# I just hit a deer. Do I call the cops? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 8, 2003, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720 "2003-12-08T07:35:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720/21 "2003-12-08T22:25:23Z")
Ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification. Maybe all you need’s a bigggggg spatula, then. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720/22 "2003-12-08T23:01:00Z")
Called the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office… apparently I only need to report it if I’m filing an insurance claim, which I’m not until I see how much this is gonna cost me… Thanks for all your help. Went back looking for it this morning, and although there was a patch of blood about where I think I hit the damn thing, there wasn’t a deer to go with it… hungry bears around, maybe… ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720/23 "2003-12-09T00:27:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by timgregory \* > **We called the insurance company back and they said even though there was no claim, it would still be filed as an at-fault accident, and that our rates would be raised!** As was stated above, deer hits fall under comprehensive (I know, I’ve done it and paid the deductible) and there is no fault assigned. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720/24 "2003-12-09T00:43:31Z")
The OP appears to be answered, but just as a cautionary note to folks in other states: The Laws All Differ. When I encountered a cervine Kamikaze in North Dakota, last year, I did call the state police. (My car was not drivable and I was 600 miles from home.) The officer made out a little form to hand to the collision shop. When I gave them the form the next morning, they said they were glad I’d hung on to it because in ND they cannot legally perform any major body work without a notice from the police that it has been reported. (My guess is that the law is intended to reduce the number of hit-skips by allowing the cops to inspect all vehicle damage.) ---
**Author:** ![robo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@robo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robo99)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720/25 "2003-12-09T05:40:31Z")
Back in the 80s I was told by my brother-in -law in Western Illinois that if you ran over and killed a deer on the road with your pickup that it was yours. I had some of the meat. ---
**Author:** ![Fang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fang)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720/26 "2003-12-09T08:09:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SmackFu \* > \*\*As was stated above, deer hits fall under comprehensive (I know, I’ve done it and paid the deductible) and there is no fault assigned. \*\* You’re saying you can’t sue the deer’s insurer? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720/27 "2003-12-09T15:33:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by robo99 \* > \*\*Back in the 80s I was told by my brother-in -law in Western Illinois that if you ran over and killed a deer on the road with your pickup that it was yours. I had some of the meat. \*\* Slight hijack, but did you butcher it yourself? At the butcher I take my deer to, there’s a large sign that says, “Will not accept road kill deer.” I suspect this is to deter people from bringing in deer they found in a ditch by the side of the road. (Where it may have lied there for a week or more.) ---
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720/28 "2003-12-09T18:28:16Z")
Unfortunately, I can speak from experience in Arkansas. My lady wife hit a Basset Hound yesterday on her way to work. She was on the the Interstate, it was in the passing lane (presumably on its way back from the median) and refused to yield. ☹ Anyway, our insurer said that he didn’t need a police report to take care of the damages to the car. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-hit-a-deer-do-i-call-the-cops/217720.md?page=1)