Deer alerts do they work?

[Fred W]

I have searched and searched and found nothing as far as an independent test on dear alerts /whistles and to their effectiveness if any. I have already hit one on my Katana :huh: and had several near misses on the FRJ. If there was something that actaully worked I would gladly purchase and install this product. I travel through the country on a daily commute to work and past several areas where deer are present. To many times I have had the anti-locks chirping trying to avoid the deer that come out of nowhere. Any ideas?

Did you see this article?:

IBMW Link

 

[squeezer]

The evidence that exists suggests that they do nothing.

On the other hand, I attached elephant whistles last summer and since then I haven't seen a single one come even close to the road. So there. My mutant alien whistles are working too.

Leon Begeman (noted LD rider) has a theory on deer based on reactions of predators and prey. Since a predator will slow, turn, and/or vary speed in an attack, any change in pace or direction is going to disturb the deer from their grazing, get their attention, and may cause them to bolt. His theory is to hold your speed absolutely steady to remain a non-threatening part of the environment to the deer. That probably has no more validity than the deer whistle thing, but it's cheaper and there's no annoying noise.

 

[Harald]

I haven't seen any reliable information to confirm that deer avoidance whistles work (other than from people selling them) and plenty of information that says they don't work. I'll pass on installing them on my vehicles.

I would caution about taking roadkill home. Here in Washington state you are not allowed to take Bambi home after hitting it. Seems like a really stupid rule because if the deer causes all that damage to your vehicle, you should at least be able to benefit from those yummy venison steaks. But I suppose that if it was legal, then Bubba in the pickup might go out and intentionally try to hit Bambi.

BTW, I do my hunting with a 30-06 and not my FJR. My handloads only cost about $1 each, which is much cheaper than the damage to a bike. Plus I can much safer "hit" other critters like that nice black bear this past fall. I look forward to bear steak night at my home! :yahoo:

 

[jestal]

I became far more conscious of deer several years ago when I had a Cadillac Deville with the nigh vision system on it. Despite what you may have read those systems worked exceedingly well for what they were designed for. Driving at night in Michigan with that system caused frequent panic. Honestly, for every deer that you see even with the best of lights there are 4 that you don't see....but you can spot them with the night vision. After having that system on a car I was paranoid to this day without out. I wish it were practical to install it on the bike. I would in a heart beat if the hardware and HUD style display were adaptable.

 

[FJRay]

I had a neighbor that put the deer whistles on his HD and shorly after hit a deer on the Oregon coast. He didn't go down but his wife recieved the contents of the deer and hasn't been on the bike since.

Since then we have decided he put them on backwards and attracted the deer.

 

[Mooseonagoose]

Was thinking to add another 2-bits worth relative to the comment on use/or not of horns, and crossed Squeezer's post on the which nigh parallels my thought.

I suspect we've all had the experience of passing bambi doing his own thing adjacent to the road where-in, since we didn't see him 'til we were effectively past him, we neither-one paid any heed to the other and continued on our merry ways. The other side of that circumstance, most of us have seen as well, where as little audible input as momentarily backing off the throttle can cause him to bolt.

I've always figured that being instinctual creatures: 1)They have no idea what they're going to do 'til they DO IT, so trying to second guess them is futile in the extreme! 2) If he's static & unaware of you try to resist the urge to respond to his presence, ...as hard as that might be. 3) If he's already in motion toward your path the horn may be your friend, but w/ that little time I'd rather cozy-up to the brake lever, 4) Swerving -this from 1st hand experience- is just about as likley to cause an accident as avoid one -I couldn'ta hit her more dead-center if I'd tried!

As someone on another thread hereabouts said; Pray, & keep reminding yourself to "ride-the-bike, ride-the-bike, ride-the-bike, ride-the bike, ........"

 

[Checkswrecks]

In answer to the original post, not only "no" but "Hell no" they don't work.

When I killed Bambi with my Ducati, the little **** did a spot turn that was instantaneous and right into my path. The only two things were to hold on tight and keep the bike straight. It was like hitting a brick wall, then seeing the sky through the leaves in the trees, then getting the bike stopped while my heart was in full panic mode.

Since then, if I'm riding home at dusk, especially anywhere near the rut or if I even suspect that I saw a deer, I'll follow a car and let him collect the damn deer. I've still had a few close-emcounters because the *******s are so plentiful. Die Bambi, just go and f'ing die!

Strong feelings to follow.