# Dear Deer an open letter



## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

Mr Deer,

I must say I fin your behavior to be appalling. Far from the kind Bambi image portrayed in movies your an inconsiderate sort of creature. While minding my own business on the WO&D trail you not only disregarded the right of way you also left me flat on my back with lots of blood and broken bones. To add to this insult you actually decided to kick me when I was down judged by the hoof prints on my back. I did not so much as receive a card during my stay in the hospital nor have I heard a word about compensation for damages and lost work. You and all your friends are off my Christmas list. In fact I am telling all my friends that eating venison will improve their TT and their sex life. Ha

Next time your mine

Homebrew


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Homebrew,

I hope you are okay, or at least on the road to a quick recovery.

I've been telling people for years, probably over a decade now, that the deer population is out of control around here. DNR even knows it and allows an unlimited number of does to be taken in Montgomery, Howard, Washington, and a couple other counties. In my parents' neighborhood in Silver Spring, I consistently see deer out in the middle of the day, and not just one, but bunches. The other day I counted 9 in a person's front yard and I stopped the car 5 yards from them and they didn't even flinch.

At my place in Germantown, I can go out around 4:00 and see 3 to 6 deer in the community area almost every day.

While riding in Howard County a month or so ago, while descending I almost hit a deer that was standing in the middle of the street in the middle of the day.

A couple of years ago, I was allowed to hunt Seneca Park on a population control/crop damage permit, and the MTB riders there were actually saying thank you to me and pointing out where the deer were concentrating at. I honestly could not believe it. I thought the MTB'ers would be all over me about killing Bambi. As I was dragging a deer out of the woods, one MTB'er came up to me and said "Get every last one of them if you can." I was shocked.


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## johnalex (Aug 6, 2008)

deer on the W&OD are a huge issue. I am very discouraged of riding at night on it because of it. 

can you please elaborate on your story? I would love to hear the details. I ride W&OD everyday and would love to hear how this happened.


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## QQUIKM3 (Apr 20, 2008)

*Hope you get better. .*



homebrew said:


> Mr Deer,
> You and all your friends are off my Christmas list. In fact I am telling all my friends that eating venison will improve their TT and their sex life. Ha


I almost got ran over twice this year by a deer in broad daylight!


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

This accedent happened at 11:am on the bike path in a surburban area. I was going 25mph and had no time to even touch the brakes. I have had lots of close calls in the past but this time of year and in fact this year the problem is much worse. My dream bike is toast and I am going to be out of work for at least a month.


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## johnalex (Aug 6, 2008)

what was the physical damage? and where on the trail did this take place?


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

As an FYI, expect more activity from deer between mid October to the end of November because it is mating season, or what is called the rut. For those of us riding out in the country, you also have to be more aware of them during this time period because it is hunting season. In Maryland, gun season starts the Saturday after Thanksgiving and goes for two weeks, so the deer will be finishing up with the rut, and they will be under pressure from hunters, so they will be moving around like crazy. If you have ever seen a deer running/hopping, you will know that they can cover 10+ yards in a single hop. If they are coming through bushes, brush, etc., you will never see them before they hit you.


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## 10PTBuck (Oct 20, 2008)

Mr. Homebrew, 

I would like to personally apologize for getting in your way and them stomping on you until my hind legs were sore.

Not. 

Actually, I just came by to give you a big FU. 

I don't mind the humans walking or running at reasonable speeds but I got damn tired of my mate and I getting spooked by you jackasses on bikes blowing through my front yard at 40+kph. 

BTW - You neglected to mention that I pissed all over your unconscious body - so good luck getting that scent out of your $200 jester outfit. 

Buck

PS - my friends are all enjoying the photo I took of me tea-bagging you that I posted on my facebook profile.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

That was hilarious. Slightly crude, but hilarious.

Mr. 10PTBuck,

Let me know when you would like to come over for dinner and see your big brother, Mr. 11PTBuck, and your younger cousin, Mr. 7PTBuck. They are a little bored hanging out on my wall and could use a little company. Also, the ladies could use somebody to keep them warm and comfortable in the freezer. Hope to see you in the woods some time soon.


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

I have a broken wrist, broken elbow, my nose was cut deep enough to require 5 stitches and my face is covered in road rash. my back is bruised about the size of a pie plate my legs were cut and bruised, my knees have no skin, this makes it painful to walk. I was riding on the WO&D trail coming into Leesburg on a weekday morning (11:am) so very few people were on the trail. I was on the ground for a long time before help arrived. I do this ride most days and do not ride reckless. I know the trail well and do not speed in areas that could pose a threat to others. I am concerned for the deer as well despite my painkiller induced introduction. I am sure the deer suffered broken ribs and perhaps worse. Bystanders looked for the deer but it was not found. There was no way to avoid this accident and the reason I posted it as a warning to others. The info about rutting season is very good advise.To the poster that signed on just to harass me(10ptbuck), well your in your own self induced hell so I will not say more


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Don't lose sleep over the deer's health. I have seen them survive gun shot and arrow wounds and live just fine until they met another hunter. Some hunters have actually retrieved arrow heads and buckshot from deer and the wounds were a year old or older because they had completely healed up around the projectile. So, any broken ribs or bruises from being hit by a cyclist will heal very easily for them.


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## johnnymossville (Jul 30, 2008)

I too see tons of deer while riding here in the northern part of maryland. They cross in front of me, behind me, run along side of me. They are everywhere! Tons of food and very few hunters I suspect.

Oh, and there's so much roadkill around. Amazing how many get hit by cars.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

I have had several close calls with deer. I do most of my riding in northern Baltimore County and Carroll County, Maryland. I don't think that I ever have a ride without seeing at least one deer. I have learned that if one is crossing the road, usually one or two more will follow. Your story is one of my riding nightmares. I never have been a hunter and was pretty neutral about hunting -- it's OK if you want to do it, but I don't want to do it. Now, I wish that I could blow away every deer that I see on the roads and in my yard, eating all of my shrubs. But, since I don't own a gun and have no plans to buy one, the deer are safe for now. However, I would actively support any program to thin the deer herd in the area. They are a menace and safety hazard for all of us.


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## johnnymossville (Jul 30, 2008)

Hey, MarkS, that's where I always ride. Maybe I've seen you out there dodging deer.


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## benchpress265 (Nov 7, 2006)

We have a lot of deer in South Eastern Pa. If I see any I start to yell to let them know I am here. I had a friend of mine go out early in the morning up 282 and a deer jumped over him and kicked him in the back. Knocked him right off of his bike. If he didn't have a witness (passing car that stopped to help him) and hove marks on his back, he said nobody would have believed him. 

The deer usually wins in a bike/deer collision!


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

On the Capital Crescent Trail, they are particularly bad between Georgetown and Fletcher's Boat House this time of year. I will see anywhere from a few to tens of deer in a one or two mile stretch when I am commuting around 05:30. I always have to take it easy and watch out because there are many that will be standing on the trail as they nibble the foliage that lines it.

There is no deer season in DC.


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## fuzz-tone (Sep 29, 2008)

Wow. Thanks for the warning. I haven't seen any wildlife on the W&OD this year... In fact, the only "man vs. wild" experience I've had on trails was a stare down with a bobcat in FL. Seems like cold weather drives the fair weather riders/runners away and the animals know it. 

Hope you recover quickly. Look at the bright side - you get to build a new dream bike!


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Y'all need some mountain lions. And wolves. Uh-huh.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Mark,

They do allow bow, crossbow, and muzzleloader hunting, so you don't really need a firearm. At first, scopes were not allowed on muzzleloaders, but as the deer population continued to get out of control, they allowed them for the first part of the season (i.e., October). Then, they allowed it for both seasons (i.e., October, December-January). Crossbows were only allowed in lieu of traditional and compound bows if the hunter could get a written statement from his/her doctor stating that he/she could not draw a bow because of a shoulder, arm, or wrist problem. Now, they are allowed in lieu of a bow for whomever wants to use them.

Hunting on Sundays has never been allowed in Maryland, until just recently. They now allow one Sunday of hunting during bow season, one Sunday of hunting during the first weekend of muzzleloader season, and another Sunday of hunting the first weekend of gun season, and only deer can be hunted on these Sundays. They used these first Sundays of the various seasons because that is when the young deer would be as uneducated about hunters as possible (i.e., it would increase the number taken). The problem is that not enough people are hunting and not enough people are giving hunters access to property, and for good reason in some circumstances. For example, I have been hunting one farm for 23 years now, and the owner was really liberal with his granting of permission, until about 5 years ago when some idiot hunter gutted and cleaned a deer in the farm owner's spring house, leaving all the mess in there, and then proceeded to steal all of the farm owner's home brewed wine he had chilling in the spring house. As I always say, there is good and bad in any group of people out there.

Me, I only hunt them when the seasons are out for waterfowling and other types of wingshooting. Deer hunting just isn't much fun for me. I have to sit on a stand for hours at a time sometimes before I see anything, or the opposite is the case. While hunting in Seneca Park, I killed 8 deer in less than 2 hours and could have killed a bunch more. My 67 year old hunting partner told me to keep killing them. I stopped, because I knew it was going to take me the rest of the day to get all of them out of the woods. Stopped hunting at 9:00 and finally left the farm at 4:00 in the afternoon to go and drop most of the deer off to friends and the Feed the Hungry Program.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

That is about the only thing that will cut down the deer population significantly, but sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. It would really suck to run into a pack of wolves or a mountain lion while on your bike. Plus, most of the farmers/hunters I know out west are complaining like crazy about the wolves out there. Man has caused such a mess with the environment.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

The down side is that he might not be able to afford building another dream bike with the economy the way it is. I hope that isn't the case though.


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## johnalex (Aug 6, 2008)

what was the dream bike?!


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

What was the dream bike and can I rebuild it,
My bike was a Independent Fabrication SSR with the new Super Record group. Bora Wheels were on the bike at the time of the crash. Syntace racelite carbon bars and a Ritchy WCS carbon stem, Speedneedle saddle and Thompson masterpiece seat post. I have yet to have the bike looked over but the handle bars are toast. I am concerned for the carbon Reynolds UL fork and the front Bora wheel. The prized Super Record group looks OK but again everything must be inspected.

I am unable to work (I have my own business) so cash flow has stopped. If the frame is OK I should be able to get it in riding condition by January. I may have to downgrade a few parts but that's OK. 

I also feel like a jerk for not thanking those fellow cyclist that stopped and provided first aid and called an ambulance. A kind couple found a nearby homeowner to store my bike and called my wife to let her know the hospital I would go to. The medical care I received was first rate. Everyone was so kind and I will always feel gratitude to my fellow cyclists. I am very lucky to have come out of this. 

I intend to ovoid sections of the WO&D during rutting season. Truth is I never gave it much thought before. Thanks all for your concern.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

That sucks about the bike, but my wife and I agree that the bike is secondary to the rider. If/When I go down, I'll be ecstatic if I break a frame and come out without a scratch on me. Just the money you are going to lose from not working will take care of the bike.

Get better quick. FYI, this is a good example for when a short term disability policy would have been nice, if you meet the definition for short term disability.


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

wooglin said:


> Y'all need some mountain lions. And wolves. Uh-huh.


There are already coyotes in the area, but I think there would have to be many more coyotes before they could make a dent in the deer population. Too many deer and too much other prey that are easier to hunt.

http://www.nps.gov/rocr/naturescience/coyotefaq.htm


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

A friend of mine killed a coyote by Sugarloaf mountain. Another friend of mine had one of his jack russell terriers killed by a coyote in Washington County. They knew it was a coyote because they found some of the coyote's fur in the jack russell's mouth. So, there are definitely coyotes in the area.

With that said, a coyote isn't really large enough to take down full grown deer. A fawn is about the most a coyote could handle.


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## SPlKE (Sep 10, 2007)

The deer (and the ever-suicidal squirrels) are getting more active along the schuylkill river and perkiomen creek MUPs.

The seem to be standing around on the path more, now that there are fewer riders, etc, as the fuzz-tone pointed out. They don't seem to be too concerned about bike bells or yells either. They kind of give you that "yeah? izzat all ya got?" look.

One year, I tried to extend my rides on the MUP by using a headlight / helmet light combo. After a bunch of narrow misses with racoons and skunks that I just didn't see coming, I decided the wildlife could have the MUP at night. 

The thought of crashing with an animal at night, in the cold, and lying there for a long time until somebody found me, like the OP, was not "aligning" with my survival instincts.

.


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