Rice Road Close Call (A Little Different)

[sixdays]

So these threads pop up every once in a while...crazy people passing, 100 mph, blah, blah, blah...

For most of my life, Rice has been the path of travel mostly out of habit. I’ve gone the “other” way several times, mostly because of weather or holiday weekends. I’m a firm believer that paying attention and driving with caution can increase the likelihood we’ll make it to the river, and given today was a Thursday, I wasn’t overly concerned about traffic. Outside of the Ferrari 488 that passed us coming the other way, just a routine trip...

About 5 minutes after rolling through Vidal just after dusk, I was on the phone (headset) with work. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch something moving. No sooner than I can process it, a buck (at least 4x4) was running out in front of us. Normally my deer encounters aren’t at 70mph and I chose to brake hard. I couldn’t have missed his hips by more than 2 feet. Family was in the car and in awe that:

1. There was a big ass buck in the middle of the desert.
2. We didn’t hit him.

I’ve seen deer out of Standard Wash before and even some dead on the side of the 95. I was just surprised to have this encounter tonight. Afterwards, I was thinking how great it would have been to harvest that thing had I hit it and not destroyed everything. It’s rack would have been a great conversation point at our river pad.

To the point...Rice Rd is dangerous...everyone should stay away.

 

[bagged97taco]

We live just outside of city limits. We have a lot of wildlife but just last week my wife sends me this. Caddy hit the buck and it destroyed the caddy front end and the buck! Pretty nice rack!

 

[sixdays]

As we get closer, I’m always watching for burros on the hwy but deer move a bit quicker...

 

[Racer56]

In most states it is illegal to harvest roadkill.

 

[sixdays]

In most states it is illegal to harvest roadkill.

it is in CA...that why I’m glad I didn’t have to make that decision. I’m not an avid hunter, but it would be hard to let the resource go to waste.

 

[Racer56]

it is in CA...that why I’m glad I didn’t have to make that decision. I’m not an avid hunter, but it would be hard to let the resource go to waste.

I totally agree. It's a real shame to let the meat rot on the side of the road.

 

[Rondog4405]

We saw a dead buck last year in that same area.. And a few on the road to black meadows.. A odd sight for sure in the middle of the desert in summertime.

 

[grumpy88]

I have seen a few doe in the wash right before emerald cove . Like said above not what I expected to see .

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Are they white tail or mule deer?

 

[NicPaus]

The 2 I saw dead on Parker dam rd were big Does hit by cars. My buddy has a place 18 miles off Rice rd but no deer running around .

 

[RiverDave]

Never seen one in the desert before?? I always assumed they would be down by the farm lands by Blythe etc.. out by Vidal is surprising though.

 

[boatdoc55]

Are they white tail or mule deer?

Muley's

 

[NicPaus]

Big desert mule deer. Just like the ones we used to hunt up off the 14.

 

[grumpy88]

2 weeks ago there was a heard of big horn sheep on the mountain side right in front of big Bend

 

[NicPaus]

Less burrows the deer and sheep are coming back.

 

[Carlson-jet]

I totally agree. It's a real shame to let the meat rot on the side of the road.

I've processed a fair amount of fresh road kill. Timing is everything.
Legal here in IL.
The rest goes to the yote hunt.
Win win.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Muley's

We have a shit ton up at our cabin at pine lake above kingman, my guess is they venture down into the desert during the winter when it’s cooler.

 

[QC22]

Less burrows the deer and sheep are coming back.

Climate Change.

 

[fishing fool]

I have seen a buck standing in a wash about 3 miles from Vidal junction when going to Cali early in the morning. I was sure I saw it and look everytime I go by now, but have not seen it again.

 

[NicPaus]

Climate Change.

They have been catching the burrows. Lot less of them now. Friend use to go to Parker dam grade school. Said there were big horn sheep everywhere back then.

 

[Gramps]

roadkills are pretty muck a daily thing here, lots of deer in this area. Most roadkill meat is pretty bad (blood shocked). the state is pretty nasty to people that take the antlers as they are considered state property.

 

[QC22]

"SARCASM EMOJI"

 

[LakeBeard]

I saw a deer just off the 10 on the 177 Friday night, I had no idea they are out there, was cool to see

 

[BingerFang]

I’ve seen deer 2 times in that area both times while riding dirt bikes out towards pecker point or finger rock.... very rare to see them out in that area.

I was driving on rice road 2 Friday nights ago when a coyote came running out. I let off the gas, put two hands on the wheel as it ran towards my truck... fucker ran right in front of my driver rear wheel. No damage to the truck thankfully.

 

[4Waters]

Nice rack

 

[2Driver]

I jumped a buck while quail hunting in Mohave wash out past standard wash. I was just walking along, dead silent, and he jumps out of a Palo Verde and scared the crap out of me.

 

[stephenkatsea]

I had traveled the road numerous times, only saw burros. But once when traveling the road into Black Meadow with our SIL he pointed out a few deer to me. None were on the road. I never would have noticed any of them had our SIL not pointed them out. He’s an avid hunter elk, deer etc and was born and raised in northern Nevada. Later I heard near Copper Basin Reservoir there are huge bucks running with the desert burros.

 

[QC22]

near Copper Basin Reservoir there are huge bucks running with the desert burros.

I had a massive doe jump out in front of me on Parker Dam Rd. near River Lodge. And then Burros. Missed all of them, but freaked the wife out. They do seem to hang together.

 

[TPC]

Climate Change.

Hit a deer means you have to buy an electric truck.

 

[QC22]

Hit a deer means you have to buy an electric truck.

And apologize on Twitter.

 

[RiverDave]

Less burrows the deer and sheep are coming back.

What do they have to do with each other? Food sources?

 

[Sleek-Jet]

In most states it is illegal to harvest roadkill.

Most?

Pretty common out here in the Midwest. Back in Colorado the meat is offered to the offending vehicle owner and if not claimed will go to the "neady". You have to pay a fee though.

I whacked a big buck in Durango one night. Responding officer asked if I wanted the meat, I said no and he made a call right then to someone else to come harvest it.

 

[NicPaus]

What do they have to do with each other? Food sources?

Burros can be mean. Not sure but probably territorial and chased out the sheep. My friends daughter almost got stomped out by one at Echo when she ran out of carrots. Now they are fenced out of the park. They determined they could save 27k a year by eliminating the guy that picked up there shit.

 

[F.U.IRS]

There's a dead doe just off the road on 177, just after the that double 50 mph curve. Been there for the last 2 weeks. Saw a dead buck and a dead fawn within 2 weeks of each other on the west bound 10 just before the down grade into Indio earlier this summer