Animal Warning Device - Montana Owners Club

LonnieB · 11-07-2006, 01:15 PM

This is not a dumb question, as there are no dumb questions here, just an ignorant one.
I'm wondering, and have been for years, if those stick on, plastic, noise making devices actually do any good. Has anyone here used them?
Just my opinion, but I think if I were a wild animal, and heard this noise that only wild animals can hear, coming down the highway at 70 mph., I might wonder what the heck it was, but don't think I would run off into the woods with my tail between my legs.

SKOOBDO · 11-07-2006, 01:30 PM

Where I live, we have deer all over the place right now, and I heard on the local news the other day, the whistles don't work and that deer can't hear them...but can hear your motor vehicle. Anyway, I found a site below that indicates the same.

http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/021118/02111812.htm

mrosser · 11-07-2006, 01:35 PM

We live next to a national park that is loaded with deer, The deer do not even raise there head up from eating when you drive, so I feel safe to say they do not work, just my 2 cents.

bsmeaton · 11-07-2006, 01:39 PM

Lonnie,

I had those on the bumper of my 2001 Ford, but a fawn ran into the truck and broke one off!

Actually I'm not kidding - I stopped for a bunch of dear on the side of the road, and just as I was getting ready to pull forward, a little fawn shot out of the bunch and ran right into my truck! I got out to see what happened and noticed one of the plastic whistles laying on the ground. I told Dory that the noise must have been bothering him

.

LonnieB · 11-07-2006, 01:43 PM

Hahahahahaha, that's kinda what I thought about them too Brad.

ols1932 · 11-07-2006, 02:00 PM

Brad, you have to be moving in order for the whistles to be heard. Sounds to me like the little deer was able to see your whistle (lol). Actually I'm one of those who believes they work. I've seen deer a long way off (up to a mile away) lift their heads and look. I can only assume that they have heard the whistle that only animals can hear. I could be wrong. But someone once said, "I'd rather have them and not need them than need them and not have them." What do they cost--about $4.50 a pair. Probably worth it.

Orv

Glenn and Lorraine · 11-07-2006, 02:08 PM

It has been proven time and again that these devices don't work. If a deer was seen raising it's head at the time you were approaching or passing it was probably the noise of your motor or a glimpse of you that caught it's attention. No more no less.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 11-07-2006, 02:21 PM

Well, I just learned something. I thought they worked, DUHH!

Glad we saved the coin, hey CountryGuy, we saved enough for a hot fudge sundae! You buying??

richfaa · 11-07-2006, 02:37 PM

Old deer hunter here..Deer have really poor eyesight but excellent hearing and sense of smell. When the wind was right I have had them nearly run over me because they did not see me. Those noise thingys just emit a high pitched frequency like a dog whistle and they will startle a deer IF they are within the range to hear them ,of course any noise will startle them,,, Honk your horn, gunshot, Lean you head out the window a yell"move it you stupid deer". I drive a school bus in rural areas early in the morning and if I see them along side the road I lean on the horn and they are gone. Even so I have disintegrated 4 deer in the last 6 years with my 30K International bus. Nothing like having to peel a deer off your grill before breakfast. I whacked one last year about this time(they are in rut, you know how guys are) Saw a brown blur a loud thump them a thumpty, thumpty, thump.Got out Cracked crossbar in grill, deer hair, no deer..it was still dark.
Anyhow found out later it had entered from the right front(knew that), bumped its way under the 37 foot bus and lodged between the left rear dually's. After 30 miles stuck up there it was not a pretty sight.I got a nasty note from the mechanic back at the garage that had to extract it.

hazmic · 11-07-2006, 02:51 PM

I think the deer have heard them so much that they don't even pay attention to them. Lots of them around squaw creek has a bunch of them don't they Orv. Iowa is thick with as is Ohio and points in between.

stiles watson · 11-07-2006, 02:57 PM

Richfa,

Information overload, LOL. I had my own encounter with deer. One ran from down in a ditch at night and got his head in front of my VW's headlamp. I think I scared him up, but he made a bad choice about which way to go. I was very fortunate. The only damage was a redirected beam which I straightened by hand, but it cancelled his visa.

As for the whistles, whether they work or not, the deer can look right at you and still run right out in front of you. They just don't make good choices.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 11-07-2006, 02:57 PM

Rich,

You had the nerve to post that after I was talking about hot fudge sundaes? MMM MMM BAD!!!

Truthfully, by the time I got to the end of the post I was falling off my chair laughin, poor mechanic!

Before ya all slam me, I love watching the deer in our yard, in fact, Al and I saw our first buck out here (been here 11 years), and the silly thing was walking all across the CUT portions of the lawn. He was really out in the open, we could not believe it, at this time of the year!

But, Rich, some days you do have a way with words!

And, I have a warped sense of humor after a long day of research.

LonnieB · 11-07-2006, 03:09 PM

Your not alone Carol, I laughed so hard my sides hurt. I too have smacked a deer or two, and two have smacked me, but NEVER have I EVER had one stuck in a wheel well. Rich, you sir, do indeed have a way with words

!

ols1932 · 11-07-2006, 03:49 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by hazmic

I think the deer have heard them so much that they don't even pay attention to them. Lots of them around squaw creek has a bunch of them don't they Orv. Iowa is thick with as is Ohio and points in between.

Yes, Squaw Creek is loaded with them at all hours of the day and night. Before they ran the bypass around Marion, IA (Hwy 100) you could see a lot more. But after the bypass was put in several deer were killed and it seemed to slow them down. There aren't near as many crossing the bypass any more but there sure are a lot of them in and around Squaw Creek.

Orv

Ozz · 11-07-2006, 04:28 PM

Cheap insurance, if they work or not, I will have them on my truck. Maybe Mythbusters will feature them on an episode.
(Running a truck with the tailgate down was proved to be a Myth as far as saving fuel.)

richfaa · 11-07-2006, 04:38 PM

The deer in the duallys was a small deer ..Judgeing from what was left of it maybe 90lbs or so.. We live in the woods had to put up a fence to keep them off the deck.....see my back yard. Note that deer was about 100 feet away and heard the camera click...

[IMGPlease reduce the size of the picture. Thank you. RVWheels.http://i14.tinypic.com/4dn61c9.jpg[/IMG]

bsmeaton · 11-07-2006, 04:38 PM

Ozz - I saw the Mythbusters on the bug sounders too that eliminated bugs on the windshield - It was hilarious.

Wrenchtraveller · 11-07-2006, 10:19 PM

Even placebos have proven to make some people feel better so I am not taking them off any of the family's four vehicles. Here on Vancouver Island we have a small deer species that breeds like rabbits and if a deer whistle makes you feel better, why not?

Ozz · 11-08-2006, 12:31 AM

Yea, what he said...

LonnieB · 11-08-2006, 01:18 AM

Wrenchtraveller, you are correct. They do make a pretty good " security blanket ", and are very inexpensive, so why not? I've never had any, but have several friends that do. I was just wondering if there was any scientific evidence that they actually work.
Rich, you have a cool backyard, and the deer make it better. I've had deer in mine, but no scenery behind them. You can see several miles looking out my back windows.

You may also like: