Oh DEER.... Almost bagged one with my Bagger!

[oldxtreme]

The highway between Ohio and Syracuse, NY is littered with deer that almost crossed the road!

I was coming back at night from Syracuse and was "watching" for deer but at 80 MPH at night, I would probably feel it before I see it!

Almost happened! Just caught a glimpse of something as I passed it. When I stopped for gas, a car pulled in and the driver told me he was following me and saw a deer cut behind me no more than a foot or two. If I was going a 10th of a mile slower or he was a second faster, there would have been two piles of road kill to clean up!

Next month I am going to be riding from Chagrin Falls, OH to LA and back. Lot of open road and critters between here and there.

Anyone have any wise advise in avoiding the four-legged road hazards?

Do you aim for it's ass, figuring that when you get there, it will be gone?

If you see it at 70+ MPH, braking really isn't a viable option, unless it is a 50 yards away. Laying it down is going to hurt!

Those dumb deer crossing signs are useless...as far as I can tell, deer don't read!

So, any advise that has worked for you or just ride on and figure it is as avoidable as rain? Ya ride, ya get wet!

[Kokomo Kevin]

Can't vouch for anywhere else, but here in Indiana, like Ohio the hour before and after dusk is when they get real active and they are also looking to bed down around an hour before and after sunrise Your best bet to avoid them is ride in the day light , but you will have to contend with more heat.

[Heatnbeat]

Not sure but if you can't avoid it the best bet may be to try to drive thru it. There of some videos of guys that hit deer and did not go down.
I just missed one on my Harley. I looked to the side at a new building where my son's company was setting the steel As I looked back there was a deer crossing about 6 feet ahead of me. If I'd seen him I'd probably have crashed trying to miss him. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

[Kokomo Kevin]

Wow, just recalled the time I was running south out of Jackson Hole Wyoming when a huge Female Elk ran across the road just pass me, when I got past her I looked in my rear mirror only to see what she was running from, an even bigger Bull Elk. Hitting either one would have been my demise! You are right it is better to be lucky than good sometimes!

[Xrider57]

That’s why I don’t ride at night unless absolutely necessary. During the day you have a better chance of seeing them before they cross. Lights confuse them so they don’t know what you are.

[Verismo]

I took one to the knee on my old Valkyrie at about 40 mph. I can't imagine what 80 would do. On the bright side, it left a perfect impression in the tank that my knee would fit right in from there on out. :)

Jason

[tenxxx]

I hit the back brake a little too hard and slid into one sideways. We were looking into each others eyes.
The impact stoped me from falling over. I was on a Harley dresser.
The deer never missed a step, just ran faster and was gone before I could get my sh__t together.
I did find a few hairs in the hand grip.
Ohio is littered with road kills.

[VStarRider]

My advice: check with anyone who is a serious deer hunter. I live in the area you ride through (near Rochester) and I can tell you that this the second most active time of year, but it does not compare to the most active, which is mid-to-late October through December. May-June and a little into July is when does have dropped their fawns and are out looking for food, as fawns do not leave their bedding area for the first couple of weeks. Even after that, they hang with the mother as they learn to walk around and find food on their own.

I learned all of this from my friends who hunt. When the calendar rolls to October, I check in with them several times per week at work to see if there is a lot of movement (that is a sign of the rut starting). This is the most active time of year, and the bucks are horny as hell and act crazy. Does are running away from them and do not hesitate at road crossings. Once I get word that there are signs of this activity, I park the bike and start driving the car to work. I still take daytime rides, as the threat is less.

[Az Wingrider]

I do a lot of riding in the Texas hill country, some of it at night. I have mounted some super bright LEDs on the front of the bike that throw light a long ways down the road. They don't do anything to eliminate the problem but it gives me more time to re-act. At night I slow down and try to be super vigilant. The Iron Butt Riders all ride at night and they believe in lots of light and I am just following their lead. I have seen deer on the road and in the ditch but so far no contact. Maybe I am just lucky but lighting everything up can't hurt.

Az Wingrider

[OlyF6B]

And b/c I'm sure the question will come up (it always does...)

https://www.lifewire.com/do-car-deer-whistles-work-4061222

[adventurous1]

Koko seems correct....and least from my experience. Riding at dusk is one of my favs during the summer months. MT, ID, WA, OR, UT, WY, MI...makes no difference, I deer & elk x the roads. BUT, was riding toward St. Mary's (East Entrance Glacier National Park) and a COW bolted out from the trees. Whewwwwww, my lady, I, and the B almost bought it. All I saw was something massive and black out of the corner of my eye - and thought it was a bear. lol

Almost hit a Horse riding on the reservation in Monument Valley.

[NMRed]

+1 Azwingrider, turn night into day and still slow down and keep your eyes out.

[Kokomo Kevin]

So I got to tell you about a buddy I have got to know here In Indiana, who rides a legacy Valky Interstate, First time I rode with him I saw what I thought was some kind of Camera system mounted in his fixed fairing. Well he called me over to look at it and lo and behold he had mounted a FLEER unit on his bike which picks up heat signatures from All critters! He had hit a deer once and decided to mount the unit to give him forward infrared heat signatures. Damn thing really work's too!

[Mudflap]

# 1 Slow down at night. You don't get there that much faster going 80 than around 60. I have had a few close calls, the last being in Arkansas last October. I was out in the middle of nowhere and a buck crossed in front of me as I was doing about 60. Almost got one in Pa. a few years ago too and in SD. at Sturgis. If you have to drive at the prime times, try to stay on the interstates and BEHIND a vehicle that is going about the same speed you want to travel. If you take the backroads where they are more plentiful, just try to be off the road at the worst times, Hope that helps and good luck.

[oldxtreme]

Good idea about finding a car or truck to be my pulling guard. Just hope they hit something hard enough to throw it to one side or the other. I biggest issue I have in following something that I can't see over or around is you have no time to avoid anything right in front of you. Almost got bit by a Road Gator once following a car too close to see around it. After that, I ride to the far left to see what is on the road in front of me when in traffic.