Deer Whistles

[Rams]

Some say deer whistles work, some say they don’t
My opinion is that they get the deer’s attention but ya never know which way the damn deer are gonna go.

Having had my wife hit a couple and one running into the side of one of my cars, I always wish deer hunters the best of luck.   Have almost hit them on the fat lady but was able to brake hard enough to avoid an accident.

Rams

[Savago]

Have them in all my vehicles.

Not sure if they work, but I managed to never hit a deer in the last 7 years.

[Moonshot_1]

Have them on my Interstate. Came with the bike. Bought it used.

Many close encounters with deer. And raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, birds. So pretty sure based on frequency and nearness of the encounters, they do not work as advertised.

BUT, they are chrome. Well, plastic plated chrome and you can't have too much chrome, so a thumb's up.

[Dave Ritsema]

I have hit deer driving a huge red fire truck with flashing lights and Federal Q Sirens (LOUD) and they still jumped out in front of us. If that doesn't deter them some stupid little silent deer whistle isn't. (IMHO)

[The emperor has no clothes]

I have hit deer driving a huge red fire truck with flashing lights and Federal Q Sirens (LOUD) and they still jumped out in front of us. If that doesn't deter them some stupid little silent deer whistle isn't. (IMHO)

[semo97]

It is like loud pipes keep you from getting hit or gets the  cages attention, after you have passed. Like the jet plane, I can not see it I am looking where I hear it. You have missed it. If you think it will work go for it. That is like putting a rope around your bedroll on the ground to keep snakes from finding something warm. They say snakes will not crawl over other snakes, not hardly find a den and they love each other all wrapped together. I hate sleeping on the ground.

[msb]

You forgot a couple options on your poll... Yes I have one and it doesn't work, and Yes I have one and I don't know if it works.
My answer would be either of these, as I have these two guys mounted on the underside of my fairing.

The Mrs insisted that I put deer whistles on years ago as many of our local as well as longer multi day and multi week rides and routes take us through deer Country. I agreed in order to appease her mostly, and that I found a good place to put them where they're out of the way and look OK. They're just the standard ones... not the electric ones with an audible sound that some have.
I'll tell you what does scare deer though, and that's the sound of my truck stack/glass pack exhaust at speed. And yes, Valkyries with a bit louder exhaust can be heard coming as well as going. Pretty much every single deer (I'm not exaggerating) that pokes its head out of the woods or is hanging around the side of the road, stops up or skedaddles back into the woods when they hear me coming. I think it's just the right pitch at speed. Regardless, have never had any what I would call serious close encounters with deer, elk, moose, etc in the almost 20 years on the Valk... or 46 years and counting overall on a bike (just looking around for some wood to knock on)

[Jess from VA]

My favorite deer whistle story (written) was from a life time auto body man (in deer country somewhere).

He said over his lifetime they got many vehicles in for repair or total from deer strikes that had deer whistles on them.  If the deer whistles were damaged, they got replaced too, and added to the insurance estimates (just like any other part).  He was not impressed with them.

My least favorite deer stories are the several times riding in a small group, we pull into a stop, and one of the guys walks up and asks if I could believe the size of that buck we all passed right on the side of the road a ways back... and I never saw it at all.

Lights, horns, whistles, bright clothes/helmets can all be helpful, but the only sure way to save yourself from disaster is to be alert and attentive at all times.  

However, I was present in a group ride where 3 girls in bikinis almost caused a huge pileup.  The leaders dropped the throttles (no brake lights) to look, then everyone looked, but everyone didn't drop the throttle.  Big Chinese fire drill of squawking brakes and riding all over the road to avoid impacts.  Nice job there boys.    

[msb]

My favorite deer whistle story (written) was from a life time auto body man (in deer country somewhere).

He said over his lifetime they got many vehicles in for repair or total from deer strikes that had deer whistles on them.  If the deer whistles were damaged, they got replaced too, and added to the insurance estimates (just like any other part).  He was not impressed with them.

My least favorite deer stories are the several times riding in a small group, we pull into a stop, and one of the guys walks up and asks if I could believe the size of that buck we all passed right on the side of the road a ways back... and I never saw it at all.

Lights, horns, whistles, bright clothes/helmets can all be helpful, but the only sure way to save yourself from disaster is to be alert and attentive at all times.  

However, I was present in a group ride where 3 girls in bikinis almost caused a huge pileup.  The leaders dropped the throttles (no brake lights) to look, then everyone looked, but everyone didn't drop the throttle.  Big Chinese fire drill of squawking brakes and riding all over the road to avoid impacts.  Nice job there boys.    

Ahh, Jess...your posts are always good for a chuckle or two  One of the reasons I've been so lucky over the decades, is that a good portion of my longer rides have been 2 up for going on 40 years ...4 eyes is twice as good as two. Before we got Sena bluetooth,  the Mrs and I had a good system for keeping an eye out and warning of four legged hazards. If she noticed something she'd tap either my Right or Left leg twice, whichever side it was coming from. Worked quite well as she has always been better at spotting those furry bast*** sittin' in the woods than me.
FYI... the other two non verbal signs we (she) always used ....a  punch in the back meaning "slow down!" and a helmet to helmet knock from her  meaning "I'm so relaxed I just fell asleep"  

[Patrick]

I'm not sure if they work either, but, it seems they need to be mounted in the right location. Some have them mounted in a dead air zone. Seems to me that they need a good air flow.

[da prez]

  i turn mine around in deer hunting season to call the deer to me. 

                                               da prez

[Fazer]

Rainman hit a deer leading the DRU last September in Southern Indiana.  Minor damage to the bike and a little hair left in a spot.  Poor deer was flopping around in the road until another rider pulled it off the road and dispatched it.  Took three shots.  I won't embarrass him by naming since he missed with the first shot.  (Trying to use a pistol while wearing gloves.  After removing he was "on target.")

[signart]

I hate those stupid "DEER CROSSING" signs only a quarter of a mile down from where I have to turn into my house. Now I have to be extra careful. I wish they were at least half a mile past where I have to turn

[fudgie]

Didn't know they made them anymore since the late 80's. 

[Patrick]

I hate those stupid "DEER CROSSING" signs only a quarter of a mile down from where I have to turn into my house. Now I have to be extra careful. I wish they were at least half a mile past where I have to turn

I've always wondered how the deer know that they are suppose to cross at those signs.

[signart]

I hate those stupid "DEER CROSSING" signs only a quarter of a mile down from where I have to turn into my house. Now I have to be extra careful. I wish they were at least half a mile past where I have to turn

I've always wondered how the deer know that they are suppose to cross at those signs.

The government has some sort of scrambling device that disables the deer whistles in hopes of forcing the compliance of animals to cross in designated areas

You may use this info and share as you wish.

[MarkT]

They don't work.  What does work is a very loud airhorn, blown to make them run in whatever direction they are facing, and while you are watching them and prepared for their run.  A horn like mine:




Another thing that works is a LOUD stereo playing say ZZ Top.

Yes I have killed two muley bucks with my first Valkyrie, "Deerslayer".  The story here:

http://horseapple.com/placeholder/Boo-boo/boo-boo.html

What's best is to be always aware and looking for deer especially on the roadsides and ditches.  Slow down when seen.  Have very bright lights to help see them at night and use traffic to run interference for you in high-danger areas (cover close to road) and high-deer movement times - dusk and dawn.

[Moonshot_1]

I hate those stupid "DEER CROSSING" signs only a quarter of a mile down from where I have to turn into my house. Now I have to be extra careful. I wish they were at least half a mile past where I have to turn

I've always wondered how the deer know that they are suppose to cross at those signs.

Their picture is right on the sign!

[Jess Tolbirt]

IF the deer whistles work, which i dont think they do, they will only work until the first bug hits them, then they are clogged..and i wonder if any one ever cleaned theirs. I never did but like said above, they were chromed... also to work they have to be 3 feet apart to harmonize so on a bike, no they dont work,, simply snake oil..

[cookiedough]

I do not think they work nor anything else.  coming home from work one night a HUGE buck crossed right in front of me heard it's hooves going over the road was that close to me.  Luckily, at the time was only going 30 mph and the darn MONSTER buck turned right around after going into the ditch on other side of road and then crossed again right in front of me aways up some say 30 yards in front to the other side again.  Luckily I kept going SLOW otherwise if I sped up to say 50 mph I might have hit it crossing the road again.

The one and so far ONLY time I hit a deer doing damage was over 3 years ago there were 2 of them and had to wing one of the 2 with my then new truck without going off road.  Have had several close calls but luckily avoided them all on cycle or vehicle otherwise, but did hit head on a german shephard old dog some 30 years ago with my 1985 buick regal was NOT pretty dragging it off the road what was left of it at 60 mph.  I thought the construction worker when I knocked on his door was going to kill me that night for killing his deaf senile very old dog who probably did not know he was in the road.

DEER are stupid!   

[Moonshot_1]

IF the deer whistles work, which i dont think they do, they will only work until the first bug hits them, then they are clogged..and i wonder if any one ever cleaned theirs. I never did but like said above, they were chromed... also to work they have to be 3 feet apart to harmonize so on a bike, no they dont work,, simply snake oil..

Snake oil?

Can't believe you hijacked this into an Oil Thread!

I use synthetic snake oil in my deer whistles.

[Rams]

What's best is to be always aware and looking for deer especially on the roadsides and ditches.  Slow down when seen.  Have very bright lights to help see them at night and use traffic to run interference for you in high-danger areas (cover close to road) and high-deer movement times - dusk and dawn.

Using traffic to run interference might work sometimes.
My last deer incident happened when an SUV was passing my truck/trailer and they hit a deer that crossed in front of them sending it spinning under my truck.   It caused huge damage to the SUV and was very costly to repair the fuel lines on my truck that the deer's antler's ripped up.

It is, what it is.  Deer Hunters, I wish you a very successful hunt.  

Edited:  Oh yeah, the lady driving that SUV told me she had deer whistles and didn't understand why they didn't scare the deer away.   I told her, I'm pretty sure the deer heard your deer whistles but, their survival technique is flight, not fight.   They simply aren't smart enough to know which way to run.

Rams

[Jess from VA]

They simply aren't smart enough to know which way to run.

Just like squirrels.  I always (when possible) move to run them over.  This confuses them and you have no idea where they will go (and neither do they). 

On the other hand, the wife would happily wreck the car to avoid them.