do deer whistles work?

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

I live in an area frequented by deer and after seeing a lot of ... remains on the road recently, I was thinking I want deer whistles for my cars to hopefully avoid collision with them.

Anyone have any direct experience to know they work?

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Just make sure you put them on in the correct direction or a herd of deer may follow your car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l4F9vrmtQQ

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Funny, I was gonna post that same Youtube video, from our former hometown. I was surprised to see Larry Moore when it came on.

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

My mom did the research years back after she hit a deer and totaled her car. According to her they likely didn't work -- but she got them anyway, just in case. The stuff on that video is what the cop who helped her recommended as well, but she was already doing most of them anyhow. As with most risks, you can improve the odds but not usually guarantee success.

[CarolF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarolF]

Urgh, we have a problem with kangaroos all year round. Bull bars attached to the front of the car are used here.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

My mom did the research years back after she hit a deer and totaled her car. According to her they likely didn't work -- but she got them anyway, just in case. The stuff on that video is what the cop who helped her recommended as well, but she was already doing most of them anyhow. As with most risks, you can improve the odds but not usually guarantee success.

Yeah, I don't expect complete success, just wondered if it was worth it. Now that we're finally changing seasons, the combination of fog + deer is extra creepy.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

The best defense is to not drive around dawn and sunset when deer are on the move.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

The best defense is to not drive around dawn and sunset when deer are on the move.

That does not explain the deer that collided with my car's left front quarter at noon on a pretty busy road in summer.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Stuff happens.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Frightening stuff. I am glad that we don't have that problem here but we don't have the beautiful scenery either that goes with the deer.

i remember driving in Oregon and seeing lots of little eyes staring at me on the side of the road and I kept hoping that they wouldn't cross when my car was there. Rabbits, I presume.

I once had a near miss with a deer in Oregon and was scared to drive in the dark again after that. The Oregonians think nothing of it and drive their regular speed.

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

The best defense is to not drive around dawn and sunset when deer are on the move.

It was full dark when mom hit her deer. Depending on a person's route to work, can be a little tough to always avoid driving at dawn or dusk. That's when we always see deer around here -- in our family anyhow; I'm amazed the number of people who apparently never look off to the shoulders to keep an eye on them! I'm guessing they're mostly people who didn't grow up/learn to drive in areas with deer.

The U.S. deer population is both generally growing and also expanding into new territory (read; residential) -- we live right downtown in a city of over 100,00, and we had a deer bounding across our yard in broad daylight one summer. I think some generators suddenly kicking in startled it and flushed it out; poor guy was heading for one of the busiest streets around when last seen but didn't get hit best we could tell. Since they're expanding, not only generally but into residential areas, I figure most of them must be good at avoiding cars. Problem is, the same or smaller percentage of dumb deer in a larger overall population of deer equals more dumb deer getting hit by cars.

Frightening stuff. I am glad that we don't have that problem here but we don't have the beautiful scenery either that goes with the deer.

Yeah, when we moved out here I was shocked at the number of critters you'd see dead by the side of the road. I didn't see that around Denver. Then I realized that's because there weren't so many critters in the first place! We get a lot more critters in our yard, as well, which I don't mind so much unless they get inside. The opossum who peeks at me around the corner when I'm outside getting rid of the trash; adorable. The badger trundling along down the stream near my mom's; awesome. The raccoon who runs into my living room uninvited; not cool. Wouldn't leave until we insisted, either.