Oh DEER! How do I pull off the bumper cover?

I sent a deer rolling across the pavement last night. Probably flipped and rolled a good 20+ feet. I had just done a 3 point turn and was heading back to pick up something I forgot. So I was just getting moving, not going terribly fast when the deer jumped out and I heard a crunch.

So... how hard is it to pull the front bumper off? Got any reference links?

The whole lower bumper looks pretty crunched. The grill/headlights all appears to be fine, but the bumper is misaligned and will have to be adjusted. The grill in the bumper is all smashed up, probably the bumper cover pulled down on the impact and snapped the little vertical bars.

What else should I look for while I'm searching for damage?

It was my first deer, do I get a merit badge?

 

If you handled things right, you get a full freezer ...

 

Oh no, sorry your Taco got damaged! Hopefully it isn't anything major. Can't help you on the cover removal, maybe someone here can.

 

Its not that bad, YouTube will be your friend...

 

the bumper is pretty easy to take off. just look up headlight removal/replacement videos on youtube and you'll be 75% of the way there.

 

If I hit it hard enough that it didn't get up it would have done a lot more damage.

 

Headlight replacement, I was searching the wrong string! Thanks!

 

Take care when putting the cover back on...if you are by yourself, you can very easily scratch the fender when lining it up.

 

This is what "some" owners would do. Call your insurance, get the $2000 check and get a steel front bumper. And the the OEM LED headlights and don't tell anyone.

 

Venison taco’s yumm

 

Now thats funny

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w4zmvqFh4dk

 

Well that sucks, sorry your truck sustained some damage. I bumped 2 deer on Christmas but thankfully did no damage to my truck. In the process I skidded over rumble strips which vibrated the truck like crazy and had a back seat full of tools that flew all over the cab. Ended up sitting in an empty parking lot for 5 or 10 minutes until my nerves settled.

 

RE: the video, they do not mention, or show the push pins on the bottom of the grill, there are four and hard to see. If you follow the video you may well damage your grill.

 

Well, the bumper aligned pretty good, luckily I have full stone-guard film on the whole bumper (Factory Installed) so no scratches or damage to the paint. Just a scuff on the lower trim panel is the only non plastic damage.

The air shroud on the front grill is all busted up, none of it visible, so I'll be breaking out the super glue. Every plastic clip on the bumper is broken, but that's expected. The little grill between the headlights is broken in several places. I may replace that. And the lower trim on the bumper has gaps on it so its definitely got some busted clips but IDK because I haven't figured out how to take it off yet.

Now I'm wondering if the top edges of lower black bumper cover are always not flush.