang out.

[Dave3500]

On the 4th of July I by a deer going 60 mph towing my travel trailer. Lots of momentum and didn't feel it that much. Pushed the right side of the bumper in and tore up the rubber. It did out a slice in the right radiator support. I am attempting to upgrade the bumper to a Buck Stop bumper. Been on my list of mods, so I figure I might as well take the money to restore to OEM and pay a little extra to get a welded steel bumper with brush guards. The deer didn't fair well. Toast.

Sorry about your unfortunate accident, so were you able to keep traveling. The situation gets tougher when your towing. What happens to the big camper, does it get left at the scene if the truck is disabled? Just asking, luckily I've never been in that troubling situation!

Good luck,

Dave

[joecool911]

I was able to continue. If you have the deluxe AAA, the RV version they will tow your vehicle and RV. Had a friend, transmission went out while he had his camper on and towing boat. They put the truck/camper package on the flat bed and towed his boat. $1,200 tow for no cost.

[Wild and Free]

Man talk about a bad weekend.  I love the ranch hands on all my rigs, trick is to make sure to hit them dead center and not try to avoid them, if you try to avoid them and catch them with a corner they tend to swing around and cave in doors and fenders ect, dead on and they bounce off to the side of the road and cause less damage. I have nailed more than my fair share to have developed a technique in the proper way to hit one. We have a different scenario than Mike does in the mountains, very tall grass along roads and open roads where they tend to be suicidal and come out of nowhere and always in front of you. I have had a couple run dead center into the side of my vehicles over the years already.

I drive 40 miles of gravel back roads everyday and it doesn't matter if you are going 20 mph or 75 mph when they jump out of tall grassy ditches you can't see them until you have very little time to avoid or brake for them.

 

Gotta love triple A, have had it since I got a drivers liscence and it has paid for itself time and again even with all the extra perks and discounts you get for being a member.

[Mopar1973Man]

Yeah not much for tail grass but steep embankments that they come hauling up in a hurry. For my neighborhood you typically get a feel for where they are hanging out. Certain homes and mountain slopes to gain access to water. Like its rare but still possible to meet up with a deer in the evening hours hiking all the way down the mountain to get to water.

 

I would have to admit that W&F is right about hitting then dead on. Especially broadside is best. But still even out here it still helps a bunch to just slow down at night. During the day your pretty good rare chances of deer being out now most have move from the valley floor and headed for high country where food is plentiful and cooler.

 

As for coverage I've still got full coverage on my diesel truck so if something was to happen I would have the insurance company most likely deal with it.

[rancherman]

'dead on'   ESPECIALLY  when  towing! 

 

A sudden swerve and  mash the brakes is  exactly what not to do  when  pulling a  trailer...

 

Usually, a blast on the  horn  gets em moving  away,  but when they are  in the  'cross hairs',   all you can do is  grit your  teeth, and pucker up.

 

FIL  just got his  2012  chev  back from the body shop,     buck   barely ticked the  front corner... right behind the headlight,  and  commenced to  pirouette   the full length of the  truck...  fender, door, and  the whole side of the box.... 

I like the idea of  using a   'knee capper'  bar  out about 10 feet in front of the vehicle...  but  I suppose   in- town driving  would   tend to  take out pedestrians  too..

[MnTom]

Another thing to keep in mind is your insurance would much rather have you hit the deer (or other animal) and stay on the road than attept to avoid it and loose control because of the potential bodily injury to you and/or other people, especially an innocent bystander.

[Wild and Free]

Yep Tom has a good point, I have seen news stories and police reports of more harm and damage from trying to avoid a collision and resulting in a bad crash instead.

 

I like the $1K ranch hand bumper approach better than several deductibles over time and the inconvienience of being without my ride while in a body shop ect. I can't count how much money the ranch hands have saved me over the years in comparison to the initial cost of the bumpers.

[joecool911]

Any of the ranch hands include full brush guard? Cover clear out past headlights? No dealers within 100 miles of me. Buckstop is 40 miles away from me. Made locally. But the one I want is $1,700. I only have a $50 deductable. Comprehensive for deer as long as you stay on the road and don't hit anyone else. Took her broadside. Darted out in from of me. Didn't see her until she was right on my headlight area. Going to go get an estimate and see how close we can come to $1,700.

[Wild and Free]

Yep full protection all the way across with the ranch hands, without would be worthless.

[diesel4life]

Heres my Ranch Hand, and after an impact at 55+ to boot. It was only a yearling so it was small in body and when I hit it the bumper folded the little critter right underneath the truck.

We have the same problem out here, lots of tall grass and tree line right up to the ditch, I've hit em at 70 at night and 25 in broad daylight...the one I hit doing 25 literally ran into the side of the car and crumpled the passenger side door. All in township limits to boot. I am on the roads at 330-400 in the morning when they are very active and have developed quite the trained eye for them...sometimes theres just no avoiding them.

[Dave3500]

Like the the bumper. How heavy a gauge steel? What's it weigh?

[joecool911]

Here is the bumper I'm planning on getting on a white truck like mine.

[diesel4life]

Like the the bumper. How heavy a gauge steel? What's it weigh?

schedule 40 pipe official weight from Ranch Hand is 226 pounds.

When I mounted it I hung it from the rafters in the garage off of a snatchblock and used the winch on the 4wheeler. Got it hanging level and drove the truck into it and bolted it up. The wifes girlfriend walked in as I was installing it and after taking everything in for a minute asked if I was going for redneck of the year with my bumper...I told her there's no competition I get the award every year!

Edited July 9, 2014 by diesel4life

[joecool911]

$1,749 total damage per the estimate today. That's enough for a good bumper.

[rancherman]

Here is the bumper I'm planning on getting on a white truck like mine.

what brand is  this one  Joe?

I see there are kits  for the  weld it yourself   crowd,  which cuts  the  cost  pretty much in half..  if that is an option for you!

[joecool911]

That's a Buckstop bumper. Now located in prineville, Oregon. Also the guards that come off the bumper and protect the grill and headlights are bolt on. So if you damage them you can just order a new one. No welding or cutting. Or if you want to do some work on the grill you can take it off.

Edited July 10, 2014 by joecool911

[Dave3500]

what brand is this one Joe?

I see there are kits for the weld it yourself crowd, which cuts the cost pretty much in half.. if that is an option for you!

I like the weld it yourself option. I changed to a 2001 sport bumper so I'm not going to change unless something tragic happens, at least for now. I do like the fact of the added protection for the front of the truck!

Dave