A deer hit my truck

[jhowell9618]

TL;DR:
A probably 300 pound deer ran into my right rear wheel this morning. He was running at like 10 mph. Should I be worried about suspension/drivetrain damage? Bent wheel? The truck didn’t seem to drive different after it happened.

Full Story
This morning, I was on my way to work. I left a little early because I wanted to stop and get breakfast. I drive about 30 miles along mostly two lane county roads. I like to go a little slower in the dawn/twilight times and at night because of deer.
So I get my breakfast and am cruising along at 45ish and all of a sudden, this buck pops out of the woods. With where he was, I knew he was either going to hit the side or miss me completely as I went by, so I gassed it and moved a little left, but he still hit me. The rear end moved a little, but I couldn’t see any damage out the passenger side mirror, so I kept going as it was like 10 minutes from work.

I guess I got really lucky in terms of body damage, there is a small dent in front of the fender flare. He hit the tire/wheel, mostly.

I didn’t notice the truck drive any different afterwards, but now I’m starting to get paranoid that something might be hurt in the rear suspension or drivetrain.

Have any of you guys ever had something similar happen? I’m going to crawl under it in a little while to look. The internet seems to think I should have called the police to get a report for insurance purposes, but it’s just a dent and it seems they would have more important things to deal with. I don’t really want to get insurance involved if I don’t have to.

Here is my truck before this incident.

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[Toytec]

What he said ^

 

[Fawnbuster]

I had one of the guys at the SO tell dispatch "a deer just ran into my commission " and dispatch said I am clear you hit a deer, he said no dispatch, the deer ran head first into my rear passenger door and caved it in lol

 

[jhowell9618]

Thanks for all the replies. I just looked under it and I don’t see any major issues. The leafs are straight and the wheels are equidistant from the fenders on both sides.
I guess I’ll just pay extra attention to the driving characteristics on my way home. I feel like I really dodged a bullet on this one. Stupid deer.

 

[Jason B]

In this case, it's better that the deer hit you, and luckily it was the wheel and not severe body damaged. Hitting a deer while driving at speed usually is bad for all involved. Most times the deer and the vehicle don't survive, and sometimes neither does the driver.

 

[Msfitoy]

That'll buff out (painless dent repair)...it'll take a lot more damage than that to do harm to your suspension....

 

[Peragrin]

fix your dent....continue on

Many years ago while driving a nissan sentra, I was on a back country road making a delivery for a contractor. So middle of the day bright sunlight, corn fields taller than the car, and I am cruising. when a deer jumped out of the corn, turned 90 and ran down my lane of the road away from me, turned again and jumped into the field across the street.

I slammed on my brakes, and we did hit. there was a nice little hoof mark on my bumper until the end of that cars days.

if the deer walked (or ran away) and there is no blood, odds are is your damage is paint scratches.

( I have also hit deer at 50mph totaling a front end)

 

[jhowell9618]

Many years ago while driving a nissan sentra, I was on a back country road making a delivery for a contractor. So middle of the day bright sunlight, corn fields taller than the car, and I am cruising. when a deer jumped out of the corn, turned 90 and ran down my lane of the road away from me, turned again and jumped into the field across the street.

I slammed on my brakes, and we did hit. there was a nice little hoof mark on my bumper until the end of that cars days.

if the deer walked (or ran away) and there is no blood, odds are is your damage is paint scratches.

( I have also hit deer at 50mph totaling a front end)

I drive a lot of 2 lane rural roads, so I always am looking out for them. I’ve had a few close calls, though I’ve never hit one until today, but the unavoidable ones where they just come out of nowhere and I smash into them are what I’m mostly afraid of. If I was a few seconds later this morning, my truck could be a lot worse.

 

[Grumpaw]

Stupid rams just hit anything and everything they can...
a pole, a wall, a tree......
Notice...they ALL did the "hitting". It's not like the tree or that wall "jumped" out in front of it !!!

 

[Big Blue]

Stupid rams just hit anything and everything they can...
a pole, a wall, a tree......
Notice...they ALL did the "hitting". It's not like the tree or that wall "jumped" out in front of it !!!

It's not the Rams fault, It's the nut holding the wheel.

 

[OrangeStreak]

Hopefully the deer was OK and not seriously injured! But if an animal does not make it in a road accident...the 66 Roadkill Cafe would love to have the remains...their cuisine specialty is Fender Fillets...

 

[Grumpaw]

Hopefully the deer was OK and not seriously injured! But if an animal does not make it in a road accident...the 66 Roadkill Cafe would love to have the remains...their cuisine specialty is Fender Fillets...

Yup...it is a real gourmet restaurant.....

 

[erty176]

Stupid rams just hit anything and everything they can...
a pole, a wall, a tree......
Notice...they ALL did the "hitting". It's not like the tree or that wall "jumped" out in front of it !!!

Well, you know what they say. If you can't dodge it, ram it.

 

[Apples]

Or this...

 

[got3fords]

300lbs? Sounds like a fish story.

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