Brush Guard yes or no?

[Kathi]

While talking to my daughter who lives in Montana, she was telling us that we might think about purchasing a brush guard before we come up to visit her in June. She said that there are alot of deer that just run around and get hit on the highways. She said they can really damage the front of your vehicle. Could I hear from my MOC family as to if I should or not. Thanks Kathi

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Having lived most of my life in deer country in both PA and NY. In northern NY we had as many as 10 to 15 deer/car accidents a week. I never hit a deer nor did Lorraine or anyother family member. I would say to save your money. I don't believe any "brush" guard is going to add much protection. A full grown buck is going to destroy the brush guard as well as the front end of the truck.

[richfaa]

Same here a western PA native huge deer country. Save your money. The odds of you hitting a deer are about the same as winning the lottery and the "bush guard will not help much if at all. I once hit a full grown buck deer with a K-10 International 18 wheeler..that is a very big truck and it did a lot of damage.

[faeb and genb]

I feel like Glenn. Have hit 4 myself & had 2 to hit my auto. Sounds weird but 2 came right out of a corn field that was close to road & ran into side of truck. I don't think a brush gaurd would have helped me at all.
Gene

[Montana Sky]

I drive I-90 through Montana at least 3 times a year on my way to South Dakota and Chicago. Have been driving this for the past 9 years and have not had one bit of trouble with deer.(Knock on wood)! I am going to have the Westin brush guard installed on my truck this summer more for the looks rather than the deer. They do help with the birds, hit 3 this past week.

[Parrothead]

Kathi
I live in Upstate NY for 10 years Very heavy deer country and we have the mule deer where we are now. We are kind of up in the coastal mountains. I saw a lot of "guards" torn apart by a big buck. One thing you can remember is to turn off your light real quick and then back on. This stops the hypnotic effect the headlight have on them. A lot of deer run into the side of your vehicle as stated above and nothing helps this. If you know you are in an area of deer crossing, just drive slow and be on the look out. We have one area here we drive about 10 miles an hour though especially at dusk or night time.

[Bill and Ann]

Pick up a couple of Deer whistles (or whatever they are called) and install them under the bumper or grill. They work. The deer look up when you approach, but don't move.

[sreigle]

My initial thought is also that it's a waste of money. But then I wonder why, if that's so, someone who lives in Montana would recommend it if it's not necessary.

Kathi, does your daughter have any experience or knowledge of brush guards actually eliminating or reducing damage? We lived many years in NE Kansas, an area with a surprisingly high deer population, complete with rifle and bow seasons. I never hit one but had a couple of close calls. A few of my relatives did hit deer. One had the deer come up over the hood and hit the windshield. The vertical placement of a brush guard, I wonder if that would keep the deer from coming up over the hood.

[Thunderman]

Well I have to differ with the majority in regard to the brush guard. I have hit 2 deer and fortunately did no damage to the truck because I had the brush guard. That said, I would not buy one of the chrome brush guards...they look nice but are not strong enough. In this area there are many good ones on the market with the best being Ranch Hand brand. Good luck.

[Countryfolks]

This one looks pretty stout!

http://www.dieselmall.com/products/r...or/default.asp

Skip

[Thunderman]

Yes sir, that one does look stout. I would have to consider one that gave more protection to the grill/radiator area.

[Bear Hunter]

We live in the northern lower of Mich. My wife drives through the deer gauntlet going to Grayling 3 times a day. She is a very careful drivers but has still hit over 12 deer in the last 20 yrs. Most hit the side of the vehicle doing substantial damage. After one hit on the front of the SUV taking out the grill, radiator, oil cooler and air our body shop recommended a grill guard. Since it has been a part of all following vehicles. The test came when she hit a large 8 point. The results were a damaged guard and some monor damage to the plastic grill. We now have them on both the Suv and our tow veh. If you do get a guard buy a good heavy one the attaches to the frame not the bumper. by the way the air bag didnot deploy.
SEMPER FI

[tbhd]

I belong to a Gold Wing motorcycle club and several of our members have electronic deer whistles installed on their motorcycles. They can be heard from a greater distance. Claim they work better than just the plain ones. You can also turn them off when not needed. There has been a couple of riders who have died hitting deer or having deer hit them.

[richfaa]

When you hit a deer it will do one of two things..It will be sucked under the vehicle. If you have a BIG truck that is high enough off the ground that will most likely happen..Or..it will come up over the hood and into the windshield..that usually happens with ALL cars and smaller trucks and will do you great harm. If a stout brush guard will prevent that from happening then by all means get one but it has to be so designed that it will propell the deer up and over the vehicle. I hit a rather large deer earlier this year in my conventional international School bus.I hit it square in the middle of the front bumper, it went under the bus and out the right side dual wheels all i had was a lot of nasty stuff scattered under the bus. I am confident that my 05 F-350 Ford SD is high enough off the ground that the deer would be sucked under the truck. The ones that usually get you are the ones that come flying out of the woods and nail you broadside. Most of guards I have seen are for looks. They are squarishand will not defelect anything up and over. What you will wind up doing is peeling a pulverized deer out of your brush guard But if it is stout enough it may save the front end???? However..if it makes you feel better to have one....get it.Safety,safety, safety.

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by Countryfolks

This one looks pretty stout!

http://www.dieselmall.com/products/r...or/default.asp

Skip

They're pretty proud of them, too! The ones on that page range from $1350 to $1947.

[Montana_2953]

Wow Thanks for all the info. That gives us alot to think about. I will read the posts to my daughter also. She is just being overly cautious because her girlfriend was just killed hitting a dear. She immediately called me to warn me. She worked at the Accessory House (which is for truck parts here in Ca.) for 20 years and said that she always had a lot of demand for them but they were mostly for show. But now that her friend was killed driving in Montana without one she is frightened alittle. We will think this one over. And as stated above the more expensive ones are the ones that probably do the job. Now weather to buy or not is the question. Thanks Kathi

[Montana_2730]

Please keep in mind there are brush guards and then there are full bumper replacements. You could hit a Moose with a Texas made - Ranch Hand, Inc. full bumper replacement and not hurt yout front end. Those flimsy Westin and other brush guards which bolt on and cover yout headlights and grill are just kiddy toys compared to these. The full bumper replacements do work, the deer look like bugs on yur windshield.

[richfaa]

Travelingman said it right..remember they are BRUSH guards..not DEER guards..there is BIG difference. Note the wire mesh on the ranch hand unit..thats to keep the pointy things out..They are not very pretty but they work.

[Virgil]

We have a ton of deer here and they get very large. I have not hit one but one did run into the side of car once while i was driving. Lots of people have grill guards here and they get replaced along with the grills, headlights, hoods and fenders. Probably the best way to avoid crashing into a deer is to restrict driving near dusk. It seems that is when they are most active. Up here as in Montana, dusk can last quite awhile in summer. the best way to avoid deer crashes is drive reasonable, and scan the ditches ahead of you. I have had 2 pickup trucks with grill guards. They were used or already on the truck. I wouldn't buy one for any reason other than looks.

[Sunshine]

Lots of deer and elk here in central Oregon, but we don't have a brush guard on any of our rigs. Been lucky so far and have not hit any animals, although there have been close calls. Probably a judgement call if you want to spend the money or not. We just keep a close eye on the sides of the road when we are traveling through heavy deer areas, especially at night.