Deer strike

[mikie]

While heading to the lake over Mem Day weekend, we hit a deer; or rather, the deer hit us. It made a run for my front fender, stopped, turned, then plowed into the side of the Gambler and my Moonshine trailer.

It knocked the fender off, so we re-installed it best we could. The boat chip was ever so slight, but the deer was a total loss. On the way home, the fender job came un-done and beat the crap outta my tire.

I got a new set of tires last week, and my mechanic said, Hey, Look at THIS! (never a good thing to hear). The front trailer wheel was toed-out at a 1 - 3 o'clock position, the deer had bent the axle. So, now the rig is in the frame shop for axle work.

Perhaps the hardest part of the whole experience was explaining to my insurance company that a deer hit my boat. They don't get a lot of those calls. We'll see who's laughing when the estimate comes around.

I've been told that it is best to replace rather than repair the axle. I'm sure the adjuster will want the job done cheap, I want it to last. any thoughts? thanks, m

[Bingle]

Ouch! That's probably the first time they heard that one. Hope it all works out for ya.

[mikemac10]

That sucks, my uncle had a bear run into his boat trailer a few years back, bent the whole trailer and axle

[mikie]

YOW! After visiting Canada and seeing what a moose can do to a car, I'm glad it was just a deer. m

[FL Dell]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mikie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">YOW! After visiting Canada and seeing what a moose can do to a car, I'm glad it was just a deer. m</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats a positive way to look at things.

[mikie]

update: the durn deer bent the spindle. Moonshine Trailers is no longer in business, so the axle company is going to make an axle, take another 3 weeks to get 'er done. Thank God for insurance, the job will run about $700. Fortunately, with this heat wave and high gas prices, I've been using my smaller Basstracker on small streams. The Gambler will be road-worthy just in thime for fall muskie season! Whoo-hoo! m

[60pilot]

Mike
We have talked Muskie before.
Do not forget us in Iowa. I found a new lake west of Des Moines.
800 ac, full of bass and Muskie. I did not even know they were there.
1st trip the Gambler and I caught three all over 45 " in one day!
To top it off caught one 6 lb bass to boot.
I have found heaven 160 miles away from home!!!!!!
Ken

[mikie]

wow, Ken, your heaven is much closer than mine. I'm hoping for a trip to Lake Vermillion later next month, but this boat keeps sucking my available fundage. My last payment on the thing is two weeks from Friday, then I can finally call myself a Gambler "Owner"!
Congrats on the great fishing hole, hope you get to know all the fish there by their first names. m