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  1. #1
    Site Sponsor MN-Mark's Avatar
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    Anyone ever hit a deer or other large animal while towing their camper?

    I have had one panic braking incident while towing our old TT. Almost hit a wolf that ran across the road. The kids in the back seat swear I did hit it. They say they saw it roll into the ditch but I didn’t feel anything and there was no damage. It was dusk and pouring rain at the time. Pretty scary.

    Several years ago I was riding with my brother in law while he was towing his TT in northern Minnesota when a deer jumped out of the ditch. The deer timed its jump perfectly to go between the truck and TT. Hit the deer with the front of the TT and punched a hole right through it. Had to take the deer out of the camper through the door. We were lucky on two counts. The deer was dead and not running around inside the camper and it stayed intact so the only clean up was a lot of fiberglass and wood splinters.

    It’s hard not to try to swerve to miss the animal. There were fairly steep ditches for both of these incidents and I hate to think how things would have ended up had we tried to swerve and ended up going in the ditch.

    Mark
    Mark & Megan & Levi (our floppy eared four legged furry friend)
    2019 Reflection 303RLS
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  2. #2
    Long Hauler
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    After hitting a deer one time years ago I was talking to my insurance agent about this and he replied "if you swerve to miss hitting a animal and cause other damage you are at fault". This was reiterated to me a couple years ago when my daughter hit a deer. If you hit a animal it is covered , anything you hit after that , another car or somebodies yard or something is covered. If you swerve to miss the animal and hit a car or anything else this is your fault. I know it is instincts and hard not to swerve but I have convinced my family to just hit it and let the insurance pay. Swerving could cause much more problems.
    Just my opinion.

    Brian

  3. #3
    Rolling Along JColeman's Avatar
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    Not while hauling, but on my motorcycle...

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    Jeff and Jen
    2016 F250 CC Lariat 4x4 6.7L, Firestone Airbags, Pullrite Superglide
    2017 Solitude 310GK, a little solar, a little lithium, disc brakes and a few suspension mods

    Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin

  4. #4
    Site Sponsor MN-Mark's Avatar
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    Wow Jeff, I’m glad you are still with us. I know a couple people that hit deer on their bikes. Didn’t turn out good for them.

    Sometimes it happens so fast there is just no time to react.

    Mark
    Mark & Megan & Levi (our floppy eared four legged furry friend)
    2019 Reflection 303RLS
    2019 Chevy Silverado 3500HD Duramax
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  5. #5
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    My daddy taught me a long time ago. NEVER swerve to avoid hitting an animal. Just brakes.
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  6. #6
    Setting Up Camp larry377mbs's Avatar
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    I drive a semi for a living, night shift, so I see a lot of deer. I know not to swerve, I am as conditioned to not swerve as the average person would be conditioned to swerve. But I have never hit a deer, they always hit me, I never admit fault!

    Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
    2019 377MBS-R
    2017 Ford F350

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
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    Hit bambie this morning riding to work on my Harley in the dark of the morning - 6:15 a.m.. That will get your day going. But the OP did say large animals. Many of our Hill Country deer would not meet that criteria. Thankfully, this morning's bambie did not. Driving in our area you become conditioned not to swerve, but slow, brake or power on. My pickup has a heavy duty Ranch Hand Grill Guard (we call them deer guards). Wife's TV, an expedition does not. Wish it did, but none of the quality grille guards we have found work with front sensors.
    2022 Imagine 3250
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  8. #8
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
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    A young family member of mine was on her way home from a school function one night after dark (farm and ranch folks out in the country in the Texas panhandle). She swerved to avoid a deer, rolled the truck, and died from her injuries. You can only imagine how hard it was on her parents. It's MUCH better to hit the deer.

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
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    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by f100owner View Post
    Hit bambie this morning riding to work on my Harley in the dark of the morning - 6:15 a.m.. That will get your day going. But the OP did say large animals. Many of our Hill Country deer would not meet that criteria. Thankfully, this morning's bambie did not. Driving in our area you become conditioned not to swerve, but slow, brake or power on. My pickup has a heavy duty Ranch Hand Grill Guard (we call them deer guards). Wife's TV, an expedition does not. Wish it did, but none of the quality grille guards we have found work with front sensors.
    Yup, and you have to be especially careful out a little farther west in the Texas Hill Country, its open range country out there. Came around a curve one time and a big cow was standing in the middle of the road. There are road signs warning drivers of open range country, but I wonder how many pay attention to them.

    Oh and watch out for feral hogs in Texas. On some stretches of toll roads the speed limit is 80-85. You hit a feral hog at that speed and bad things are really going to happen!
    Last edited by Steven@147; 03-21-2019 at 12:11 PM. Reason: Texas Hazards
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
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  10. #10
    Site Sponsor
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    I hit a deer once while towing a camper trailer. The truck had anti-lock brakes but the trailer left black marks. The deer was knocked into the ditch and disappeared, there was blood on the truck so I doubt it survived. The truck had some damage but the trailer was fine.

    I have hit deer in my company van, personal pickup and my motorcycle. Luckily the Motorcycle is a trike and I was able to keep it on the road, the Trike had a couple thousand in damages and I had bruises on my legs where I hit the handlebars. I was doing almost 60MPH at the time so it could have been a lot worse.
    2022 Reflection150 226RK
    2022 F150 Powerboost hybrid with 3.5L Ecoboost


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