Todd that sucks. Should not be a problem that you left. Two years ago I was ridding with a friend (in his moms new car) and his family back from Myrtle Beach about 2:00am on I20. I was asleep in the front seat ( his wife and 15 year old son in the back seat asleep) and Jimmy all of a sudden hits the brakes. When I woke up :shock: I saw a deer standing right in front of me and one kinda to the side of us. As Jimmy was swerving left my smart azz hollered " holy shit they're attacking us", As we swerved around the one deer another slammed into the side just behind my door. Then I screamed "GO". Needless to say everybody started laughing at my dumb azz. We stoped to check the damage and make sure the rear fender wasn't rubbing on the tire and even at night we could see the back door and panel were messed up. You could also see some blood and fur on the car, but of course our attackers had left the scene so we went home which was probably at least 100 miles and another state away.
On Monday his mom took her car to the insurance agent told them what happened, still with fur and blood on it, and it was no problem at all.
I lived most of my life in Burke Co. ( Ga) which is the largest county east of the Ms and it's 95% a rural county and almost a hunting paradise for deer, but that also means lots of 'em get hit on the road. I've been really lucky and only hit one small deer with the front bumper (no damage at all) years ago. I've gone by them standing right next to the road and pass them going 60+ many times, again lucky. The one thing I never do when I see a deer is slow down. I don't know if it makes a difference, but that's what I was always told as a kid. Don't change your speed. It changes the sound which scares 'em and they run or attack as I called it.
Joking aside, Glad yours is repairable and nobody was hurt. They can total a car, come through a windshield or cause people to run off the road, hit trees or flip over. They are the 1st excuse for every drunk driver around here too.
BTW if you want to kill a big deer, sit in your truck preferbly a diesel with it running (and the heater and radio on :wink: ) and they will come out to see what it is. They are very courious animals, but get spooked by any sudden noise or movement.