Last night, in the holiday spirit, I was out Christmas tree “hunting” at a tree farm about 45 minutes away from my house with the wife and kids. We managed to bag a beautiful 10+ footer. We loaded it in the bed (with the tail gate down cause the tree was too long to fit in my SCAB bed). We pulled out in to the local heavily traveled road (1 lane each direction, 55 MPH speed limit). I wasn’t but a mile down the road when a deer runs out in front of me. It was far enough away for me to miss it, but when a second deer sprinted out in front of me there was no way to avoid it. I barely got on the brakes before impact (ABS worked fine, thank you), but I hit the deer at about 50 MPH. The right headlight and fender took most of the impact, but the grill is completely destroyed. I was amazed at the amount of debris on the road. The largest headlight piece I could pick up was about the size of my hand. I’m only sorry I didn’t find the Ford emblem from the grill. It would have made a nice souvenir!

I walked back to where I hit the deer, and found the doe on the grassy shoulder. I was surprised to see that it was still alive (and giving me this dazed look). It tried to get up, but it’s legs were too badly broken. I called the cops to come finish it off. Thankfully my wife kept the kids distracted while the police put a 9mm into the deer’s head. My 10-year old daughter was pretty upset about the whole thing (she is a total animal lover). I considered bringing the deer home to have it butchered, but I already have ~200 lbs of beef in the freezer, and there is no way the kids would eat it if they saw it bleeding on the side of the road (or riding home in the bed of the truck!).

I’m thankful no one was injured (I was able to keep the truck safely in my lane). The truck is still new (2,000 miles and 7 weeks old), so the event was probably most upsetting to me (kids have a short memory). I get to look at my mangled front end until I get it dropped off at the body shop ASAP. Fortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any major (lasting) damage. The right front fender, headlight and grill will need to be replaced. Hood looks fine (amazed that the bug deflector was untouched). Bumper might be a little bent, since the fog light is now aimed in the trees). Passenger door will not open since the fender was pushed back against the leading edge of the door. The truck still runs and drives like a dream. I’m glad I have good insurance!

 

OUUUUCHH. Glad everyone was OK. I have that grille insert for sale in the calssifieds if you're interested. JP

 

Is it just me or is it becoming a tread that dear are attacking ford f150s? What is it that have against them?..... Anyways sorry about your ordeal! I still say these trucks are built ford tough after seeing some accidents and consdireing that truck hit a solid object at 55 mph and having in my opinion little damage for an event like that. Good luck with getting it fixed though!

 

Mega-Bummer! Good luck dealing with the insurance company. I'm sure that dead beat deer just ran off and didn't leave his contact information...

RP

 

That's why we drive full size trucks. Those wimpy little trucks you see out on the road could never take a hit like that and still allow you to drive home.

You'll have it fixed before you know it. Maybe you can have the body shop put in a nice aftermarket front gill and have your insurance company help pay for it.

Never hurts to ask.

 

Doesn't look bad considering the speed. Good thing you weren't in a lesser vehicle, glad everyone is ok.

 

Trust me, that deer paid for it's sins against Ford. The Wife even praised me for my attitude on the whole thing and "setting a good example for the kids". Helped ease the pain a bit. I do have to admit that I considered kicking the crap out of the deer as it laid there bleeding on the side of the road, but how would that have looked on the 5 o'clock news...(you never know who is packing a camera these days!).

Truck should be an easy fix (I hope). The body shop will use genuine ford components with a lifetime guarantee on parts and labor. Insurance is covering the whole thing minus my deductible (even covering a nice rental car for up to a month). On the bright side, the paint should be easy to match, since it has not had a chance to fade...

Now if i could somehow work in a Magnaflow exhaust and cold-air intake it might even have been worth it!

 

Thats funny. i have the Ford emblem off my ZX2 from when i wrecked it hanging up on my desk as a sovenir!!

 

If you've never eaten a road killed deer, don't. Instead of a tiny area of damaged meat from a hunted deer, a car/truck impact usually turns the entire deer into a giant bruise. The term is 'bloodshot'. It's a shame to let it go to waste, best to donate it to someone who really needs the food as it won't be the best table fare. Most folks unaccustomed to deer meat say they don't like it after eating roadkill. That's why.

More deer are on the roads due to the cooler weather, Rut (breeding season) and hunting pressure. Cooler weather and the rut move them towards the roads much more than hunting pressure. Hunting pressure generally drives them deeper into the woods, or closer to areas off limits to hunters. Most deer strikes happen in areas of very limited hunting.

It's very rare for a roadhit deer to die instantly. Unless the impact is under 10 miles per hour or so, the deer will 95% of the time die, even if it gets up and runs off. They are tough creatures that can easily run 100 yards after being shot through the heart just on adrenaline.

That's my weekly 'hunting is good' speech...

 

The Ford emblem is inside the deer.

 

At least the police finished it off.

I was going home one day and the was a car stoped in the middle of the road. The driver had hit a deer and the deer was still alive layingin the road. I didnt have any guns on me to finish it off, but luckly, another passer by did. this man gets out with his 9mm and stands about 10 feet away and shoots. Misses. Shoots again and misses. he shot 6 times and never hit the deer. I walked up to him, took the gun and stuck it to the deer's head. We then drug it off in the ditch.

Hopefully the cop could shoot his gun better than this guy could.

 

ouch.... i'm glad you and your family were unhurt.

so many deer so little time....
i hope the repair shop can match your paint....

 

HeloBoy

Sorry to see your truck that way but now there is one less for me to dodge on RT. 235 every day.

PS how did you find one of southern Maryland's finest that's any good with a gun!! most the ones i know are great with a pen!!


hope you get together soon , just thing a new grill for x-mas

:santa:

 

well im also glad noone was hurt i too hit a deer about 35 mph not as much damage but i was happy with the way the truck handled it it hit the same place as yours but when i hit the darn thing spun around and smashed the door too it was dead instantly neck was broke noone in the truck was hurt thank god however mine is new too 04 f 150 xlt its in the body shop now hope your truck comes out ok hope you have a good body shop up there

 

This is the 3rd or 4th deer 'death by F-150' in about 4-6 weeks, isn't it?

Wild! Trucks can be fixed good as new and the family is safe...