The one and only time I’ve ever hit an animal was a possum in a 40 mph zone.
It was right at dusk, I was already going ~45, and the turkey behind me was trying to go 48-50...IOW, aggressively tailgating me so close he was nearly making bumper to bumper contact. There was a car in the other lane, no room to swerve, stop, or even slow down, and it bolted out of the trees at the side of the road.
I felt awful about it, but the only choices I had were hit it or go off the road and potentially into someone’s house, literally, or at the very least destroy the car and possibly kill myself.
The closer they tail gate me, the slower I go. Eventually they get the message. Maybe at that point they can read the NRA sticker on my back windshield, or get a better look at me.
I’m not a small guy.