Pair of new-year's 8-points

[geargnasher]

Sorry, no pics as that wasn't really on my mind much by the time I got home.

Pulled the trigger on the first one at around 4:00 this afternoon, field-dressed and headed home with him wrapped up in the trunk (45 min. drive) and got the second one with the Buick Century about six miles from home. It was just dark and there's a bad spot for deer crossing the highway between subdivisions, and it's in a spot where you almost ALWAYS have to dim your lights for an oncoming car. Such was the case tonight, dimmed the lights for a car and just looked up from glancing at the speedo and didn't see the deer at all until it dashed past the left headlight about three feet in front of the car. Center-punched it at 53 MPH which means the hood, both fenders, bumper facia, grille, both headlamp housings, and all the plastic behind them is toast. Drove it home ok after stopping to make sure there was no fluid hemorrhaging from the car and to count points on the dead buck (basically a twin of the one in the trunk but slightly thinner antlers), but I'm pretty sure it's a total as far as State Farm is concerned. Had a fender put on it after blowing a tire a couple years ago and that was $1800, car's only worth about $3700. Oh, well, that's why I still carry full-coverage on a car that has been paid for for eight years.

Worst part of the whole deal is that it's ten kinds of illegal to recover the hit deer here in Texas so I had to let it lie. The best part is I didn't lose control and hit the giant live-oak tree that's about 40 yards farther up the right-of-way and get killed myself like someone did earlier this fall after hitting a deer pretty much in exactly the same place I did tonight. The ironic part is that the number of deer I've killed with a vehicle still outnumbers the ones I've killed with a gun by eleven.

I was reading some of the other hunting and management threads last night and it really is a different world to see what some places call "culls". I would have been pretty excited to see a deer as nice on my own place as the one they just wanted rid of on this ranch. A perfect little 8-point rack, three-year-old. By golly his head's going on the wall, European-style, after we eat the rest of him. I'm no trophy hunter, never cared for the concept of it myself, but this one's just too pretty to make knife handles out of.

BTW, .30-30 Marlin with a Lee group-buy 311041 copy out of ACWW and 2% tin, stoked with a combination of Reloder 7 and BPI Original buffer for 2100 fps did quite nicely going in three ribs behind the right front shoulder and coming out the left lower neck, zero edible meat damage and he only ran a few yards before keeling over. The 3200-lb Buick made a clean kill, too, but I wouldn't recommend using one if you can help it.

Gear

[Rainier]

Glad to hear your safe! Good job keeping it between the lines - I've been told it's much cheaper to hunt deer with a Winchester then a Buick. :)

Congrats on the nice buck and stay safe!

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

that's really a shame those Buick century's just kept running and running and running going to be hard to find a car that will last as long as that again.

but with the way you seem to hit deer maybe it wouldn't matter

I have never managed to hit a deer with a car , came close a few times I have lost track of how many I have shot but 20 something must be getting close to 30

even if you bought a new rifle and scope for every deer you shot it would be cheaper than using a car

really a shame you can't keep the ones you hit with the car , strange laws , here we just have to call the sheriff and have them come tag it

[shredder]

Quite a story! Thanks for sharing that Gear. I had to laugh at your stats of having killed more with the vehicle than with the rifle.

[CastingFool]

Quite a story, Geargnasher, congrats on one buck, condolences on your Buick. That's is too bad you can't keep the roadkilled buck. In MI, the police will give you a permit to take it. Even if you didn't hit it, you could take a roadkill deer, but you gotta call first and get the permit. I hit one back in 1996, Nov 26, about 2 am (coming home from work), had to have my truck towed 60 miles. didn't get home until 5:30 am.

[Beagle333]

Congrats on the 1st kill, condolences for the 2nd. (I've hit 8) :(



('You know, ... the title "Hunting with CBs" doesn't mean "Classic Buicks"):wink:

[L1A1Rocker]

Krap. Kind of a sucky way to end a good day. I'm glad you're OK and kept it on the road.

[MT Gianni]

Congratulations and sorry in the same post. Been there and done that as well. They just don't make good cow catchers for mid size cars.

[geargnasher]

Thanks guys, on both counts. I'm off to the insurance office in a minute. Planning venison for supper :wink:

Gear

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Congrats on the buck. Sorry about the Buick. It's a shame all that meat goes to waste. Maybe a letter to the state legislature is in order. I legally recovered a car hit buck in WI 10 years ago. Fresh venison in July sure was good! It was a few days after I asked my wife to marry me. I knew I had a good one when she helped me load it in the truck!

[Powder Burn]

Now you can tell everybody you took two deer with one shot. A call to State Police is all that is required for Illinois road kill. Some of the meat is damaged but most of it can be salvaged. Too bad about the Buick, they just don't make them like that anymore. Good thing you weren't driving a Yugo.

[geargnasher]

Last line on the page. Been that way for years. The legislators had their reasons, not sure they were the best.

https://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/regulations/outdoor-annual/hunting/general-regulations/overview

Gear

[Idaho Mule]

Good job Gear, and sorry about the car, it happens. If the insurance total's it maybe you can buy it back for dirt cheap and put some multi-colored parts back on it to make it roadworthy. I'm getting ready to make sausage with my earlier harvests up this way so let me know if you need any recipes. JW

[45 2.1]

The 3200-lb Buick made a clean kill, too, but I wouldn't recommend using one if you can help it. Gear

Another board member near where I live collects deer the same way with a vehicle. We tell him not to go deer hunting..... he has several to his credit now.

[TXGunNut]

I guess every state has odd game laws, never understood that one. At one time some counties had someone who would collect the critter and see that it went to someone who could use it. No more; waste of sheetmetal and a natural resource.
Agreed on "cull" bucks, passed on some pretty nice deer this year that I though were too good to cull. Seems I was wrong about almost all of them but I brought home a nice young doe instead.

[taco650]

Good job Gear, and sorry about the car, it happens. If the insurance total's it maybe you can buy it back for dirt cheap and put some multi-colored parts back on it to make it roadworthy. I'm getting ready to make sausage with my earlier harvests up this way so let me know if you need any recipes. JW

Gear, I second this option. Your car was a pretty reliable model for GM and used parts are still out there. Aftermarket as well. I did collision repair for almost 20 years and that model of vehicle is pretty easy to work on. You probably know someone who'd give you a good deal on the fix up. If not, ask around. Talk to the insurance adjuster and ask what the "salvage value" is on your car and what the "buy back" will be.

[geargnasher]

Well, good news (I guess), due to the very low miles and the estimator coming up with some used/salvage/aftermarket parts to keep the estimate low, the adjuster opted to fix it. I'll be out the deductable but won't have to fix up one of my "projects" to drive for a while :wink:

Thanks Taco for the tip, we already discussed that option and they were going to be pretty stubborn on the buyback price plus would only give me a salvage title if I did, which I thought was pretty chickenspit considering it's MY car and I PAY them against a calculated risk. The lower intake gaskets just started leaking coolant in earnest these last few weeks of cold weather (2001 3.1L w/58K on the clock, yes, it's time), so I guess I'll have to fix that after all. Dang it. Any good mechanics around? :kidding:

The Mrs. is cooking venison as I type this........

[taco650]

Gear,

The salvage title is just how it goes. When I was "in the biz" all our cars were rebuilders. I'd buy them direct from the salvage yard that the shop got its parts from, fix them and drive them for several years. Never had any problem selling them because I'd already put enough miles on them that the hit from the salvage title wasn't an issue. Hope your repair goes well & feel free to pm me if you have any questions.

[smoked turkey]

Gear, when I read the op, I was tracking that you opted to shoot a second one in order to fill your tags. I then see how it goes. Not good. I have done that a few times myself. In reference to your bigger, heavier car being a better candidate for deer hunting it reminds me of what Robert Ruark said about "use enough car" or it was something like that. Glad to see that you followed his advice. Sorry it happen however.

[DougGuy]

Congrats on the buck gear! Shame about the roadkill, we end up with some awesome roadkill sausage every season somehow.

On the 3.1L gotta get the dexcool out of them soon as it corrodes the daylights out of the intake gaskets. My 3.1 was leaking oil at the ends of the manifold which those are very well known for, so I pulled the intake off and discovered there was only about .040" between the manifold and the block, which is not enough room for a decent silicone seal. It's too thin to last and it gives it up. I put the manifold on a big Craftsman belt sander and took about .100" off the flat part at the ends, put it back on, got a good 1/8" silicone bead in there now, she'll outlast the rest of the car with no more oil leaks.

[btroj]

Now if that was a lead, home cast car.........

I haven't hit a deer with a car. Yet. Came close to a turkey thru my windshield once.

Dude, how many have you hit with cars? At some point they are gonna come for you, those deer widows are a tough crowd.

[MT Gianni]

I have hit 4 in the last six years. I put around 40K a year on vehicles in the Rockies.

[pls1911]

Gearnasher's reference to the texas Law is correct.
However, Game Wardens have wide latitude to use judgement regarding enforcement of conservation laws.
These gents are an extension of the Dept of public Safety with all authority of DPS officers and more.
Having known several gentlemen who had that calling, I know each would consider measures to conserving the meat. Normally, the answer would be no, considering the time lapsed between kill and removal
However, with prompt arrival at a not yet dead critter... it just depends on the officer.
I've never known one who wasn't a first rate stand up guy once he's established you're on his side...
His extra eyes and ears, helping help everyone have a nice day. Encountered one a couple of years ago who was second generation...I knew his dad from field coffee years ago. Good men...good people.

[geargnasher]

If it hadn't been 1/4 mile inside the city limits, I would have called the DPS 800 number and pled my case to the responding officer. Truthfully, I might have been able to plead it anyway, but it was late, I had a deer in the trunk that needed to hang and drain more before it cooled off, and with a rifle in the back seat, ammo and knives everywhere, two pistols (one in the door pocket), and a registration sticker that expired the day before, so even though I was technically 100% legal (5-day grace on the sticker) I REALLY didn't feel like ******* around with the city cops, who are mostly young, facist punks that think they are the highest authority and last word. At least until a REAL LEO shows up. I had already seen two city police cars within minutes of hitting the deer, and they patrol this road regularly. County men and women are not much better, but there are a few good ones left. Troopers and Wardens are top notch in this area at least, but overall the headache of dealing with exhausted, grumpy officers who probably worked a double the day before and didn't get much sleep was more than I was up for.

BTW, I've hit 30 deer in my driving lifetime, killing 28 of them. Two of them I was able to get slowed down in time to just knock them over or clip them. All but one was in Texas, I had to drive straight through a mulie fawn on a twisty, two-lane stretch near Meeker, CO. since dodging with a 6K lb Suburban meant cliff or wall. This Buick is only the second vehicle I've owned that wasn't a truck/SUV with a full-replacement, steel front bumper/grille guard. Had a '66 Mustang for a couple years, you guessed it, nailed a huge doe with that one and after the insurance fixed it and I paid the difference to re-paint the whole thing it got sold right away.

Even Neil Peart, in all his tens of thousands of miles on a motorcycle all over the world, finally hit a deer while traveling just a few miles from my house. They have a death wish or something, it's nuts.

Gear

[btroj]

Was Neil on his way for dinner?

I am fortunate, never hit one. Gear, stop driving by those deer crossings, the deer are trained to cross there ya know. Well, at least the law abiding deer.

[rbstern]

Gear, congrats on the shot and surviving being the projectile for the second buck.

[TXGunNut]

They have a death wish or something, it's nuts.

Gear

Last one I hit supports that theory. I knew a guy whose dad had a grille guard made for his Buick Electra 225; grilles, condensers and radiators were getting expensive and hard to find in S Texas hill country. I sell lots of pickup front end replacements for collision repairs after deer collisions, cost effective in more ways than one.

[taco650]

If it hadn't been 1/4 mile inside the city limits, I would have called the DPS 800 number and pled my case to the responding officer. Truthfully, I might have been able to plead it anyway, but it was late, I had a deer in the trunk that needed to hang and drain more before it cooled off, and with a rifle in the back seat, ammo and knives everywhere, two pistols (one in the door pocket), and a registration sticker that expired the day before, so even though I was technically 100% legal (5-day grace on the sticker) I REALLY didn't feel like ******* around with the city cops, who are mostly young, facist punks that think they are the highest authority and last word. At least until a REAL LEO shows up. I had already seen two city police cars within minutes of hitting the deer, and they patrol this road regularly. County men and women are not much better, but there are a few good ones left. Troopers and Wardens are top notch in this area at least, but overall the headache of dealing with exhausted, grumpy officers who probably worked a double the day before and didn't get much sleep was more than I was up for.

BTW, I've hit 30 deer in my driving lifetime, killing 28 of them. Two of them I was able to get slowed down in time to just knock them over or clip them. All but one was in Texas, I had to drive straight through a mulie fawn on a twisty, two-lane stretch near Meeker, CO. since dodging with a 6K lb Suburban meant cliff or wall. This Buick is only the second vehicle I've owned that wasn't a truck/SUV with a full-replacement, steel front bumper/grille guard. Had a '66 Mustang for a couple years, you guessed it, nailed a huge doe with that one and after the insurance fixed it and I paid the difference to re-paint the whole thing it got sold right away.

Even Neil Peart, in all his tens of thousands of miles on a motorcycle all over the world, finally hit a deer while traveling just a few miles from my house. They have a death wish or something, it's nuts.

Gear

Go easy on us city cops OK? We probably have worked too much on too little sleep. However, I will admit the younger officers tend to nail everyone they can until they get some experience.

Sounds like you have too many deer if they keep getting hit, even in town.

[geargnasher]

That WAS easy! You'd have to know the crew of LEOs in town. The city police here (like most places I'll bet) are severely underpaid for what they have to do, so they have a very high turnover rate and high percentage of young, flunkie-type, arrogant, under-trained, under-educated, inexperienced officers fueled by a corrupt, power-hungry Chief. I avoid those guys when I can. The city sees fit to spend tens of millions on floodplain development for parks that will just get washed away in the next flood and "beautifying" our wannabe historical district, but can't throw the PD that protects it all enough budget to pay the decent officers (we've had plenty of good ones) enough to stay. Don't get me started on the Chief. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir.

And yes, we have WAY too many deer. More particularly, too many people crowding in around here who don't hunt, but love to feed the "pretty little deer". We've had a bad drought for four years that finally sorta broke in 2013, the economy is in the dumps, so the deer population really suffered badly from people feeding less and there being far less native forage than normal. So what we have is too many sick, malnourished, dwarf deer who move around too much trying to stay fed (particularly groomed right-of-ways) and cross a lot of highways at night.

Sorry for the rant. I just miss this place when it was quaint, friendly, and hadn't been saturated with immigrants from the north east and far south. At least we enjoyed some grilled, bacon-wrapped backstrap medallions and some grilled yaller onions and nice spinach salad for supper, THAT makes me smile all over.

Gear

[btroj]

Ah yes, the deer feeders. We have them here. Our Game and Parks people finally got them to stop convinced them it wasn't good.

We have too many deer but I haven't hit one. Yet. I have seen my share on the road dead.

[CLAYPOOL]

Lots of cheap, small hand saws carried by the guys up here in Southern Illinois. Battery Powered Sawsall are very popular also. In just a few minutes you can either saw the head off, or cut the skull plate.

[cbrick]

Only one little "i" between "buck" and "Buick".

30 deer? With a car? Geez Gear, if I ever do get down there to visit I'll do the driving. :mrgreen:

I've never hit one but that nearly ended just a few days ago in broad daylight. Was on the bypass that goes around town & in the left lane doing 60 in a 60 limit, road has a very wide grass covered center divider, no trees. Doe must have been crouched down in the center divider or it would been as visible as a neon sign, suddenly it sprang straight out into the road right in front of me. Deer was moving left to right & between brakes & a left swerve onto the shoulder I missed it by just a few feet.

30? Really? Doesn't Guinness keep records of such things?

Rick

[Sweetpea]

30's not so bad...

When I lived in Michigan, we had a family friend that delivered for UPS in our area.

IN ONE YEAR he nailed 17...

Brandon

[geargnasher]

I regret to announce that this thread has just received the first "one star" rating of the new year. Go US! The congratulations and condolences are much appreciated nonetheless. Carry on...

Gear

[44man]

Sorry to hear about the Buick Gear.
We have gotten a few road kills in Ohio and WV. Others hit them and I stopped to drag them off the road so traffic could keep going. The state police would come and after paperwork, they would ask the driver if he wanted the deer, never did so he asked us. We would take it. A paper was given us and the deer did not count against our hunting license.
What made the officer real happy was we told him we would take the deer down a side road, off the road to gut it.
Then we would shoot one each where we hunted and would split the road kill.