Winter Wildlife

[TWinter]

We all have different experience levels, but experience never covers the unexpected...

Last night at about 5 pm I was taking my other half up for a short night flight to see the city lights..

If you have read any of my prior posts you will know Sheila, my better half is not a avid flyer, but since she had not been up in about 6 months she wanted to join me to see the city lights.

As we set up on runway 22 I was checking the before take-off list and all of a sudden over her shoulder outside I suddenly I see a pack of 5 deer coming out of the woods running past us along side the runway. She tried to get a picture, but it scared her so much she couldn't get her phone ready to take a picture and they were long gone.

Hunting season is full on and the wildlife are running fast and furious..Please remember to keep it the back of your mind..To say the least she was very nervous the rest of the flight after seeing 5 deer racing parallel to the runway. Many times I've seen a single critter run across the runways, but a pack of 5 deer was quite the sight.

The picture below was the setting though..woods all around the runways.

 

 

-Tom 

[carqwik]

My buddy hit a deer in his truck doing about 80 mph in bfe Oregon...deer killed instantly but went up over the hood into the windshield and then over the top of his truck.  All the airbags went off, front end of truck back to the radiator was wrecked (and windshield) plus interior damage from the airbags.  Total bill to fix...$25,000.  This was a 2015 Silverado...so all the safety features and technology of modern automobiles.  The truck weighs 2.5 tons empty.

Just sayin...

(He left the truck in Oregon...local dealer sold it for him on consignment...)

 

[TWinter]

1 hour ago, carqwik said:

My buddy hit a deer in his truck doing about 80 mph in bfe Oregon...deer killed instantly but went up over the hood into the windshield and then over the top of his truck.  All the airbags went off, front end of truck back to the radiator was wrecked (and windshield) plus interior damage from the airbags.  Total bill to fix...$25,000.  This was a 2015 Silverado...so all the safety features and technology of modern automobiles.  The truck weighs 2.5 tons empty.

Just sayin...

(He left the truck in Oregon...local dealer sold it for him on consignment...)

 

When I was living in New England saw several vehicle vs. Moose......  Final score Moose 1, Vehicle 0.

Up north the only up side to a car vs. deer accident is the driver of the vehicle gets first option as to whether he wants to keep the deer kill or have Fish & Game remove it..

The thought of Mooney vs. Deer is a scary thought, much less 5 deer.

 

-Tom

[Hank]

I've seen the occasional runway deer, but coyote are more common, to say nothing of turkey vultures in the air on departure and on final approach.

One of my former E. KY lunch stops had herds of elk and flocks of turkey grazing outside the fence as I taxied out for the downhill departure. No, the fence won't keep either of these out . . . Ya'll be careful out there!

[amillet]

Add cleaning bugs off windshield to pre-take off checklist.  

[Guest]

Maybe they were on their way to a Stag and Doe party.

Clarence

[Jeff_S]

Feral cats! At PDK there is a band of mousers that they keep around to scare off birds and other pests. They're pretty good at staying away but sometimes they tear around on the taxiways. On the flip side, never seen any trace of a rat or mouse nest in the hangar.

[air cooled dad]

I hit a rabbit with a Brazilia.  I called maintenance and said...

a wascally wabbit wan out on da wunway and I whacked him!!!   

Silly wabbit was westing on da wunway.  Had to fill out the wabbit strike form.  Lol 

Jason

 

[TWinter]

22 hours ago, amillet said:

Add cleaning bugs off windshield to pre-take off checklist.  

Those pics were during landing, woods and farm land on both sides..After about 20 minutes of flying and no extra charge for bugs, but we started off nice and clean.. We grow them big out here.