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Ever T-bone a deer or...

4K views 80 replies 38 participants last post by  Tank Girl 
#1 ·
...play chicken with one?

Had anyone asked me this before, I'd have told them it was time to lay off the hallucinogenics for awhile...but after having experiences of my own, I'm wondering just how often this kinda stuff happens and, God forbid, what else these critters have up their sleeves.

A couple of months ago, I was out on a night ride. It was one of my first. The weather was awesome, the crickets were doing their thing and I was all alone. Life was sweet:thumbsup: Being an old Army girl, I got nostalgic and thought I'd try a blackout drive mtb style.

The moon was really bright and since I was on a fireroad, I figured I'd be fine as long as I didn't go faster than I could read my line. A half hour into it, everything was going stellar, when suddenly a deer came bounding out of the treeline without a sound off a steep slope, bolted right in front of me and into a meadow on my right. I missed T-boning the sucker by about ten feet, if that. It was so surreal, I still find it hard to believe that it happened. Now I'm wondering if anyone has ever actually hit one.

As for playing chicken with one, don't. They won't give. Not long before the t-boning incident, I came across a family of deer. I wasn't going fast at all, so maybe I didn't seem all that threatening, but still I was pretty surprised. The mom and young doe finally yielded, but the young buck just stared at me like I was an alien and wouldn't move...I had to change course at the last minute to avoid hitting him. I can only imagine what they have in store for me next...
 
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#3 ·
I've had a few close calls. The best was when a big one jumped in front of me on a log ride. I let out a yell, but he just stood there looking at me like "whats your problem?"
The log was wide enough for me to put a foot down till he slowly walked on and let me pass. It was one of those cool, surreal moments you can laugh about later.
 
#5 ·
Tank Girl said:
...play chicken with one?

Had anyone asked me this before, I'd have told them it was time to lay off the hallucinogenics for awhile...but after having experiences of my own, I'm wondering just how often this kinda stuff happens and, God forbid, what else these critters have up their sleeves.

A couple of months ago, I was out on a night ride. It was one of my first. The weather was awesome, the crickets were doing their thing and I was all alone. Life was sweet:thumbsup: Being an old Army girl, I got nostalgic and thought I'd try a blackout drive mtb style.

The moon was really bright and since I was on a fireroad, I figured I'd be fine as long as I didn't go faster than I could read my line. A half hour into it, everything was going stellar, when suddenly a deer came bounding out of the treeline without a sound off a steep slope, bolted right in front of me and into a meadow on my right. I missed T-boning the sucker by about ten feet, if that. It was so surreal, I still find it hard to believe that it happened. Now I'm wondering if anyone has ever actually hit one.

As for playing chicken with one, don't. They won't give. Not long before the t-boning incident, I came across a family of deer. I wasn't going fast at all, so maybe I didn't seem all that threatening, but still I was pretty surprised. The mom and young doe finally yielded, but the young buck just stared at me like I was an alien and wouldn't move...I had to change course at the last minute to avoid hitting him. I can only imagine what they have in store for me next...
I've had both these situations happen in broad daylight during hunting season while riding in an area that's hunted. I think it's the deer that need to lay off the halucinogens. What are they eating out there anyway? Crazy.
 
#6 ·
No joke, I have had a deer charge me. The only thing that saved me was a friend who was behind saw it coming and yelled to me. I looked to my right and saw an angry charging deer trying to T-Bone me. I hit the brakes and he just missed my front wheel.

I probably would have been injured if it were not for the heads-up of someone else.
 
#9 ·
I came over a downhill and a deer was just coming out on the trail infront of me, the deer pulled a holeshot stage left, I chased it for a bit, then it got off the trail, another time a big turkey came out infront of me, exited stage left and couldn't get off the trail because of high vegitation on both sides, that thing was FAST, he finally fount a exit stage right..LOL!! I thought it was a Emu, it was so big, when it turned I seen it was a turkey.. I bet that would have been good eatin'...LOL!!!
 
#10 ·
(location omitted for sensitive individuals)

Last years ride started off as any other. Head off down the road and this night I decided to take the south fire road. As I head off past the ranger trailer, there is a 3 lane gravel road that heads west through the canyon. This was my point of entry. Planning my route as a go along I am thinking maybe a few hills up and back on the north mesa will be in order.

Just before the first crossing (leads to a Park) I see movement in the bushes to the left of me. Two full grown deer. No big deal as there are herds of them roaming the area. So, in slow motion it all goes down like this...

200 feet (3 seconds to impact) - Oh look, deer. 2 of them

150 feet (2.5 seconds to impact) - OOO, there is another on the side of the road just standing there

100 ft (2.0 to impact) - "MOVE BAMBI!!!!" and Bambi moves to my left. Whew, I did not want to hit that!

50 (1.5 sec to impact) - OK, the deer are out of my way and all is good

0 (WARNING, WARNING, WARNING) What the hell is that?!? OH CRAP!!! JEASUS CHRIST!!! OW OW OW!!!!

Out of my peripheral vision to my right, Vinnie (waiting to spring his trap) leaps out in front of me. My front wheel went under his chest between his front and back legs.

In order of impact:

My bars firmly plant into his side

He begins to move in the direction of the impact.

My momentum allows my head to get a real up and personal view of the coarseness of his hide.

Now I am fly over (sans bike) the top of Vinnie as the he begins to roll under me.

Vinnie rolled at least once as did I.

For a split second after the dust settled we just stared at each other unsure of what information needed to be exchanged.

Then the bastard got up and ran away.
 
#12 ·
No deer T-Bones. Our local trail (Stillwell Woods) has a well digitally documented, male phesant that causes some chaos.... very territorial, it vocally charges out of the brush or swoops down from trees to attack helmets and backpacks. The unsuspecting rider foolishly wearing earbuds, usually gets blindsided. Many a tree shows scars of crashes in this section..

The local naturalists guard this screeching feathered pest (phesants are from China originally) relentlessly..... believe me, many would rather have this on a dinner plate, not dive bombing us.

On a positive, when in season, this bird does improve the proverbial lap times alittle...
 
#15 ·
A couple friends and I tried to herd deer on our mountain bikes. There's a river valley in our area with a fair number of deer in it, one time we spotted a family of deer and chased them up & down the trails for a good 10 minutes. We eventually cornered them against the river, or at least we thought we did, we thought the river banks were high enough that the deer wouldn't jump in and run. We were mistaken, they jumped in and took off.
 
#16 ·
Not deers, but kangaroos. On a couple of occasions they've paralleled me on a fire trail and, as soon as I get over thinking this is cool, I have the good sense to brake hard and let them get ahead.

They've also bounded out onto the trail sometimes and I've managed to avoid them.

Tim
 
#17 ·
xprop1 said:
No deer T-Bones. Our local trail (Stillwell Woods) has a well digitally documented, male phesant that causes some chaos.... very territorial, it vocally charges out of the brush or swoops down from trees to attack helmets and backpacks. The unsuspecting rider foolishly wearing earbuds, usually gets blindsided. Many a tree shows scars of crashes in this section..

The local naturalists guard this screeching feathered pest (phesants are from China originally) relentlessly..... believe me, many would rather have this on a dinner plate, not dive bombing us.

On a positive, when in season, this bird does improve the proverbial lap times alittle...
I had a run in with this f'n bird a good bit before he rose to infamy. I still ride stillwell when I visit my parents in long island and am always on edge for that first 1/4 mile or so. Its a bit worrisome to see kids with their parents in there on the weekends. Hopefully it just likes to snack on adults.

MrR
 
#18 ·
MrRogers1935 said:
I had a run in with this f'n bird a good bit before he rose to infamy. I still ride stillwell when I visit my parents in long island and am always on edge for that first 1/4 mile or so. Its a bit worrisome to see kids with their parents in there on the weekends. Hopefully it just likes to snack on adults.

MrR
Anyone have pics of this bird in action?
 
#19 ·
Wombat said:
Not deers, but kangaroos. On a couple of occasions they've paralleled me on a fire trail and, as soon as I get over thinking this is cool, I have the good sense to brake hard and let them get ahead.

They've also bounded out onto the trail sometimes and I've managed to avoid them.

Tim
That would be an awesome shot of you riding with kangaroos...who'd have thought?
 
#22 ·
manabiker said:
I came over a downhill and a deer was just coming out on the trail infront of me, the deer pulled a holeshot stage left, I chased it for a bit, then it got off the trail, another time a big turkey came out infront of me, exited stage left and couldn't get off the trail because of high vegitation on both sides, that thing was FAST, he finally fount a exit stage right..LOL!! I thought it was a Emu, it was so big, when it turned I seen it was a turkey.. I bet that would have been good eatin'...LOL!!!
Love the exit stage left and right lines...reminds me of Snagglepuss!

And those turkeys, honestly...what ARE they thinking??

I was driving down Highway 1 along the coast one Thanksgiving and it was gorgeous...not a soul in sight until I came into this tiny little town with a population of about six and cars were stopped in both directions.

I got out to see what was up and there was this herd of turkeys taking their good ole time just sauntering across the road. I was like....HELLO!!! You guys do realize today is Thanksgiving, right?.. and this really old Tom was looking dead at me, bobbing his head back and forth and I swear I heard Robert de Niro's voice say.."You talking to me???" I just started cracking up. It took them about ten minutes to cross the road after which they suddenly took flight and flew right back across to where they started...I'm thinking it must have been some kind of turkey protest.:p
 
#23 ·
Trail Ninja said:
Never hit a deer but I got to watch one jump over my son...

Not sure what kind of mother this makes me, but my first reaction would be...Whoa, too cool!!! followed quickly by a...yIKES!!!

I've seen that video before. I can't believe the guy just gets up and starts walking it off...and people think I crash crazy:eek:
 
#24 ·
Our reaction was similar. I said: "Did you see that?" He said: "No, but I felt it." Then we went back to see if he could clear that gap on his bike.

My son is 18 years old and would try the "Tour de France Jump" with no armor and a BMX helmet. After a while you get desensitized. The local ambulance attendants and hospital staff know both my kids by name.
 
#25 ·
Trail Ninja said:
...Then we went back to see if he could clear that gap on his bike.

That is awesome! Did he make it?

My son is 18 years old and would try the "Tour de France Jump" with no armor and a BMX helmet. After a while you get desensitized.

Sounds like my 23 yo. Funny thing is, that street goes both ways for us. I was medevac'd out from a ride about two months ago after a 360 OTB four feet off the ground and my son's initial reaction was...this is where I get my courage from.
Gotta love that saying...the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
 
#26 ·
That is awesome! Did he make it?
No. We didn't try. Deer don't need run ins, kickers and run outs. I could have built something but I've gotten out of building one-off stunts.

This one took a couple of days to build and it was successfully ridden one time, then never used again. It was unsuccessfully ridden 25 times.

 
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