I've ridden a lot in the backcountry. I've ridden a lot of single track deep in the woods, with aspens and conifers and whole lots of cover edge the side of trails. And one of my biggest fears when flying through these areas isn't hitting a rock or clipping a tree branch. No, it's encountering wildlife.
Now, for the most part, I don't mean wildlife that feature sharp teeth and razor-like claws. Those animals tend to, I SAID TEND TO, leave most riders alone, whether they're on dirt bikes, snowmobiles, or ATVs. Bears and lions, unlike elk and deer, don't like the sound they make. But the deer and elk have become so accustomed to these noises that they really don't care about them, which makes encountering them along the trail all the more dangerous.
Yet, it's when they get close to the trail and then get spooked by said machines where conflict arises. And you can see all of that in action captured recently by two dirt bike riders who were just minding their own business until a deer comes flying in screaming "HIS NAME IS JOHN CENA!"
Check it out.
Honestly, the comments on the Instagram post are hysterical and from what I gathered, the rider is fine. As is the deer. But everyone chiming in with their accounts of "Deer logic" as well as "Whitetail deer, Defensive back, Ohio State," are pure comedy gold. Because that's what this is, a comedy. It's a dark comedy, but a comedy nonetheless as deer, especially whitetail, have zero commonsense.
They're just so freakin' dumb.
I've luckily never been in this situation before, at least not out on dirt. I have encountered mule deer crossing the road at the last second while riding a couple years back. I was riding to an event on a Honda CRF300L Rally when a pair of mule deer decided to prance across the road. They did it only a few seconds before I would've passed them, so I slammed on the rear brake, broke the back wheel loose, and essentially drifted around the deer.
I was very fortunate that the deer didn't try and run backward, which I've seen happen before. I've also had a mule deer run directly into our truck as I swerved to avoid hitting it. I swear to god, these animals may be the dumbest alive, though they're god-tier disappearing ninjas when hunting seasons starts.
Again, from what I've been able to glean, everyone in the video—including the deer—is OK, so there's that as our happy ending. Anyways, stay safe out there, folks, and watch out for flying deer.
