Sorry guys, one less buck this fall.....

[yorketransport]

Well, there will be one less buck out in Yelm this fall. I hit a young one, looked like he was going to be at least a 2pt, on my way to work on Friday.

I wasn't 3/4 of a mile down Bald Hills Rd from my house when I saw him. I hadn't even made it up to 50mph yet. He was on the left shoulder with that look in his eyes like he was going to make a run for it. I saw him from about 50 yards away and I started to slow down. He made the jump at about 25 yards away, and didn't make it. I had managed to slow down to about 25-30 mph, but the impact still broke his hips and punctured his lung. Unfortunately he was not going to make it, so I helped him out and finished what I started, then moved him off the road.

I have a rule that I will not lockup the tires or swerve to avoid hitting an animal. It's not worth rolling my car to avoid hitting an animal. In fact, the damage to my car was pretty minor. I didn't even break a head light on the Jetta. I just drove the car back to the house and took my truck to work. I'm not so sure that my Silverado would have turned out that well if I had been driving it.

I always feel bad when I see a young, healthy deer get hit. I guess it's just natural selection thining out the ones which are not smart enough to stay out of the road.

Andrew

[DoubleJ]

Should have brought him home and put him in the freezer.  For coyote bait I mean 

[jeepasaurusrex]

I hit one with my 97 F-350 once just up the road from Skagit Speedway. I was doing about 50mph when I seen her. Almost did not have time to hit the brakes. Hit her so hard she flew across the other lane and over the guard rail. I figured the front of the truck was totaled. It was dark and I was almost home so I continued home and got out the halogen work light to look at the damage. The only thing I could find was the front bumper had a dimple in it where the end of the frame horn touched the back side and some hair stuck in the trim. I felt very lucky that day.

[DoubleJ]

Our park and ride bus hit one about 2 years ago doing 60mph.  hurt the bus pretty bad.  I went back in the afternoon and couldn't find a trace of it happening anywhere.

[bearpaw]

Too bad for the buck and too bad for your car....

[agchawk]

My wife hit one in her brand new cavalier when I was stationed on Whidbey Island. She hit him at 55MPH and it totalled her car. She broke her arm and ended up facing the other way on the wrong side of highway. It was a pretty nasty collision to say the least.

The deer she hit came out of the trees and right into her path without hesitation. We believe something spooked it and it was more worried about what was behind it than what was in front of it. Either way she is ultra cautious any more while driving.

[greenhead_killer]

well first off, glad to hear that were not hurt and that your car was not totally f-ed up. i was at a auto body place a few years ago and saw what an elk would do to a full size pickup at 35mph and man im glad that i havent exp that. completely mangled the front of the truck. now as far as dispatching the animal after the fact, what are the legal technicalities of that ? are we allowed to finish the job to lessen the suffering or can legal action be taken against us? just curious b/c if im in that same situation, i would do the same thing and put it down. anyhow, glad to hear you were safe.

[YoterHunter]

my brother hit one  with my truck a few years ago on hy. 14 by washogale. his son broke his leg at the track .and taken out by ambulance. he had a camper on his truck so in told him to take mine. on the way back to mthe track had a doe jump across the medean .he sead there was no time to slow down .said he was doing 75 when he hit it.my 94 half ton 4x4 held up pretty good.i told him he could have a least bring me some vinson .for the damage to my truck.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Ouch ... that sucks you hit that poor buck ....

[yorketransport]

now as far as dispatching the animal after the fact, what are the legal technicalities of that ? are we allowed to finish the job to lessen the suffering or can legal action be taken against us? just curious b/c if im in that same situation, i would do the same thing and put it down.

I'm not entirely certain on this. I know that if I had called the sherrif, they just would have shot the deer. I didn't have a gun on me since I was on my way to work. I just cut his throat, and it was all over in a matter of seconds.

I do know that it's illegal to take roadkill home for personal use. I've had that conversation with a few officers. In fact I watched a woman argue with a state patrol officer on the side of the highway over this. I am fairly certain that this buck was picked up shortly after I left him. He wasn't there 15 minutes later after I went home, grabbed my truck, and passed back by.

Andrew

[shoot-em-dead]

I hit one with my 97 F-350 once just up the road from Skagit Speedway. I was doing about 50mph when I seen her. Almost did not have time to hit the brakes. Hit her so hard she flew across the other lane and over the guard rail. I figured the front of the truck was totaled. It was dark and I was almost home so I continued home and got out the halogen work light to look at the damage. The only thing I could find was the front bumper had a dimple in it where the end of the frame horn touched the back side and some hair stuck in the trim. I felt very lucky that day.

Built Ford tough

[cle elum bowhunter]

Have hit two over the years on Hwy 970 with my F350, nothing to show but some hair in the bumper on one and nothing on the second.  Hit one this winter in my Outback at about 55mph, she flew about 75', $5000 damage to front of car. 

[carpsniperg2]

Bum luck, at least you are OK. I smacked a big doe on the way out of town on opening morning of archery elk season. I was in my dads dodge as well lucky it just messed up the front bumper and grill. What a way to start out a 4hr drive to get to the hunting spot at like 1a.m

[longknife]

State dosent allow roadkill to be taken. If you ask me, its a waste, a fresh kill should be used!

[dscubame]

Pretty minor you say?  Dang that sucks and looks like alot of damage.  I agree I do not swerve either much worse can happen for sure.

[yorketransport]

Pretty minor you say?  Dang that sucks and looks like alot of damage.  I agree I do not swerve either much worse can happen for sure.

I got in there and really gave the car a once over today. All that need's to be repaired or replaced is the plastic grill insert, the logo in the grill, and the hood. My biggest concern was whether or not the radiator or transmission cooler were damaged. But both of those look good. I could probably get in there an replace them myself, but this is why I pay for insurance. So that I can let somebody who knows what they're doing fix this stuff for me.

Sure enough though, I was driving up Hwy 507 on the way to Tacoma with my kids in the truck, and another young buck made the death run. He made it this time, but my kids just kept asking if I was going to hit that one too.

Andrew

[mebco09]

Good to hear you are OK.  Your common sense approach as to what to do (not lock up the brakes and don't swerve) is a perfect lesson for young drivers .  I was with a guy in College who could have killed the carful of us when he swerved at 65 to avoid a rabbit in an Explorer.

As far as the dispatch, I have heard that it is illegal to kill an injured animal hit on the roadway.  I would have done the same thing, but I guess maybe watch for the overzealous cop to arrest you for poaching (?)

[kenbell27]

Glad to hear you are o.k. I have hit two deer on Bald hills road, luckily with no damage. I did see pretty nasty accident last year on Bald Hills where the deer a three point went into the windshield of the car nobody was hurt but it looked bad.

[DoubleJ]

State dosent allow roadkill to be taken. If you ask me, its a waste, a fresh kill should be used!

What the state don't know..........




at 4am, I'd throw that sumbitch in the bed of my truck and skip the day at work to process it.  Never done it but, not saying I wouldn't

[danderson]

thats a shame , any time a game animal is hit by a car I just cringe because the meat goes to waist, I wish the state would start letting folks recover road kills.

[singleshot12]

*censored* happens...Most deer are smart to the roads and avoid getting hit,but believe in natural selection too, only the dumb ones get hit.

I had a deer one time jump out and then turn sideways and along side of the truck, somehow she got her leg caught the front axle and she became entangled in the under carage and drug her until I stopped, not a pretty sight. Didn't do any damage to the truck but there wasn't much left of her.

As far as road kill ediblity "it's not" most of the time when a deer get hit the guts explode and instantely get pumped through the blood stream resulting in a very horrible flavor, not to mention e-coli poisoning.

[colockumelk]

As far as the legality I'm not sure.  When I was 17 I was driving to my Grandparents house up in the Nile one winter and I drove passed a fawn curled up in the middle of the road.  Took a few seconds to realize that that is not normal.  I returned and noticed that its femur was sticking out of the skin and the fawn was shaking badly.  So I was always taught not to let an animal suffer.  So without hesitation I pulled out my .22 and attempted to dispatch it.  Unfortunately all I had was a few cheap hollowpoints.  So my two attempts at a head shot failed.  I was in the process of trying to find a knife to slit the throat when a State Patrolman rolled up.  I filled him in on the chain of events up until that point.  He said okay no problem and dispatched the deer himself.  We then drug it off the side of the road. 

Now this was when I was young enough to take into consideration laws of the land.  I only knew what was right or wrong.  I'm sure that maybe in some counties it might be illegal or it also might depend on the Law Enforcement Officer that rolls up on you.  But....  knowing what I know now, I still would have done the same thing. 

[yorketransport]

I've finished off a couple of deer in the last few years. I've used a knife on all of them. With gun, I can see how you might run in to trouble because you discharged a firearm along side a road. I tend to agree that the officer's personal views may play a bigger role than anything. Just like some cops are gun guys and will be happy to talk with you while others get a little upset when you ask about their sidearm.

Andrew

[danderson]

I have driven by a lots of deer and elk that have been hit by cars, semis, and pickups, 90% of the time they are dead, some are crippled and suffering, I have never stoped and put any of them down, I wish I could but thats why we have Law enforcement, a phone call to the local game warden is the right and legal thing to do , they come out and take care of the animal, the ones that are hit are not dumb just unlucky.

[yorketransport]

I have driven by a lots of deer and elk that have been hit by cars, semis, and pickups, 90% of the time they are dead, some are crippled and suffering, I have never stoped and put any of them down, I wish I could but thats why we have Law enforcement, a phone call to the local game warden is the right and legal thing to do , they come out and take care of the animal, the ones that are hit are not dumb just unlucky.

I would rather see my law enforcement officers devoting their time to busting drunk drivers, thieves, and tweakers than dispatching game on the side of the highway. Same goes for the game wardens. They have more important thing to worry about than cleaning up road kill.

Andrew

[klickriverchromer]

I hit one with my Ninja last year @ 50 + mph.. Didn't have time to get on the brakes or nothing.. Thank God for steering stabilizers!!!! Hit the deer as it's neck crossed path with the front of my bike and she spun off the left side and clipped my leg and left a big knot and huge bruise on me for weeks.. No crash No broken bones No blood spilled from me.. The deer was killed on impact. Broken neck!  Came out from behind an oncoming vehicle all I saw was a blur and then exploding head light pod blowing over me.. Looked in my mirror to see a deer spinning in the middle of the road.. No body stopped to see if I was ok either and there were 4 cars behind me.. THANKS I GOT THIS!! JERKS.. Road her home and 1 month later I was back @ it on deerkiller Ninja.