Have you ever killed an animal by accident (or not) with your car?

I hit a deer and broke it's rear leg. It ran to the side of the road and could not make it up the hill. I drove off to find a park ranger, thinking he would call a vet (dumb me) I found one and brought him back to the deer. He immediately pulled out his gun and shot it in the head- no more than 3 feet in front of me.

I asked him why he shot it and he told me that there were too many of them and the carcass would be taken for processing in order to feed the poor.

Other than that I hit a bird once and it got stuck in the grille. I have also seen a dog get hit- was not a pretty site watching it flop around before it died.

All the time. I frequently have to travel across the state, where there is a strech of highway that is 70 miles long, desolate,(literally-nothing in any direction for miles), no cell phone coverage, FM radio is weak at best, (police radios don't work real well out there either). So almost anyone who drives this road generally tend to ignore the speed limit signs, (most of the time, the wind has blown them down anyway ;) ). At higher speeds, it's a matter of the animal or me. Hmmm.... tough choice.
I'm talking about prairie dogs primarily. They're fair game, if I can see them, they can sure as hell see me.

I hit a Large Blue Jay and he some how got through the lower radiator air intake. He made a horrific amount of noise bouncing around inside before he finally got out (busted up pretty good). As I drove on I saw him fluttering in the gutter with his mate darting around him. I can't see how anyone could feel good about that but in reality he did hit me :) I'm glad I had the RB condenser screen because otherwise I think he would have made a mess of my condenser.

Lets see, I have never hit an animal before but have swerved around them many times (nearly wrecking myself). Same goes for roadkill, I go around, not so much out of respect, but because I have my hands on my car often, and dont want my hands anywhere near where roadkill has touched.

On the other hand, I have run a man over before in my '96 Trans Am. I can still remember the way he thumped under the floor pan on the driver side. Before I get flamed, the guy was with two other individuals and where trying to carjack me on my honeymoon in San Antonio. He was fine, except for a lot of missing skin. Serves him right.

That does serve him right. :D

So other than that, how was the honeymoon?

I ran over a bunny once. He darted out in front of me early early morning on my way to work on my road, I was only doing about 30. Ruined my whole day, NOT an animal you want to hit. I've saved MANY a turtle crossing the street though sometimes at the anger of other drivers. So many people just don't care. Something about turtles though, they must be saved :)

Holy :eek:

Unbelievable!!

I have run a man over before in my '96 Trans Am. I can still remember the way he thumped under the floor pan on the driver side. Before I get flamed, the guy was with two other individuals and where trying to carjack me on my honeymoon in San Antonio. He was fine, except for a lot of missing skin. Serves him right.

That does serve him right. :D

So other than that, how was the honeymoon?

Well, that night was ruined. I spent several hours in the local police station answering questions. The other two guys from the failed carjack called the police on me for hit and run. I posted about this story somewhere on these forums last year, it tells the whole story.

Other then this, and the severely cracked paint on my front bumper, the honeymoon was great.

Something about turtles though, they must be saved :)
Then I imagine nomopistons' avatar must drive you nuts. I know all I want to do is turn that turtle back over!

My ex-husband was driving my Miata and hit a barn owl on a very dark rural road one night. I was in the passenger seat and saw a ghostly white thing coming at the windshield less than a second before impact... the bird was flying across the road and left a perfect owl-shaped dust mark on the windshield glass. I wanted to stop and see if the bird was still alive (I rather doubt it; we were doing about 60MPH) but hubby wouldn't go back. :(

I really get sad when I see roadkill; I know there are some evil people out there who aim for small critters, especially cats. :mad:

if it's dead i drive around it not out of respect but because i don't want it all over my tires.

Wild animals = meaningless. I avoid them like I avoid any other object, to prevent damaging my car, or getting goo on it. Cats and dogs I avoid because I don't want to hurt anyone's pet.

I've hit two skunks, an armadillo, a couple of possums, a rat, and two birds that I can recall.

The skunks are the worst. I never hit a pet, but one of my cats got hit right in front of our house and we had to put her to sleep.

The punishment for animal cruelty in this country needs to be much more severe than it is. I saw an opossum at my work one day. It had a small baby clinging to it, and it was foraging at the edge of a pond. It looked horrible. Like it had mange and it had lost one of it's back feet. The stub was still tender and it was hobbling around. It was very sad. Opossums aren't the cleanest or nicest animals, but if it's not threatening me, I live and let live. One of my co-workers was talking about killing it. He said he wanted to kick it into the pond. It made me sick to listen to this fat lard talk about killing a creature 1/10th of his size for no other reason than being alive and in his sight. I felt like dragging him into the pond and drowning him. He is a hunter (if you can call yourself a hunter when you hide inside a camoflauged deer stand and use a high power rifle and scope to first mame and then slowly kill a dumb and defenseless animal from 500 yards away) so he thinks it's fun to kill animals.

He is a hunter (if you can call yourself a hunter when you hide inside a camoflauged deer stand and use a high power rifle and scope to first mame and then slowly kill a dumb and defenseless animal from 500 yards away) so he thinks it's fun to kill animals.
You don't sound like someone from beautiful downtown Bedford, TX.

True hunters eat what they kill, btw.

The punishment for animal cruelty in this country needs to be much more severe than it is. I saw an opossum at my work one day. It had a small baby clinging to it, and it was foraging at the edge of a pond. It looked horrible. Like it had mange and it had lost one of it's back feet. The stub was still tender and it was hobbling around. It was very sad. Opossums aren't the cleanest or nicest animals, but if it's not threatening me, I live and let live. One of my co-workers was talking about killing it. He said he wanted to kick it into the pond. It made me sick to listen to this fat lard talk about killing a creature 1/10th of his size for no other reason than being alive and in his sight. I felt like dragging him into the pond and drowning him. He is a hunter (if you can call yourself a hunter when you hide inside a camoflauged deer stand and use a high power rifle and scope to first mame and then slowly kill a dumb and defenseless animal from 500 yards away) so he thinks it's fun to kill animals.

Amen, I agree with you there.

You don't sound like someone from beautiful downtown Bedford, TX.

True hunters eat what they kill, btw.

All of the hunters that I have ever come across eat what they kill when they are on their official deer lease trips, maybe. But all the rest of the time, they like to kill animals just for the fun of it. The guy I spoke of talked about hunting prairie dogs with a .50 caliber and watching them "explode". Real cool dude in my book. I just have no use for people like that. I'm probably a minority among males in Texas....and proud to be.

The guy I spoke of talked about hunting prairie dogs with a .50 caliber and watching them "explode". Real cool dude in my book. I just have no use for people like that. I'm probably a minority among males in Texas....and proud to be.
Prairie dogs, armadillos, and opossums are just varmints which can cause damage to property, and may be hunted and killed at any time and in any manner (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/hunt/nongame/) on private property by a landowner or his designee in Texas. You don't even need a hunting license.

It's considered the same as pest control.

Prairie dogs, armadillos, and opossums are just varmints which can cause damage to property, and may be hunted and killed at any time and in any manner (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/hunt/nongame/) on private property by a landowner or his designee in Texas. You don't even need a hunting license.

It's considered the same as pest control.

That's fine. If it is your land and you want to exterminate them for that reason, that is your perrogative. But do you really need to shoot a 6 inch prairie dog with a .50 caliber cannon?? Come on. If you are a real man, hunt your deer with a spear or a knife. See how you like being the hunted when you get close enough to strike and that buck starts hoofing your ass.

That's fine. If it is your land and you want to exterminate them for that reason, that is your perrogative. But do you really need to shoot a 6 inch prairie dog with a .50 caliber cannon?? Come on. If you are a real man, hunt your deer with a spear or a knife. See how you like being the hunted when you get close enough to strike and that buck starts hoofing your ass.
Spoken like someone who has never attempted to shoot a deer. It ain't as easy as you would think. Those animals have extraordinarily developed senses of sight, smell, and hearing. Even up against a hunter with a rifle, stand, and feeder, they have the advantage. Most hunters come up empty.

If they want to hone their .50 caliber skills by shooting tiny prairie dogs on their own property, I don't have a problem with that. At least the critter won't suffer. :)

If I were a prairie dog, it would be like getting shot with a beach ball..... that's overkill (no pun intended)

Personally, I wouldn't shoot anything smaller or less intellegent (don't go there) than myself. Many a small animal can kick human butt if it was one-on-one and no weapons used. Humans are a frail animal, we use our minds and inventiveness to survive, not our brawn. Funny to think we raise ourselves above animals, but any animal over 20 lbs could probably tear us a new s-hole.

Hunting should be with arrow or spear, it levels the playing field.

If I were a prairie dog, it would be like getting shot with a beach ball..... that's overkill (no pun intended)

Personally, I wouldn't shoot anything smaller or less intellegent (don't go there) than myself. Many a small animal can kick human butt if it was one-on-one and no weapons used. Humans are a frail animal, we use our minds and inventiveness to survive, not our brawn. Funny to think we raise ourselves above animals, but any animal over 20 lbs could probably tear us a new s-hole.

Hunting should be with arrow or spear, it levels the playing field.

I agree. Hunters, at least here in the U.S. (land of plenty) for the most part don't need to hunt for the food, althought I'm sure they do mostly eat what they kill. They hunt for the thrill, or because it makes them feel manly or whatever reason it is. If you really want to feel tough, kill it with your bare hands using a knife, arrow or spear. Me being against animal cruelty will even give you credit in that situation. Using all of the high powered weaponry is just kind of pathetic in my opinion.

Sorry for the hijack NoMoPistons, but I'm with Jaguargod 100% regarding his stance on hunters and hunting. Doc may be the exception, but I'm convinced most hunters get some warped pleasure and gratification from killing animals just for the "fun" and "sport" of killing them.

Doc's arguments about animals "needing killin' [because someone designated them varmints"] and about hunters eating their kill are specious... and as proof, I offer the guy (need I even say that he's a TEXAN?) who is setting up an internet site where hunters can kill animals via the internet. Yep... sitting in front of his computer at home, any fat slob redneck can virtually occupy a deer blind and shoot to kill any deer that wanders into his sight. Now, I've got a hard time believing the meat will be dressed, packed, and shipped to him ready for his freezer. He's getting his jollies just like someone else plays a computer game, only he gets to kill a real critter. Sick, just sick. :rolleyes:

i once ran over a rodent and it didn't make..........so sad.............hey but at least it died on my new stylish RX-8.......................heh.

Sorry for the hijack NoMoPistons, but I'm with Jaguargod 100% regarding his stance on hunters and hunting. Doc may be the exception, but I'm convinced most hunters get some warped pleasure and gratification from killing animals just for the "fun" and "sport" of killing them.

Yup, exactly. Killing wildlife for entertainment is kinda difficult to rationalize. I say we arm and train the deer in small-unit tactics against the hunters. Heck, I'd PAY to watch that.

As for roadkill, I've hit three deer. All survived and ran away, bruised I'm sure, but all major limbs in working order. Picking bloody deer hair out of the crevices of your car (mirror, door jamb, headlights, etc.) is an unpleasant experience.

Hit one pheasant with windshield. He bounced up and over and kept going. But what a BAM! that was.

Killed a squirrel or two... and I feel awful for it... but I've also managed to avoid dozens and dozens. If the stupid things would just MAKE UP THEIR MIND instead of going half way across, back, no across again... stop, little more, turn around...

I now use the race track rule for squirrels: aim AT them - cuz they won't be there anymore when you get there.

Hit a couple birds too, but that's there problem playing their suicidal I DARE YOU games with each other. I SWEAR they sit next to the road with their buddies and dare each other to swoop down in front of the next passing car. I mean why else wait until that last second to fly down out of a perfectly comfortable and safe tree and in front of 3,000 pounds of hurtling steel?

Wow, I did not realize we had so many want-to-be PETA members. If I see a dead animal in the road I swerve not out of respect, but just so that I do not get anything on my car. I would also not swerve to miss an animal if it means even the slightest chance of me having a wreck.

I will not even get on the hunting issue. I personally hunt to stock my freezer full of fresh game, but I also do not have a problem with sport hunters at all. I just can not feel sorry for any wild animals that does not have any real intelligence past basic survival skills.

I just can not feel sorry for any wild animals that does not have any real intelligence past basic survival skills.

Yea, cuz you know, when the deer is screaming in agony because an arrow is stuck through it's gut cuz some "man" never matured past his childhood desire to inflict cruelty on weaker creatures, it's OK because the deer doesn't really fully grasp the deeper intellectual meaning of excruciating pain and fear...

Be careful: that logic is just a hair's-width away from rationalizing the murder of "inferior" humans for sport too.

For what it's worth, I have killed for sport. As a kid, I'd hunted deer, pheasants, squirrels, crow... I've helped gut the deers on the spot, drag them out of the woods, etc. I've been in tree stands before dawn, found my way home through dark woods, watched them shot with rifles and arrows, tracked the blood trail to where they lie dying...

I eventually decided that trapping would be a great idea. There were tons of coons in my area, and the skins were worth a decent price back then, so I gave it a try. Months went by without catching a thing. Then finally, one day, I caught a big racoon. I knew it long before I got there, as it was making quite a racket. When I got there, it was an awful scene. The thing was caught by the hind leg, right next to a deep pond, was bleeding from either the trap's jaws or it gnawing at it's foot, was soaked from falling into the pond apparently. And it was PISSED. And terrified. Seeing me, it desperately tried to get away, but obviously couldn't. It then wanted a piece of me, but couldn't do that either. After awhile, it just stopped doing ANYTHING, and just looked at me, quietly, giving up, like it knew it was already dead.

I started to have second thoughts about this whole thing. I didn't have many options though. I couldn't release it, as it'd rip me apart if I came near. So did teh only thing I could do: I aimed my .22 at it's head and shot it.

I apparently missed the head, as the thing SCREAAMED and went insane, jumping and leaping every which way... so I shot it again. It went MORE nuts, so in desperation to end it's agony I shot it AGAIN. This time it jumped and flopped it's way into the pond, where it lay upside down, drowning, kicking and flipping.

It took quite awhile to die like that, splashing and kicking and rolling, less and less, until it finally lay still.

I looked around at the blood splattered ground, the water splashed everywhere, the bloodied steel trap, the drowned, soaked, bullet-ridden body of what turned out to be a mother raccoon... and couldn't believe what I had done, and how ugly I had become.

I've never hunted again.

Actually, that's not true: I do still head out into the woods and shoot all the wildlife I can find for sport...

but now it's with a Nikon :)

Apologies for the off-threadedness...

I just can not feel sorry for any wild animals that does not have any real intelligence past basic survival skills.
I feel sorry for your pets, if you have any. I mean, a puppy doesn't even possess "basic survival skills", so by your logic you won't "feel sorry" for it if it's cold, hungry, thirsty, or in pain -- right? Heck, go ahead and drop it on its head, or kick it across the room! It has no "real intelligence", so inflicting pain on it is perfectly OK, right?

Now substitute the word INFANT for "puppy", and you'll see how stupid, selfish, wrong-headed and cruel your opinion is. It's the attitude of people like you that explains why cruelty runs rampant in this world.

Three shots and you still couldn't kill a raccoon who was caught in a trap? So he had to commit suicide by drowning himself because of your inability to finish him off at close range? And some of you still think the big bad hunters have an advantage?

No. Most "hunters" can't shoot for sh*t, can't keep still and quiet in a stand, and many of them won't even see any game during their hunt, much less have the chance to shoot any.

Anyone who doesn't think that animals can feel pain or fear is wrong. My wife is a probation officer, and she had a guy on her caseload that killed a neighbors puppy. His daschund had puppies, and one day one of the puppies wandered into the neighbors yard. The owner was looking for the puppy and saw it crawl on it's belly to the neighbor and roll over, like it wanted to play, but was also scared. The neighbor looked at it, and shot it in the head. His life must really suck. If I ever saw someone treat a pet like that, I'd put them in the hospital. And I have three dogs myself that are every bit as much a part of my family as any human. If someone treated my dogs like that, I would hope that they had their affairs in order. I know that hunting wild animals really isn't the same thing as killing someones pet. I just think people like that neighbor really have no place in society. Unless a hunter has no other way to put food on the table for his family, or he kills the animal without the use of high tech weapons, I'll never be convinced that there is any purpose in it.

Good thing we don't require your approval then. :p

So do you eat at KFC?

No you don't. Just don't do it in my presence. And by the way, yes I do eat meat. I've never stated that it was wrong to eat meat. Just that I don't think it is very manly to hide in a box and shoot a deer from 500 feet away, and almost definitely not kill it instantly. And it's not manly to kill animals just for the hell of it. Humans who kill humans just for the hell of it are called sociopaths and imprisoned or put to death. What makes animals so less deserving of protection than humans?

Three shots and you still couldn't kill a raccoon who was caught in a trap? So he had to commit suicide by drowning himself because of your inability to finish him off at close range? And some of you still think the big bad hunters have an advantage?.

Gee, thanks for that generous outpouring of compassion.

I was 14. It was a .22. I was shaking. Do the math.

I'm actually a fantastic shot when firing against things that aren't, ya know, breathing.

No. Most "hunters" can't shoot for sh*t, can't keep still and quiet in a stand, and many of them won't even see any game during their hunt, much less have the chance to shoot any.

True that. Hunt deer, and all you see are squirrels. Hunt squirrels, and there's deer everywhere. Which was actually fine by me. I was always terrified something WOULD show up. My "high" was having an excuse to Just Sit, all day, in the woods and let everything unfold around me.

What makes animals so less deserving of protection than humans?Because they're animals. :rolleyes:

Make you a deal....I won't kill your puppies if you don't come onto my hunting grounds. I didn't ask if you ate meat, I asked if you ate at KFC. You might be interested in seeing this video:

http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com/anderson-vid.asp

I feel sorry for your pets, if you have any. I mean, a puppy doesn't even possess "basic survival skills", so by your logic you won't "feel sorry" for it if it's cold, hungry, thirsty, or in pain -- right? Heck, go ahead and drop it on its head, or kick it across the room! It has no "real intelligence", so inflicting pain on it is perfectly OK, right?

Now substitute the word INFANT for "puppy", and you'll see how stupid, selfish, wrong-headed and cruel your opinion is. It's the attitude of people like you that explains why cruelty runs rampant in this world.

Since you are a teacher, I felt you would be a little smarter then this. When we start to let our feelings dictate what we do, think, and type usually less-then-stellar comments come out.

Notice you quoted me and even included "wild animal" in your quote. A pet is not a wild animal now is it? If you do have a wild animal as a pet then you are being cruel to the so-called pet already. I would feel sorry if an actual pet was suffering, but mainly because of the emotional bond between a pet owner and a pet -- not simply the pet.

You can also not substitute the word infant for a puppy. A baby, even when it first comes out, is capable or will be capable of thought. There is a big difference between a human life and that of a wild animal.

It is the half-cocked responses and ideas of people like you that explains why violence runs rampant in this world.

So what is the difference between wild animal and the domestic animal. The difference is that man took a wild animal and supposedly tamed it to meet his needs. All animals are wild, we just make them rely on us for care and food then call them domestic. Dogs originally came from wolves and we bred them so we could use them for hunting, or fighting or companionship. Cats rely on us for food and affection, but are way more wild then canines and do not seem to have a problem going outside and catching thier own food,

There was an article I read last year that said if all dogs were set free and allowed to mate between breeds, they would all go back to what they were before we stepped in. All would be a medium brown to tan color and be between 25-40 lbs........within 15 years!

I don't want to go off on a tangent, but for all mans intellegence, he f---ks up almost everything he touchs. And yes my friends, if you were put on an island with no food and several other people and need to survive on little, we would kill each other like wild animals. we are no better then they because we are all one of the same. Our intellegence should elevate us to see that we are all primordial deep inside and not place ourselves on a pedistal where we do not belong.

Hunting is ok for need for food, but not sport.

I wouldn't kill another human to eat no matter how hungry I was.

I would eat you if you died of natural causes though. :)

William Burroughs had it right - man is a Bad Animal. You don't have to be a PETA member or a vegan to deplore cruelty and mean-spiritedness. I don't have anything against hunting per se, but growing up in the south I've known way too many gun-toting assholes who apparently feel the need to compensate for their inadequacies as human beings by treating their fellow creatures - human and non-human - like shit.

It is the half-cocked responses and ideas of people like you that explains why violence runs rampant in this world.
What an interesting thing to say. Could you elaborate?

What an interesting thing to say. Could you elaborate?

Most violence that occurs is not planned or premeditated. It is people who hear, read, and/or see something that outrages them and then they immediately react usually in a violent way. If people would actually think about something before they acted then I believe that violence in the world would be cut nearly in half.

If people would actually think about something before they acted then I believe that violence in the world would be cut nearly in half.

Or you could just make the punishments for crime more severe. Our justice system here is too soft. The penalties for crime in European countries, Asian countries and Middle East countries are very harsh, and the crime rates are very low.

What makes animals so less deserving of protection than humans?

Because they're animals. :rolleyes:

It's attitudes like this that remind me of a few years ago when there were so many shark attacks in Florida. One man was quoted on the televisions saying that all sharks needed to be exterminated so that the beaches would be safe for people to swim in. That is the most egotistical, ignorant thing I had ever heard. What made him think that the oceans belong to man to do with whatever he wants? Did he ever think that maybe we weren't supposed to go swimming there? Maybe that is why you get attacked by a shark when you do. We invade the domain of other creatures and we are suprised at their response. I'd like to say that at least people don't do that to other people, but the native americans living on their reservations comes to mind.

So you're saying that irrational "feelings" and unchecked sentimentality are the causes of violence? If so, then I agree with you - see my sig. But I don't see how that has anything to do with Aratinga's comment - unless she's out there angrily pistol-whipping Republicans and I just haven't heard about it.

Most violence that occurs is not planned or premeditated. It is people who hear, read, and/or see something that outrages them and then they immediately react usually in a violent way. If people would actually think about something before they acted then I believe that violence in the world would be cut nearly in half.

let's see...

I've hit 2 deer
I've had 1 deer hit me (I was sitting still)
A couple car-chasing dogs
1 suicidal kitty cat
A few squirrels
A rabbit or 2 (go left or right dammit, and you'll live)
An armidillo
A skunk :mad:
An owl (yes, though it should take half the blame, as it was the one who was flying)
A seagull (see owl, and i consider this one revenge for all the turd bombing runs)
10,000,000 bugs (hey, bugs are animals too)
And a bat who ended up inside the car as I was going down the road (what a noise those things can make :eek: )

A pet is not a wild animal now is it? Well, actually it is. As nomopistons already pointed out to you, pets are simply animals that are kept by humans for companionship. If anything, a wild animal has more native intelligence than most pets, since wild creatures must fend for themselves to survive; pets have their every need met by their owners.

I would feel sorry if an actual pet was suffering, but mainly because of the emotional bond between a pet owner and a pet -- not simply the pet.So you admit, then, that a pet IS capable of suffering. A pet is an animal; therefore, animals can and do suffer. Yet you insist on qualifying your admission by claiming your sympathy lies more with the owner of the pet who would be distressed by seeing their pet suffer, rather than with the pet itself. You really are being illogical here -- suffering is suffering, regardless of the species experiencing it. Virtually all mammals and birds commonly kept as pets have sensory systems every bit as sensitive and advanced as our own, if not more so. Why do you insist that the suffering of an animal is any less agonizing than that of a human? Or do you simply think that it's okay to allow that to happen, and to do nothing to avoid it, as long as the sufferer is not a human being?

You can also not substitute the word infant for a puppy. A baby, even when it first comes out, is capable or will be capable of thought. There is a big difference between a human life and that of a wild animal.Oh, really? A human newborn demonstrates higher levels of thought than a puppy? I don't think so, Einstein. An eight week old puppy can be toilet trained, leash trained, know and respond to its name, fetch a ball, etc... all of which require pretty complex thought processes. A baby just lies there and screams and shits itself for months. MONTHS. It shows precious few demonstrable thought processes.

It is the half-cocked responses and ideas of people like you that explains why violence runs rampant in this world.
I'm probably one of the least violent people on this board. My responses, although vehement at times, are never "half-cocked". The term does, however, accurately describe in the literal sense the neanderthals who claim to be superior to animals simply by virtue of species.

I'm probably one of the least violent people on this board. My responses, although vehement at times, are never "half-cocked". The term does, however, accurately describe in the literal sense the neanderthals who claim to be superior to animals simply by virtue of species.
Good one, Aratinga.

So. Are you pistol-whipping Republicans?

So. Are you pistol-whipping Republicans?

NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A HOMO-ERECTUS SUB-SPECIES ?

The term does, however, accurately describe in the literal sense the neanderthals who claim to be superior to animals simply by virtue of species.

<raises hand>

I'm fully cocked though. :D

I go around it not so much out of respect, it's dead it could care less if I respected it, but more because I don't want blood and guts on my car.

Hey, if it's a couple of hours old not much will be left, poor animal

Well it happened right behind me today. I'm zipping along a country road when a Toyota SUV starts to tailgate me. Up ahead is a turtle in the middle of the lane, It's head fully extended looking at me coming. I swerved and avoided it, but the guy behind me was so close on my arse that he either did not see it in time or went straight for it. What we heard in the car was 2 noises that sounded like someone running over a small gourd. A hollow sound and then turned into a wet squishy noise that happened 2 times.

I can still hear it. Bleeeech

I drive around road kills but not out of respect for the dead I avoid them out of respect for my vehicle.

I've hit a deer at 45 mph with a Datsun (broke the parking light cover).
I've hit a grounhog with a Honda Accord (no damage).
I've hit a bird with a Honda wind shield (no damage).
I've hit a groundhog with a Kubota mower (I used to mow for a living in a rural area, I drove over the groundhog holes all the time...but on one occasion I guess the groundhog wanted to see what all the noise was about...what a mess, it took me an hour to clean the groundhog out of the mower deck).

I've narrowly avoided hitting countless deer, skunks, opossums, geese, ducks, dogs, cats, and a cow.

Prairie dogs, armadillos, and opossums are just varmints which can cause damage to property, and may be hunted and killed at any time and in any manner (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/hunt/nongame/) on private property by a landowner or his designee in Texas. You don't even need a hunting license.

It's considered the same as pest control.
Varmint ;)

I thought Armadillos were a Texas thing. Now one sees them all over the roads in Missouri