today was the day my number came up.

My first thought is, Why is it not possible to build a better grill guard, one that really protects?
What is the insurance companies policy on animal strikes? Is there any insurance company $$ help with paying for a grill guard?

To answer the Question from my perspective, Grill guards mount to bumper or frame at the bottom, no easy way to support the upper section. If grill guard is real sturdy, it will deflect most smaller deer. Insurance, to my knowledge, does not offer any money to purchase/install one. My take and understanding.

My wife and I were on our way to Calgary in our 911s and we came on an herd of Elk. Just west of Banff, there was about 50 Elk on the grass next to the road. I got on the brakes really hard and stopped just as the herd stampeded across the road. A few of the Elk were as close as a meter from our bumpers. As soon as the herd was of the road, we got out of there.

Might not have been much left of the 911 if they had decided to come your way. Glad it worked out well for you on that day.

Here is one manufactured by one of my customers.

They do bend when you hit a kangaroo but do save a lot of panel damage.

I know this is an old post, but got another one today. This time it did a lot of body damage, took out the condenser and left headlight, put a big dent in the cab and destroyed the grill. This time I had no where to go, there was a bull hauler passing me on a narrow 2 lane, when the buck decided to run out in front of me. No where to go so hit it hard. If it had made it passed me, it would have been hit by the bull hauler. Lucky it didn't take out the radiator.
I had an alarm going off for 100 miles afterword, and could not figure out what circuit was "alarming". No idiot lights on, and the mechanical oil and air gauges read ok. The temp gauge was acting odd afterword, but a quick check of the radiator showed it full and I had heat (it was about 19 degs) and no steam. I'm guessing a wire got pinched somewhere, but not sure why I'm getting the alarm and no corresponding idiot light, as they are tied together. What a mess.

Glad that it is only metal on your end that got "hurt", and not you! Do you think this is going to put this truck out of service for the Winter? Hope you have a backup ready to keep the cash flowing. Be Well.

Picture doesn't show it, but the panel above the headlight is push back in over 1 inch, the condenser was pushed back more than an inch. What saved the radiator were the cross braces on the radiator, two 3/8" rods running diagonal from top to bottom, they prevented the condenser from cutting the radiator tubes.

Wow, pretty lucky hit. I'm glad that you are okay and more damage wasn't done to your truck.

It's coming along. I had the headlight panel, in fact it just had got back from being painted. I got the new headlight and bucket from a school bus parts house. I had the upper grill, not perfect but serviceable, I have a used lower grill I need to pick up at the junkyard. Haven't had time to see about pounding out the panel.
I am running out of my spare parts store for these trucks! The condenser can wait until I have more funds, I don't think I'll be needing in the short term.