What Animal Kills the Most People in the US?

[RallySnake]

DEER! Statistical fact!

On the May 1st Rally, we had a close encounter of the venison kind. We were cruising down Three Points Road (East of Gorman), when two deer appeared on the left shoulder. I hit the brakes as hard and fast as I could and using threshold braking, only locked up the left front wheel. Sure enough, one of the sizable, stupid critters ran right across the road. I expected him to stop directly in front of the car (as they usually do), but this one ran up onto the right shoulder. It's a good thing too, because I could not stop fast enough. I was prepared to swerve into the left lane, but didn't have to after the tail of the beast cleared the road ahead of me.

It all happened so fast, that I didn't have time to get scared or anything. But, looking back at it, I wonder if there is something I could have done differently? Sure, I could drive slower, but that's not going to happen! I could have hit the horn or flashed the headlights, but I wonder if that would make a difference? I used to have deer whistles under the nose of the car, but they disappeared in one of my off road excursions. I could put new one's on, but I have read that they are not effective. I do intend to improve my brakes. But, I wonder if anyone has any other ideas or suggestions?

Paul

[NeedAntiVenom]

Paul, we have many, 15-20 that come through our property every day (they seem to like my wife's flower beds and pretty much anything green ).

They are most active in the morning and evening, if you see one there is almost always another nearby. If you see one in your path try to steer around its rear end - it will most likely run forward, but...

At night keep your highs on as much as possible and watch for small sections of trees where they pop out of.

I killed two of them in one day with my tractor, little ones in very tall grass that just would not move despite all the racket.

[Tongue Pirate]

Crazy critters! Did you hear about the Bear in agoura a couple weeks ago? I've seen deer up above woodland hills but I didn't think there were bear that close to us.

[Lowell W]

We have bunches of 'em here, too, and I think the deer problem is only going to get worse, as fewer hunters will want to spend the time and money to shoot deer they may not be able to eat due to chronic wasting disease.

My suspicion is that drivers often are looking at the first deer and hit the second deer.

Save a car: shoot a deer!

Lowell

[Mr.Fixit]

Jeez, and I thought that bacteria were at the top of the killer animal list.

[flipper35]

Growing up in Wisconsin, one thing I learned early on is that if one deed crosses the road, ALL the others will follow. Day or night. I am fortunate enought that I have only hit 1 so far. No damage as it was in my Ramcharger with the big grill/brush guard mounted to the frame. It did clean the dirt off my bumper and left a print on the passenger side door.

[petek]

Are bacteria complex enough to be separated between vegetable and animal? Or am I thinking of viruses? Prions?

[blubyu2]

Now the even come after you when your eating lunch..

javascript:LaunchVideo('/us/2004/05/13/sheridan.oh.deer.restaurant.wdtn.','300k')

[HighPlainsDrifter]

MAN.

Let me say that between drunk/stoned drivers and guns are responsible for the most fatalities.

deer doesn't come close, although we have alot of moose getting hit up north.
Perry.

[Mr.Fixit]

Originally posted by petek


Are bacteria complex enough to be separated between vegetable and animal? Or am I thinking of viruses? Prions?

They are not animals in the popular Linnean (kingdom, phylum, class ...) classification system

But try this one on a vegetarian:

How can you drink beer, you know that millions of single celled animals (yeast) had to die, and you are drinking their corpses!!!
Works with bread too, but you can say the were cooked alive.

[Ron61]

Perry,

I believe the post was what animal kills the most people. We have a lot of deer, bear, and some other animals around here and a lot of people hit the deer, but all the animals put together can't touch the people killed around here by drunks and other means. Not nearly as many shootings as you would think. I believe stabbings would be well above gunshot deaths if you had an accurate record. However most of us have more respect for the animals than to lump the drunks in with them. So far this year we have had 11 teens killed in cars and all but 1 was alcohol related. That is just the teens and not all the so called adults whom are already well above that number. So respect the animals, get the drunks and dopers off the roads if possible.

Ron

[PJS50]

High Plains Drifter.. you've been in Canada too long... PEOPLE kill PEOPLE with guns... Guns don't do it themselves... That wasn't my point here though...
Here in Michigan, in 2003, there were something like 35,700 +/- car to deer "incidents" reported by the secretary of state and the insurance companies! YES, that's almost 100 PER DAY!!!
So, the next time, you hear somebody bashing deer hunting, as a simple driver, you should tell them to shut up and shoot!

[aeon]

if anyone has any deer or other critters that need killing let me know! Now that i sold my cobra i have a LOT of time on my hands

Aeon

[RallySnake]

Aeon,

You got that big boy with a BOW!?! Nice shootin'.

Please keep up the good work.

Thanks,
Paul

[Mark IV]

...Homo Sapiens Sapien.....


Rick

[southernfriedcj]

Originally posted by aeon




if anyone has any deer or other critters that need killing let me know! Now that i sold my cobra i have a LOT of time on my hands

Aeon

Aeon is a PETA member, he's trying to revive that Elk!
If anyone needs any deer, elk or drunks wacked, call ME!

[petek]

Statistics of death at: http://www.disastercenter.com/cdc/

"Heart failure and Malignant neoplasms cause over half of all deaths of people over 45. Accidents and adverse effects resulting from the accidents is the leading cause of death for people under 45 to 1 year of age. Of all the causes of death due to accidents, the leading cause is motor vehicle accidents."

Also interesting is: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004395.html Pitty the UK as it looks like their population isn't replacing itself!

[Lowell W]

Let me say that between drunk/stoned drivers and guns are responsible for the most fatalities.

Perry,

Perhaps your haste to make a political statement caused you to neglect to proofread your post, although I think I get your message. In the same sentence fragment, you appear to condemn the operator of one type of device (the automobile), then condemn a device itself (the firearm) and absolve the operator. It's the typical liberal hysterical, gun-hating nonsense.

PJS50,

Cool avatars or icons or whatever they are, and GREAT advice!

Aeon,

Nice elk! With a bow, no less! Congrats!

Save a car: shoot a deer!

Lowell

[Michael C Henry]

Two years ago my wife and I went back to Iowa for a anniversary .We had a cousin from Origon with us He wanted to see a white-tail dear.The one evening he wasn't with us we found one. We were heading east at 9:PM when out from the left came a 4 point or better buck.He stopped and it looked as if we were going to get by when the dear lowered his head and appeared to try to run behind the headlights.It took out the drivers rear view mirror,drivers side window.and caved in the rear passenger door. Glass went every where inside.The dear was no where to be found.It was a borrowed car and it was below freezing.

[TampaFla]

Lived a 1/2 mile from where they hide Dick Cheney (underground bunker). Was afraid to drive after dusk or before sunrise (sunrise & dawn are 2 different times - bow hunters can explain).

Deer - so many that they become pets (try that - you see the fawns every day, same ones for months - just like your own hunting dogs after awhile).

Season limits where I lived went from 1/yr. to unlimited. Would not want to own a Cobra on the mountain where I lived, but down here I only worry about running over an alligator.