Ram vs deer

[06 Dodge]

I was at Yellowstone a decade back at least, in the car with family, in a traffic jam. All the cars ahead were pulled up, most people out on foot to look at a ********* Bear and a Grizz of comparable size who were apparent buddies. They are faster than you can believe, and these idiots were moving closer for photos. I was carrying legally, and left the scene, not responsible. Nothing in the news the next few days, so I guess fools survived. Time and again, folks get too close to even Buffalo with bad to fatal outcomes. There is a reason they are called Wild Animals!

I got shocked about 10 years ago in Yellowstone, if I had not seen it with my own eye would not believe if it I was told that a Buffalo could or would rear up an head butt a box truck going around it for no reason, lets just say after waiting 30 plus minutes for it to move out of the middle of the road, the line of cars waiting behind me was a very long one, later had a park ranger tell me Buffalo can run 30 MPH so its most likely a good idea we did not try to go around it...

 

[bcbouy]

In Nevada avoid driving at night on remote roads because they are just too many horses and cattle on the roads.

Working in places like Wyoming, Idaho and Utah we had strict rules for driving at night. We went below the speed limit, designated driver no alcohol and we had a spotter in the front seat to help spot wildlife. I can remember missing 6-8 deer and elk in one night. Larger animals are the worst. Moose come right through the windshield because they are so tall.

we defalt to passengers being the deer spotter out of habit now.if one is spotted grazing beside the road,it gets called out so the driver knows and any oncoming car gets a headlight flash.we all know what the headlight flash means,and it isn't cops ahead,it's wildlife.once me and a buddy were flying down the highway doing close to 100 mph in the middle of the night in my bigblock trans am and a herd of bighorn sheep crossed in front of us,and we miraculously missed every single one.we would have been dead if we tagged one.all I could do was close my eyes and hope.

 

[ppine]

I bet you don't drive fast at night now.
I was coming back from a mine in the Toiyabe Range in Nevada one winter night around 1800. It was dark with no moon and I ran into a herd of Black Angus cattle in the road. By the time I could clearly see them I was through the herd. Total miracle I missed them all.

LED headlights are much better now. Forty years ago I had an old Jeep Waggoneer with search lights. I could aim them out ahead of my bright lights and see everything for 1/4 of a mile.

 

[ppine]

I used to have a contract on the Navajo Reservation. One morning the guy at the mine we were working on was late. His friend hit a horse the night before and he was up at 0300 to bring him home.

The guy hit a horse in the neck with his right front A pillar in a small car. The horse's head came through the windshield and filled the cab with blood. The guy was okay but had a hard time explaining to the Navajo police what happened. The horse's body was laying dead in the ditch next to the road. The horses hang out on the warm pavement at night. Don't drive at night on the Res.

 

[Dean2]

I bet you don't drive fast at night now.
I was coming back from a mine in the Toiyabe Range in Nevada one winter night around 1800. It was dark with no moon and I ran into a herd of Black Angus cattle in the road. By the time I could clearly see them I was through the herd. Total miracle I missed them all.

LED headlights are much better now. Forty years ago I had an old Jeep Waggoneer with search lights. I could aim them out ahead of my bright lights and see everything for 1/4 of a mile.

Man, you are REALLY OLD!!! How did you get the Buckboard going fast enough in 1800, for the cows to be a potential problem?


I agree that the LEDs are much better. They actually make a moose's eyes reflect, like a deer. It makes seeing game in the dark a whole lot easier because what I usually see is the eyes on the animal. The old Halogens never did that with moose or bears.

 

[Joseph Godvin]

Had about the same damage to my 2016, purchased a pre-painted upper bumper cover and a new chrome bumper and related parts, replaced it all on a Saturday for under $800. wasn't to difficult to do. IMHO !

 

[1911LVR]

This should handle just about any deer, cow or javelina that may cross my path...

 

[Niederlander]

11 grand thr missus granted the wish of a suicidal deer. 11 grand cad estimated to fix it. I got the freaked out phone call not much I can do told her to get a hold of the cops and report it. No big deal other than the 250$ cad deductible I pulled the headlight bucket out and cut back the inner fender so nothing would fall off or make a noise

I’m surprised no one has mentioned those high frequency deer whistles that mounted on the hood. They used to sell them out of JC Whitney. Perhaps they were no good? I don’t have any experience with them myself.

 

[thewanderer]

Lot's of people don't like Deer whistles, but on three separate occasions I've watched deer change direction away from my truck, then cross the highway behind me. Works for me.

 

[Guitar Guy]

Like HemiMann said, if you live in deer country, you NEED a good grille guard. The really heavy bumper replacements are about 2 grand, the one he showed is a Big Tex and it will do the job most of the time. I had a truck accessories business and put these on by the hundreds in Montana, deer country.

 

[bjayscanlon]

I hit a deer on I-80 a few years back in a big old Ford Econoline van. No damage at all.

 

[Magfan2]

Like HemiMann said, if you live in deer country, you NEED a good grille guard. The really heavy bumper replacements are about 2 grand, the one he showed is a Big Tex and it will do the job most of the time. I had a truck accessories business and put these on by the hundreds in Montana, deer country.

There are an awful lot of them here in Montana, and they make sense, but I just hate the way they look! Best I can do is be extra careful.

 

[Wild one]

Lot's of people don't like Deer whistles, but on three separate occasions I've watched deer change direction away from my truck, then cross the highway behind me. Works for me.

We had them on company vehicles,i can't say as i thought they did much,but they didn't hurt either.

 

[Hagar1]

These guys have no respect for the road either.

They look like liberals to me.....

 

[rvance]

Out here, at least by our experience & folks we know, it is about half hitting the deer and half kamikaze deer running into the vehicle. Not an if situation, but when. Someone a while back suggested they were running into the light of headlights and briefly dimming or shutting off the lights might confuse & stop them. Any thoughts on that? Haven't tried it.

No time. They come out of nowhere in an instant.

 

[rvance]

This should handle just about any deer, cow or javelina that may cross my path...

View attachment 576627

I've hit a lot of deer in my 60 years of driving. Most were small but not all. Hit a big mule deer in Ft Davis in a Riviera a glancing blow at 10mph after he changed his mind about crossing the road. $3k damage to the car and a broken hind leg on the muley. After we moved to NE Texas we hit 2 in the first year. I got a Ranch Hand guard and haven't hit one since.
Highly recommended!

 

[4xdad]

Usually you don’t have time if it’s dark and they are running. Moose are black so you can’t see them until it’s too late

 

[4xdad]

Ahh so that is the trick spend a whack of money and you will never see another deer again

 

[Jim welsh]

These cost $600 + install labor instead of $6,000. Plus they keep deer away after you install, guaranteed! lol

All the semi truck tractors have these up here in big deer country. The big fear isn't body damage - it's radiator puncture.

View attachment 576437

Got one of them on my ram ,hit a deer last week . Bent the lower bar in ripped out the hardware on the side guards still broke the front up but not to bad

 

[4xdad]

Critters don’t have any respect for the road. It’s only a matter of weight over speed. Deer at highway speeds = not good. Moose/ bison/ horse /cow is catastrophic. The hogs aren’t really a problem up here yet but they could be in the future.