Auto accidents caused by Deer

[701FishSlayer]

Went about 20 years before I hit a deer. Thought I'd never hit one. Cranked one at 75 pulling the boat, hit 2 more all within same year. Lifted truck ran em right over. No damage.

 

[rodcontrol]

If your cow is out and gets hit on the road, unless you have a past history of cattle out you are not necessarily considered negligent.

 

[Wall-eyes]

I hit one in middle of night in Iowa corn is planted less than 50 feet from center of road on 2nd dairy roads. Buck come flying out face planted right on side window teeth hit so hard I had bad gouge out of window, he rolled around back and destroyed all three bikes on bike rack. Kids in back seat throwup all over life is good. My state farm guy says one in three people hit a deer.

 

[SDMF]

2nd dairy roads.

Is that where the milk truck goes after the 1st stop?

 

[Allen]

If a farm animal is loose on a public road and collides with your vehicle I bet you would be the first one to go after the owner for damages! Where is the logic there?

There's a difference between the concept of wildlife being "held in public trust" than the for-profit, private ownership of livestock.

You're suggesting everything that is not privately owned is actually "owned" by the government (which means the taxpayer. What about a tree that is not planted by the landowner? Should the taxpayers or landowner pay for my bumper if a tree were to fall across the road in the dark and I run into it?

 

[BrokenBackJack]

In open range country the cow has complete freedom to go wherever on your dollar. If you hit, you pay for all including the beef. db

Totally agree DB.
Happened to me and a buddy many years ago at night. Wrecked my car and I ended up paying for the cow too. Pissed me off as I said I wanted to butcher the cow but the cop wouldn't let me.
It happened on a stormy hard raining night on a gravel road. It was open range.

 

[Rowdie]

Totally agree DB.
Happened to me and a buddy many years ago at night. Wrecked my car and I ended up paying for the cow too. Pissed me off as I said I wanted to butcher the cow but the cop wouldn't let me.
It happened on a stormy hard raining night on a gravel road. It was open range.

What state was this in? Were you on a state HWY or a county road if in ND?

I know in SD out west there are county roads there are no fences in the ditch. You will cross over a cattle guard between pastures, and I'm assuming this is open range. I don't even know if you could call these roads, but then you come upon a concrete crossing or a bridge over a creek or river.

 

[Allen]

True, but does this apply anywhere in ND?

Yes, there are lots of open range miles in the Little Missouri National Grasslands areas. Anywhere from the SD border up to and including the Blue Buttes by Keene and public lands north of Charlson. I can't think of any north of Sakakawea off the top of my head, but west and south they are pretty common in some areas. Let's put it this way, if you run across a cattleguard on a gravel road, you are most likely in open range country.

 

[Allen]

If your cow is out and gets hit on the road, unless you have a past history of cattle out you are not necessarily considered negligent.

This is correct. I had to give a sworn affidavit once to help settle a lawsuit over a damn simmental bull that just wouldn't stay in the fence after it went through the windshield of a Ford Pinto. I had fixed that fence several times that summer, but that damn bull just kept pushing his way through in the exact same spot.

Not sure on the details of how the lawsuit and settlement all worked out, but you are correct in that the devil is in the details when it comes to negligence on stuff like this.

 

[BrokenBackJack]

What state was this in? Were you on a state HWY or a county road if in ND?

I know in SD out west there are county roads there are no fences in the ditch. You will cross over a cattle guard between pastures, and I'm assuming this is open range. I don't even know if you could call these roads, but then you come upon a concrete crossing or a bridge over a creek or river.

This was in ND. We were driving county gravel roads coming back from Devils Lake headed to Cathay, ND. Must of been around 1974.
Remember it well, it was quite the ordeal.

 

[johnr]

Yes, there are lots of open range miles in the Little Missouri National Grasslands areas. Anywhere from the SD border up to and including the Blue Buttes by Keene and public lands north of Charlson. I can't think of any north of Sakakawea off the top of my head, but west and south they are pretty common in some areas. Let's put it this way, if you run across a cattleguard on a gravel road, you are most likely in open range country.

I travel these areas frequently, they are free range up on the rez in several places too.

 

[db-2]

Camper:
Do you have an intelligent statement to make here concerning this issue.
I will watch for it.


It has been a few years but when i was in the Big Horn Mt. there were signs that stated if you hit it you pay for it. Not sure if a sign means anything. db