Deer accident just before Christmas

[Dharma Dude]

Just before Christmas I had the bad luck to hit and kill a deer in my rig. My first accident in 30+ years of driving. Ugh. Finger-crossed.

Asking this forum for advice on what hidden damage their might be to my GX. What I need to check.

It was a direct blow on the passenger side front corner. I hit it at about 75 miles an hour on highway 120 just outside of Groveland on the way back from Yosemite. The incident shattered my passenger side headlight, and bent my hood and either knocked my bumper out of kilter or bent it a little, and broke some wiring in the windshield fluid reservoir. Could a deer be big enough hit to bend my bumper? (see attached photo).

More pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/0fYjIWGFSFWph5vD3
I pan to replace the headlight myself but I need somebody to straighten the hood and re-align the bumper.

I'd have to say I was lucky. It is pretty minor damage considering how much worse it could have been. I just heard a thud and plastic bits flying up and that was about all I felt. The car drives straight and I had no trouble driving it back to Bay Area. My Hefty Fabworks bumper probably saved most of the passenger side corner.

 

[BlackCat]

Glad you’re ok. The damage doesn’t look too bad. I narrowly missed a few deer not to long ago close to the same spot.

 

[Bluetribal]

What front bumper do you have? It seriously saved you that is way less damage then I would have expected at that speed!

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Oh man, poor deer! Glad you are okay.

 

[bap5340]

Glad you're OK. Your signature line indicates Hefty aluminum front & rear bumpers. How did the bumper hold up in the impact? We would love to see photos of your truck with the Hefty equipment on it.

 

[half k cruiser]

Looks like a headlight and new hood and your good to go. You can pull your bumper back very carefully if it really bothers you. Just get creative with a strap, anchor, and somebody to spot it for you.

 

[Cringe]

Glad you're OK. Your signature line indicates Hefty aluminum front & rear bumpers. How did the bumper hold up in the impact? We would love to see photos of your truck with the Hefty equipment on it.

This! I am impressed it took a hit like that without any damage aside from a little bending. A friend of mine has a large stinger on his bumper and managed to cut several deer in half with it after hitting them, we started calling it the deer slayer.

 

[GXO]

Sort of a tangent, but I noticed I had a LOT less issues with seeing/avoiding deer at night once I put in super bright LED headlights. I drove from Ouray to Santa Fe at dusk and I could see the herds' eyes .5 a mile out and slow down.