Yes, deer....

[zzzzip]

The April issue of Rider Magazine offered up these statistics on deer collisions from State Farm Insurance for a 1 year period:

10 states with the most deer crashes, during the 1 year period, account for more than 1/2 of all such claims---

1. Pennsylvania

2. Michigan

3. Illinois

4. Ohio

5. Georgia

6. Virginia

7. Minnesota

8. Texas

9. Indiana

10. South Carolina

B)

 

[airboss]

Tell me about It, I've had 4 deer strikes on our truck fleet since fall. I live in the golden triangle, Illinios counties of Fulton, Tazewell,and Schuyler. Next deer season I would like to invite all of you to come on over and help yourselfs to these deer, all corn fed and tastee, one will fill your freezer for a year.

 

[Toecutter]

California must have smarter deer....

 

[Orient_Express]

Illinois is bad - I've hit 4 in various pick-up trucks but none on the motorcycle. I remember last fall a young man hit one on an R1 doing about 80 - he made it but it was not good.

 

[FLHX]

I can't believe that with all the technology we have in this world today that no one can come up with a way to keep the friggin dear off the road. It would be so nice to ride thru the country and not have that on the back of my mind.

 

[AethonFJR]

Must have a lot to do with population density. We have fairly high deer population in OR, but not much comparative population.

 

[zzzzip]

My 75 year old uncle was killed last year, after hitting one on his motorcycle on a nice spring Sunday morning a few miles from his house. As many deer strikes as we have here in Missouri, I am surprised we didn't make it on the top 10.

B)

 

[Mike-H]

Let's just hope this doesn't turn into one of those loud pipes can save lives discussions (arguments?)....forest rats.....are just an unfortunate part of life when riding a bike (or driving a cage)....very unpredictable no matter how you throw the dice....

 

[panayoti]

The Indiana tollroad at the eastern edge has sensors that trigger lights when deer are at the edge of the road. Not sure if they have any stats concerning their effectiveness.

 

[Toecutter]

Let's just hope this doesn't turn into one of those loud pipes can save lives discussions (arguments?)....

And the door opens......

<sarcasm> "Loud pipes save lives, but helmets don't" </sarcasm>

"Loud pipes - when noise is all you got" - me

And BTW, the "forest rats" were here long before we were and, I'm thinkin' they'll be here again before we are, once we go extinct. They're "dumb" by our standards, and the last thing they'd want is to lay down their life. Survival is a real popular fad with the deer set.

So, we need to prove that we're smarter than them and watch out. The deer/bike clash is all our doing. I've never had one run into me while walking through the forest. We laid down the pavement and decided to propel ourselves through their habitat.

And they don't "come from out of nowhere" either. They have much more reason to hate us than we do to hate them. They just don't know how.

"And He who made kittens puts snakes in the grass" - Jethro Tull

 

[AethonFJR]

Has anyone had any experience with the powered deer whistles?

https://www.homeproductsnmore.com/deer-whistles/

I personally have a difficult time getting behind manufacturer claims unless they are backed by independent research

I know the passive ones do not work see: https://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1677/eb1677.html

But I have not seen any independent research on the subject.

 

[zzzzip]

Deer whistles: one of the local body shop guys says he fixes as many with them as without.

Deer population: one of the conservation agents said there are now more deer per square mile in Missouri than there were when the white man first settled the state. I'm not that old, so I'll have to take his word for it. :glare:

Maybe they shouldn't have pushed the Indians out-- deer population would be under control now.

B)

 

[BobG]

I can see the problem getting worse as society turns away from the harvesting of these animals.

The habits of white tails are different than mule deer.

I have seen it twice, a white tail buck start to charge someone on foot.

I have chased mule deer off the side of roads by just using my horn.

As for whistles, an old hunting trick to stopping a mule deer from running away is to whistle loud.

They will stop and look for a short time, enough to get off a shot.

I travel through several deer allies at night, The really bright lights and 25 mph seems to have kept my bikes upright.

I have had a buck one time, after it started to cross in front of me, just walk. No more than 10 ft, it only ran after I hit the horn.

Google video, shows a motorcycle cutting a fawn in half.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Maybe they shouldn't have pushed the Indians out-- deer population would be under control now. B)

Struth....whenever I ride across a Rez., I ride a bit easier -- a relative scarcity of game animals (domesticated animals can be loose, tho). :blink:

Seriously, all who are reading this -- please take these discussions with all the importance you can. As the recipient of many animal hits, I can't warn you enough. High mileage riders are at more risk (more exposure); rural road riders are at higher risk; as well as those who ride after-dark.

Our friend, Larry Grodsky (Rider Magazine), died from a deer hit recently.

I think it borders on criminal to allow these conditions to exist in the 21st century. Insurance companies benefit from the business -- but, cars offer quite a bit more protection than motorcycles (altho, still can have deadly consequences). And, don't get me started on people who feed wild deer..... :angry:

 

[Randy]

It's no surprise that my state tops the list. I've only had the pleasure of hitting 1, but, there have been many close calls. All the hunters around here ***** that they don't see any deer during hunting season. I think we can logically conclude that Pennsylvania has the highest number of deer crashes because we also have the worst hunters.

 

[AethonFJR]

But does your body shop friend mean the passive ones or the powerd deer whistles?

I know that one study showed an increase in grilled Bambi's for a police force installed the passive one. .......

 

[Orient_Express]

...and then there are the idiots who are right on your butt at 60 - 65 who are invincible!!

I watch for deer all the time, but I'm afraid if I brake hard to avoid a collision, one of those beefcakes will run right over me.

Usually I putt along at 55 - they can't take it and pass me. Hey,,,,, let 'em run interference for ya'!!