I put one of those deer whistles under the riged fork on my x-bones and haven't had any close calls or sightings and I live in the deer woods. You gotta keep it cleaned out, I take it apart and wash it out when I wash the bike.

 

Make sure you practice emergency braking so if the bike does not have abs you know where the threshold is before the front tire locks. This way when the deer jumps out, just look where you want the bike to go and come to a full stop as soon as possible. I had a mama deer and her baby jump out in front of me yesterday, aimed right behind the big one. The little baby one ran back towards the side of the road and did a somersault through the brush... had me laughing a bit. Abs certainly helps in those situations and it definitely allowed me to come to a full stop sooner with no tire skid and full control.

While riding i was also thinking about the post on here where a forum member recently hit a deer, so i was riding kinda slow and watching a bit more. It happened in a spot where woods come all the way up to the road on both sides. Where i live is a heavy deer area too.

 

February before last a deer hit us as fast as he could run while I was doing about 65. He came out from a blind tree line running perpendicular to the road which was part of an old pasture with barn completely lined in trees. It was just almost dark with the sun having set a few minutes earlier. I had just enough time after I saw him and before we collided to start letting off the gas and begin reaching for the brake. Fourteen broken ribs between me and my lady while she had a broken collarbone and I had a broken fibula with lot's of road rash between us but we healed. Bike was totaled mainly from the deer hit alone, nearly tore the fairing off the Road Glide and there was still fur stuck between the wheel and tire. I still have a piece of broken antler as a reminder that sometimes you just gotta be prepared to hit one of the d**n things and that is a hard fact to accept.

I have had a dozen or so encounters with deer over the years and most all involve them more or less sauntering into the roadway before me. Usually I brake hard, pick a path to follow (yeah, they will move into it) and try to watch them intently until I can stop or get around them. I have actually come to a complete stop and had to blow my horn to get them to move off the road. Sometimes they simply turn around and go back the way they came, sometimes they freeze completely, sometimes they'll run beside you and, yes, watch out for the potential herd behind or ahead of them; especially does. Bucks are usually solo unless it's the rut then all bet's are off. September through December they'll be running full out so that's an extra vigilant time to ride. My closest call besides the actual collision with a deer was a big buck (>180 pounds, >8 points) who jumped a fence running along a corn field. He caught my eye mid jump and I saw his hind foot clip the top timber and cause him to stumble. I'm still not sure what the outcome of that one would have been had he really sailed over the fence. So be careful out there and wear good gear when you expect deer.

 

This is exactly what I did which most likely what kept me from going down. If I had swerved to try and miss I most likely would have ended up worse off. Hold on, keep your line, and brake. The bike destroyed the deer but kept me safe. Smelled and tasted really bad. It was very warming though. I carried it until I stopped. Kinda like when my large husky and I are playing and she hits me hard. Knocks the wind outta you, but doesn't hurt that bad. I just dont go as fast any more through areas where deer cross and definately keep the speed down in dusk or dawn. I was accelerating at around 60 when I hit mine in the early morning heading to work in october. Stock exhaust at the time. I wonder if my Crossbacks would have turned them before the group hit the road? I'll never know?

 

 

There is no one particular cure all answer. I've hit deer head on, sideways and have even had them run into the center of my door is if they were a charging bull. Luckily never on a bike though.

I've hunted in the Texas Hill Country between Rockspring and Sonora for years. Highway 55 stretches between the two towns. Seen more deer on that road than any other but have never made contact with one due to being alert I guess.

Swerving is definitely a wrong choice. Be alert, upon first seeing the deer, let off the gas and start braking. If the deer is actually already in the roadway, drive toward it as if your trying to hit it dead center.

In Texas you can't legally have an accident avoiding an accident. It called faulty evasive action. If you swerve, miss the deer and wreck your vehicle it's an at fault accident. Sometimes, there is nothing you can do. It's like trying to steer through an asteroid field.

Practice braking.

 

This thread reminds me of this call into a radio station.

 

Well, I was going to post about this then found this thread. I see everyone came to the same conclusion I have, there was nothing I could have done. My wreck with a deer was last July about 10pm. I was doing about 60 mph when I saw it in the ditch then it was on the fairing! I shattered my left arm, she got beat up, and we both got some road rash. Apparently I was lucky to get back to work and have most of the use of my arm! All I did was hit the brakes hard, but it didnt matter!

 

I would take the route which gives you the most visibility and lead time. When the woods are very close to the road, sometimes there is no time for a reaction. I have hit 2 deer, (luckily with cars) that were completely unavoidable. The woods were close to the road and they came running out like deranged linebackers. In a high deer area I personally wouldn't even ride during dawn and dusk on a daily basis.