UNBELIEVABLE!

[frito1]

At the risk of being serious, horns work for deer!

Yeah, right. My partner and I hit three deer in three different locations on one ambulance run. Oh yeah, we were running Code 3, enough lights to blind ya and enough noise to wake the dead. Deer are the fastest thing in their world, but they have no concept of the closure rates of motorcycles or cars. That's where the problems start. If there's one around it's a crap shoot as to what they'll do. The only time they're predictable is when they're frying in the skillet. They'll *always* taste good with biscuits and gravy.

 

[Tree Doc]

As a Deer Hunter, I have a sure and proven method to avoid virtually ANY contact with Deer, both visually or physically, and if you do happen to see one, it'll only be the elbows and ******* on a high speed trek away from you.

The secret, you ask? Sling a high-powered rifle over your shoulder and go looking for them! :lol2:

Get on a motorcycle while unarmed? They're on you like white on rice! :glare:

 

[stevet]

What a bummer! Glad to hear you're okay, and that there's one less oversized rodent prowling the highways. I hope the bike is returned to normal quickly and that you're back to riding soon as well.

Last summer, heading west out of the Michigan UP back into Wisconsin, on a strait-away that looked similar in terrain and plant life as the OP's photos, a yearling laying in wait in the tall grass shot itself out of a cannon from the other side of the highway right at me. I was going ~60mph on my VStrom 650, riding in the left tire path of my lane on the 2-lane highway. I never saw it with anything other than peripheral vision, and in the couple tenths of a second from initial sighting to impact (not enough time to turn my head much less maneuver to avoid the strike), one question, then one command, went through my head: "I wonder if it'll hit me up front or along the side?" And, "If you're gonna hit it, hit it straight on, don't swerve because the strike will just keep you going on your new trajectory right off the road." Boy, do things go in slow motion in events like this, but not slow enough to react. Strange how those thoughts went through my head that fast, but not fast enough to do anything but keep on the path I was heading. I ended up going straight without swerving because I didn't have time to do anything else, not even reach for the brakes, and I did end up going past it just enough before the strike that it only clipped my rear tire, enough to feel a thud, not enough to jerk the bike. Pulled over- bike and I were fine. A delivery van driver a couple hundred yards behind me pulled in and said the deer went head-over-heels into the ditch on my side. I turned around, rode back, but found no sign of it. That's the closest I ever need to be to anything that shouldn't be in my pathway.

So far this spring, I've had a very large tom turkey bolt out in front of me (I saw him well in advance and was planning for him to come out in front of me), and a few weeks before that on a rural highway south of Duluth, MN, I came over a rise just in time to slam on the brakes about 150 yards in front of an adult black bear that was standing on the highway. Yikes.

 

[cruppelt]

MajBach

Sorry for your bike, but sure glad you are ok!

Good luck on getting it all fixed up again.

I would like you to explain how Harleys with open pipes are still able to run into the furry idiots.

Glad to. All the noise is BEHIND them. Admit it, you've never heard of a Harley BACKING into a deer, have ya?

Mike, I'm with you, in my experience horns work well.

I had plenty of low light late-in-the-day riding through Oregon forests these last few years, with many multiple encounters with deer and elk on the road or to the side of the road. Unfortunately one of the stretches of my daily commute goes through a popular wildlife highway... I've been very lucky in that so far I could always see them early enough for successful braking (I love my Feejers ABS for that very reason), and did not have them jump straight at me (at least while on a bike).

I think the main points are to wait until you are close enough that the deer is really clear on where the noise is coming from before you hit the horns, and also to go from silent to loud without any warning. If you are constantly loud it becomes a slow build-up for them as you approach and they will still stay were they are, looking into your headlights completely paralyzed, until sheer panic takes over usually when you are right on them and they don't know which way to jump.... But of course as you said, horns can't work if you don't see the dang critters!

I remember coming home (too) late from a nice ride to Astoria last year, going HW202 back towards HW47 (Scappoose-Vernonia Highway), and having close to 20 different encounters in the twilight within a stretch of 25 miles or so.

Mr. and Ms. Beamer-Reamers encounter last year really drove it home how lucky I've been so far; I've slowed way down on wooded roads.

 

[ionbeam]

Sorry about your bike, but damn, if it had to happen it couldn't have gone much better for you. Hope your FJR heals quick and start planning another trip!

Supplement the standard honkie horn with one that howls like a wolf. Deer will not run AT that sound. Might be fun around hot chicks too since you are on a fast getaway vehicle you may get away with it.

 

[odot]

Drill four holes. Locate them right at the bottom of the exhaust pipes just before they bend aft. The noise coming from said holes will warn all parties ahead of you that you are en route.

 

[lnewlf]

As happened to stevet,yesterday a small rat blasted out of the bushes right to left in front of me and I never saw him until he was already past [just!]. Similar thing on Vermont 100, the world's largest deer fired itself out of the woods right to left in front of me. This one I barely saw coming and was able to nail the binders-TG for ABS. Just missed his six foot high *** and so close that I could see hordes of deer flies on him. Maybee this was the reason for his ill humor-I looked in the mirror for him and saw him wheel in the road and come up the double yellow after me, a problem as I had stalled in high. As I tapped danced on the shifter so as to get the hell out of there [never would have made it], one of the backcountry Vermonters came roaring around the corner in a multicolored half Dodge, half Ford pickup with real stove pipe [chrome] stacks and scared Bulwinkle off.He stopped to ask if I was OK and allowed as he would have liked to get out the ought six he had in the back window never mind the out of season thing. I deal with all kinds of varmits all the time but don't have an answer for something that comes across the road at thirty mph in front of you..

 

[MajBach]

As happened to stevet,yesterday a small rat blasted out of the bushes right to left in front of me and I never saw him until he was already past [just!]. Similar thing on Vermont 100, the world's largest deer fired itself out of the woods right to left in front of me. This one I barely saw coming and was able to nail the binders-TG for ABS. Just missed his six foot high *** and so close that I could see hordes of deer flies on him. Maybee this was the reason for his ill humor-I looked in the mirror for him and saw him wheel in the road and come up the double yellow after me, a problem as I had stalled in high. As I tapped danced on the shifter so as to get the hell out of there [never would have made it], one of the backcountry Vermonters came roaring around the corner in a multicolored half Dodge, half Ford pickup with real stove pipe [chrome] stacks and scared Bulwinkle off.He stopped to ask if I was OK and allowed as he would have liked to get out the ought six he had in the back window never mind the out of season thing. I deal with all kinds of varmits all the time but don't have an answer for something that comes across the road at thirty mph in front of you..

I've been riding bikes since I was a kid and owned a street bike before I owned a car. I've completed two advanced rider training course (first student to get a perfect score on both practical and theory in the Canada Safety Council course), and, despite an occasional moment of impulsiveness, I ride very safety conscious and remain vigilant; much like I suspect most here do. Yet, this is my second accident on a bike. It is a healthy reminder to not become complacent while riding and, that despite years of experience and wisdom, there are times when you are at the mercy of the Gods. All one can do is expect the unexpected and drive accordingly.

In this accident, I take more than partial blame as it could have been avoided or at least diminished in severity, even while assuming that I reacted properly and timely (which I am not sure that I did, i.e. the "Holy Sh*t" moment of pause).

- I was driving above the posted limit.

- I was driving in an area known for its wildlife

- I was driving during a period when wildlife activity was at its peak

- I was going around a blind curve that any rookie driver would have recognized as a potential danger for wildlife

- There was an alternate route that offered less risk at the expense of scenery and was equivalent in length

- I had an unusually high 'bad gut feeling' quotient that day. Not because of hindsight, but moments when I vividly recall justifying taking that route and assuming I was exempt from injury.

All in all, if I was an instructor or father attempting to educate a novice rider, I would have been able to produce a list of reasons not to drive there, then, and how but somehow, I ignored this logic when it came to applying it to myself.

I have had countless people tell me I am glad to be alive and yada, yada, yada, but have dismissed their sentiments because they are not riders. But even the boys at the bike shop have expressed surprise because they have seen milder conditions with far more serious results. I suppose the 'smoothness' of my accident failed to jolt the fear (read: proper safety practices) of riding back into me but perhaps this reflection will...and serve as a healthy reminder for you all too.

Ride Safe

 

[ALDAWG]

At the risk of being serious, horns work for deer! I bet if you just sounded your horn all the time, you'd never hit one of the *******s. But it's true. You see a deer in the road in front of you, it stands there and looks at you. But if you blow the horn at it , it runs like hell. Same with when you see one by the roadside. I really believe deer are not suicidal, they just don't expect you. So if you let them know you're there, they run away. Try it.

Note: technique only works if you spot them before you hit them.

Does this trick work for pedestrians in the crosswalk? :lol:

 

[ScottyUSN]

As happened to stevet,yesterday a small rat blasted out of the bushes right to left in front of me and I never saw him until he was already past [just!]. Similar thing on Vermont 100, the world's largest deer fired itself out of the woods right to left in front of me. This one I barely saw coming and was able to nail the binders-TG for ABS. Just missed his six foot high *** and so close that I could see hordes of deer flies on him. Maybee this was the reason for his ill humor-I looked in the mirror for him and saw him wheel in the road and come up the double yellow after me, a problem as I had stalled in high. As I tapped danced on the shifter so as to get the hell out of there [never would have made it], one of the backcountry Vermonters came roaring around the corner in a multicolored half Dodge, half Ford pickup with real stove pipe [chrome] stacks and scared Bulwinkle off.He stopped to ask if I was OK and allowed as he would have liked to get out the ought six he had in the back window never mind the out of season thing. I deal with all kinds of varmits all the time but don't have an answer for something that comes across the road at thirty mph in front of you..

I've been riding bikes since I was a kid and owned a street bike before I owned a car. I've completed two advanced rider training course (first student to get a perfect score on both practical and theory in the Canada Safety Council course), and, despite an occasional moment of impulsiveness, I ride very safety conscious and remain vigilant; much like I suspect most here do. Yet, this is my second accident on a bike. It is a healthy reminder to not become complacent while riding and, that despite years of experience and wisdom, there are times when you are at the mercy of the Gods. All one can do is expect the unexpected and drive accordingly.

In this accident, I take more than partial blame as it could have been avoided or at least diminished in severity, even while assuming that I reacted properly and timely (which I am not sure that I did, i.e. the "Holy Sh*t" moment of pause).

- I was driving above the posted limit.

- I was driving in an area known for its wildlife

- I was driving during a period when wildlife activity was at its peak

- I was going around a blind curve that any rookie driver would have recognized as a potential danger for wildlife

- There was an alternate route that offered less risk at the expense of scenery and was equivalent in length

- I had an unusually high 'bad gut feeling' quotient that day. Not because of hindsight, but moments when I vividly recall justifying taking that route and assuming I was exempt from injury.

All in all, if I was an instructor or father attempting to educate a novice rider, I would have been able to produce a list of reasons not to drive there, then, and how but somehow, I ignored this logic when it came to applying it to myself.

I have had countless people tell me I am glad to be alive and yada, yada, yada, but have dismissed their sentiments because they are not riders. But even the boys at the bike shop have expressed surprise because they have seen milder conditions with far more serious results. I suppose the 'smoothness' of my accident failed to jolt the fear (read: proper safety practices) of riding back into me but perhaps this reflection will...and serve as a healthy reminder for you all too.

Ride Safe

I would have to guess from this post alone your safety meter has been re-raised a notch or two. Atleast your ORM (Operational Risk Management) in your hindsight review. Glad you came away so cleanly when all is considered.

What day of the year will you always find more deer on or around the roads? Opening day of hunting season.

 

[JamesW]

Okay, I'll bite.....

You stopped for an Espresso???

You spotted an oil stain that looked like the Holy Virgin?

You dropped your helmet on the roadside?

You're experimenting with a new camera?

C'mon...give us a hint!

Edit: Okay, you edited your original post. So, you're a Bambi-Killer.

Sucks.

If that is the lake I think it is, it is on a road called the fishing road from Little fort to milepost 100, killed a bambi on that road myself in 92, did not make it to jasper that trip, had a 86 Concours, messed up the plastic, tore up my leathers, but no major owie's, split deer from sternum to crotch and eviscerated, I was moving right along.

 

[MajBach]

If that is the lake I think it is, it is on a road called the fishing road from Little fort to milepost 100, killed a bambi on that road myself in 92, did not make it to jasper that trip, had a 86 Concours, messed up the plastic, tore up my leathers, but no major owie's, split deer from sternum to crotch and eviscerated, I was moving right along.

You nailed it to a T. The only difference is the bike (ironically, my father has an red Connie).