Deer Whistle - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JPL · #1 11-11-2002, 03:15 PM

Question:

Does anyone use these? I am looking at an electronic version by ' HORNET'.

Do they work? Any caviats like battery drain, etc.

I totalled my last car by hitting a deer, and since i do alot of Interstate driving, I thought this might help to avoid such a nerve shattering experience in the future. Not to mention that I totalled an awesome black on black 79 300CD. I'm still sad and angry about that, but damn lucky to be unscathed by the incident.

So heres a pic of the device i am looking at:

[IMG]C://wreck/s120.jpg[/IMG]

looking for thoughts about this product

Thanks,

JPL · #2 11-11-2002, 03:32 PM

here is the pic of the HORNET

#3 11-11-2002, 03:41 PM

Sorry to hear about your accident... ):

I had non electric whistle on a car years back and it didn't seem to make any difference. I was doing a lot of driving out in the surrounding farm towns and had a few deer jump out in front of me or stand along side the road munching on shrubs.

From one of my old posts:
A University of Wisconsin study found that three types of whistles did produce low-pitched and ultrasonic sounds at speeds of 30 to 70 miles per hour; however, researchers were unable to verify that deer responded to the sounds, even at distances well below the distances from which manufacturers claim the whistles are heard. Moreover, deer would only be able to hear the whistles if there were a straight shot between the deer and the whistle. If curves, trees, or other obstacles came between the deer and the whistle, the device would be ineffective.

Gilly · #4 11-11-2002, 04:23 PM

My theory is that these are not very effective year-round. reason being that the small orifice in the whistle will plug up when hit by a bug. They may have some effect if put on after the bugs are gone. I just lay on the horn if I see a deer, usually scares them away.

Gilly

#5 11-11-2002, 07:29 PM

I always wonder about the claims that ANYTHING will scare the deer away.
Have a big fat white tailed deer that loves to eat my roses. I have run out waving the flag, used horns, fireworks, the most I can get is for fatso to waddle off into the woods, where he waits until I quiet down and then comes back to finish his snack. I have a 400 ft driveway and saw him standing there in the driveway last week. I rolled the old Benz up and honked. Then moved ahead and bumped into em. Then he moved aside.
Ya, they are easy to scare away. Just terrified of us.

David Dodge · #6 11-11-2002, 07:43 PM

I have a friend that say's everyone in his family and extended family has hit a deer in the last two years. One of them got a deer whistle and swears it helps. I'm not convinced they help in all situations. But I guess if they help any, that's better than nothing when you consider the consequences

I totaled my car last year on a deer about 5:45 am, going about 65 mph. It was a straight 2-lane highway, the deer was down in a low spot and the stupid thing ran full sprint between me and an oncoming semi. The lights of the semi blinded me enough that I never saw the deer until a milli-second before impact. I can sure see the deer now though in my dreams, sailing through the air in slow motion, with the one good head light I had left and trying to keep the car on the road.

If I had it to do over, I would have got out and kicked the damn deer in the teeth several times and stomped up and down on him, over-and-over till I released some of the rage I feel now (even though it was for sure dead from the impact) for all the damage and heartache it caused me.

I have avoided hundreds of deer in the last 30 years, until that morning. There was nothing short of going 25 mph that I could have done to have prevented less damage. but I commute 70 miles to work and that's not feasable. When a deer wants to commit suicide like that, what can you can do? You can't always see them in advance in time to honk your horn and slow down.

I have often wondered if one of those deer whistles could have helped. But you would have thought it could hear a semi coming down the road too.

My wife had one jump through the trees, like it was being chased by something, and break out the front window of the same car only a month earlier while going only 20 mph on a winding county road by our house.

I jump when I see deer close by now when driving..... I will never forgive that deer!

At least the hunting is good around here.

#7 11-11-2002, 07:58 PM

I think they work... But how in the heck can you really tell.. In the 10 years before I starting using them I hit 7 deer... I live in deer country.. I have deer in my yard all the time...Was working on the car this after noon in the back drive.. came out from under the car and spooked 10 deer that almost ran over my wife bringing me a beer... Sure was worried she would spill the beer...

After putting the things on my cars.. trucks.. and motorcycles I have not hit any deer in the last 10 years..... Am I a better driver.. Do deer just avoid me... What the heck for the couple bucks they cost why not put them on... sure as heck can not replace much on a car , truck or motorcycle for that price..

However they do not work on bears... That I do know..

Ken

Bill DeWitt · #8 11-11-2002, 08:41 PM

Sorry about your accident, however your Benz did it's
job. I have used the whistles for years and have seen
deer freeze at the side of the road. For over thousands
of times I wished I had installed them on our son's
Harley. We lost him over 11 years ago and for less than
$10.00 they may have saved his life. NEVER, NEVER try
to dodge one in the road and lose control of your car and
hit an on coming car or run off the road and hit a tree.

#9 11-11-2002, 08:50 PM

Sorry to hear about your son... We have company come to visit from all over the world... We often loan them a car.. and with the instructions... If a deer comes out in the road... do not leave you traffic lane.. Hit the deer.. We can fix the car.. but can not replace a life if you try to avoic it.....

I do agree with you.. its only a few bucks.. What can it hurt..

Ken

mplafleur · #10 11-12-2002, 08:09 AM

Sorry about the loss of your son. I did put the whistle on my Harley. Don't know if it works, but why take a chance? We lived about 3 miles from a large metropark and the deer are there by the hundreds. The nature lovers won't let any hunters thin out the herds.

I've hit 4 and my wife has hit 3. They've either been hit straight on, or run smack into the side of my van. (I admonished my wife for swearing in front of the children on that one)

Shorlty after we built our house, I heard a noise outside at night and then 20 minutes later noticed flashing lights in the dark. I took a walk down the road to the corner and found the State police there pulling a car out of the ditch. The ambulance had left a while before. Apparently, two cars had been traveling down the road in opposite directions toward each other. This is parallel to the high speed test track at the GM proving grounds. A deer had run out (from the proving grounds) and was hit by one car. The deer was deflected up and into the lane of the other car where it then went throught the windshield, decapitating the driver. Ugh.

At this time neither myself or my wife had ever hit a deer. All 7 have been after that. We've come not to like them so much.

dieseldaddy · #11 11-12-2002, 11:50 AM

My '83 240D has stock deer whistles that came standard with that model year, I understand.

I think they called it "4CSB", but I could not find anything on it in the owners manual.

Actually, I have it in surround sound. (4-constant-squeaky-brakes...)

haven't hit a deer yet.......yet.

Fisherman · #12 11-12-2002, 01:02 PM

Lesson learned by me last year...
The deer you hit is NOT the one you see.
I seriously doubt if my last encounter would have been avoided by having any number of devices on the vehicle including having the horn permanently honking.
This doe came out of the brush at top speed and we had eye contact for that split second before her life came to an end. it was two leaps by her and that was it.

The moral of the story is:
Drive at reasonable speeds, maintain control of your vehicle and if you are in deer country the only safe way to travel is by plane.

#13 11-12-2002, 02:30 PM

Can't agree more with the above post! Vigalance is key, but sometimes accy's can't be avoided.

Now some science behind the the gizmos:
"While manufacturers contend deer can hear the whistle up to a quarter mile away, no published research verifies the device's effectiveness. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety presented evidence refuting claims promoting the whistles:

"Georgia's Game and Fish Department, for example, found that in hundreds of observations from vehicles equipped with deer whistles, deer didn't respond. Whistles on vehicles going 25-30 mph produced no ultrasonic sound, although some ultrasonic and lower frequencies were produced when the whistles were blown by mouth. According to wildlife biologists at the University of Georgia, neither deer nor humans can hear ultrasonic sound. Whistles blown by mouth near captive deer produce no response.

According to an article called "Blowing the Whistle on Deer Scare Devices" in the Mid-February 1993 Farm Journal, the Ohio State Police installed deer whistles on their patrol vehicles; however, they reported finding no significant decrease in collisions between patrol cars and deer. The same article indicated that a panel of the World Society for the Protection of Animals could find no data proving "that such a device can actually stop an animal crossing the road, which is the main purpose of the device." Finally, Washington State University researcher Leonard Askham felt the evidence tended to favor a conclusion that deer whistles do not work. "Even if the devices were effective," Askham warned, "they would soon become clogged with insects and dirt and stop working."

#14 11-13-2002, 01:30 PM

there is the alternative of a WAUDAD

(wind-activated-ultrasonic-deer-alert-device).
these you can buy at just any old auto store and the warning noise is not audible to the human ear, only to aminals and ephelants. they are usually a peel & stick to the bumper however I'm guessing that there are some of you out there who don't want anything on their bumper.