In a mine & a crazy deer story

[tamrock]

These are from a trip I did from last Thursday through this last Monday. I was doing a demo on a new machine called a jackleg drill used in small headings of underground hardrock mines. The drill is used to drill a hole in rock with a carbide rockbit and drive rock anchors and wire mesh in the back and ribs of the workings so the rock won't come down and mess you up.

In this last pick I for the last 4 days I've been running a demo of this new jackleg drill at this mine. I've not seen the sunrise or sunset for the 4 days I was going underground for a 12 hour shift and the drive each day was maybe 30 miles up in the mountains to be at the mine at 6:AM. The deer are all over the road going up to the mine. Coming down the road after my last day I see 3 doe cross the road ahead. As I got close to them a buck comes out of the dark to cross the road, but stopped and turned the way he was coming and didn't cross the road. He turns his head and watched me as I drove by slow at 8 mph or so, as I was thinking he may run out in front of me. He didn't cross the road and just gave me a strange look as I passed him. Just as I pass him I hear a loud 'BANG' on my passenger side. I stopped and got out to see what heck that was. That crazy ass deer charged at the bed my truck and buckled the side of it in. I've hit just a few deer on the road over many years, but this is the first one that went out of his way to go ahead and hit me. Now that's a scientific result that I could replicate to find out the effects of an impact force from a mule deer charge. I can only think of what that would do to an unprotected human body?

 

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[old digger]

I don't see any antler puncture marks. My guess is that it's possible that another deer may have been chased and slid into your truck. The rut is starting and unresponsive does are being harassed by the younger bucks. It's possible that there were more deer than what you initially saw. There are alot of deer in that area. jmo!

 

[Peyton Manning]

or it may have been a baby squatch chasing a deer

 

[tamrock]

I don't see any antler puncture marks. My guess is that it's possible that another deer may have been chased and slid into your truck. The rut is starting and unresponsive does are being harassed by the younger bucks. It's possible that there were more deer than what you initially saw. There are alot of deer in that area. jmo!

I can't say for sure Dig's, It was dark around 5:45 pm as I got out of the mine on a special early train, so I could get my drill out that mine. The reason I think a deer ran head first in to my truck is, and it's hard to see in the picture. They are 2 parallel downward narrow scrape marks in the centers of the 2 parallel dents. I was thinking the deer hit the side of the truck and his head curled downward as he impacted. On the very bottom edge of the panel is an indentation that looks like it was poked with what could be the tip the size of a deer tine. I'll get a close up picture of that. Maybe the dumb deer thought I was out of the way and just simply ran in to me or an other deer came out of the trees and couldn't stop in time before I got out of the way. I turn the truck around to see if I could see the deer I saw just before this loud bang I and saw nothing. I wanted to be sure I didn't hit someone mailbox or something else. I was barley moving when this all took place. At least it wasn't one of those very pissed off at the mine and the traffic going by property owner up that road taking a shot at me. Indeed there are allot deer in that area. I saw many deer bucks and does in the morning and evening all up & down that road.

 

[old digger]

After reviewing/zooming in on your photo of the pickup I can see the marks (circled) where the deers' antlers made contact as he hit your vehicle. As for why a buck would charge your vehicle is anybody's guess. I would say that you should keep your eyes open for that buck when you are back up in that area. They possibly need to post a ''Hardrock Mining Salesmen Beware of Revenging Muledeer"

 

[whammy]

That would be a good one for the insurance co., what, no i didn't hit the deer, he hit me. Think that would be a hard one to sell. I've hit a couple, and the last one a couple years ago jumped from a roadside bank, and landed on the hood of my truck. Big mess, but at least he didn't go through the windshield, and he did walk away.

 

[VERDE]

Hey tamrock!! What were you drinking before the old Muley hammered into your truck?? He He!! Hope you're well!! Anyway, GOOD LUCK and GOOD HUNTING!! VERDE!!