Electronic Deer Alert

[John-LXII]

Is this a gimmick, or is it real?

Does anyone know if Electronic Deer Alert Devices really work?

They have them on the Honda Direct Line website for between $54 (black) and $63 (chrome).  It makes sense, but I'm a city boy, so I don't really know.

I do know that hitting a deer at 75 mph on a motorcycle would definitely ruin my day.

Thanks

john

i live in heavy deer country. i have always had deer alerts on my bikes and cars. i have never hit a deer.

my brother has never had the devices, he also has never hit a deer.

who the heck knows. i think they may be snake oil. i think if a deer runs out in front of you because he was startled out of his hiding place, he probably didn't have time to listen to the aleged high pitched sound that alegedly scares them away.

or, do we think the aleged high pitch sound can in fact be heard and causes them to bolt out of hiding into your path.

who knows, i live in western colorado. we have zillions of deer and elk, antelope, skunks, etc, etc, etc, running back and forth across the road all the time, do the alerts work ? you would have to ask the deer.

[John-LXII]

" do the alerts work ? you would have to ask the deer."

That's what I was afraid of.

Thanks for your response.

PS, does anyone know a deer they could ask?

[MrBones]

Nope sorry. The only deer I know by close contact is now deceased. Had my encounter in the CA mountains at 50 mph. We both lost. LOL.

[John-LXII]

Mr.Bones, Can I assume you were NOT using a deer alert device?

[Pistolchamp]

These things have been around for a long time.  Whether they work or not depends on who you ask... I doubt it.  I live in the deer capital of the world, Bandera, Texas.  I have never hit a deer.  I am VERY careful riding at night.  Dead deer are on the road every morning... NO KIDDING!  Almost everybody who lives here has hit a deer, some with deer alert devices and some without... I don't think it matters.  Deer are smart and wary, but, they are very reactionary and probably just run across the road to get to the other side or when frightened they just run the way they are facing.  Don't waste your money unless you like the looks of the chrome one.

[MrBones]

You assume right. I have lived by Angelus Forest all my life and this is my first encounter. Hope its my last.

[John-LXII]

OK, I found this website that compares several types of Deer Alert devices.  Someone has evidently done some research on these things and although I still can't be 100% sure that they work, for $30 I purchased the Maxsa Deer Alert and installed in on my bike.

http://www.911phone.net/Alert.htm?OVRAW=Deer%20Alert%20comparison&OVKEY=deer%20alert&OVMTC=advanced

For the record, I've driven about 150 miles since the installation (mostly around the city) and have not hit a deer yet.

Wow its working already! Cool.

Just so ya know I have deer whistles on my I/S and thank god for those big front brakes. That deer jumped out in front of me in the cascade foothills...something must have scared it worse than the whistle.

Keep your eyes open and be ready.  
Mike

[John-LXII]

Thanks Maddog,  I'll be sure not to get a false sense of security from having this thing.

[rodeo1]

wait a minute !

if texas has so many deer, how come so many texans come to colorado to hunt ours ??

dennis

maybe to visit their old friends from calif. who also come in herds to hunt here.

[WisconsinSteve]

Just be sure not to install them backwards, it attracts them instead that way.

Correctly installed, they also repel elephants. After all, you've never heard of anyone hitting an elephant with those whistles on their car or bike.

Steve

[Clark Kent]

Sorry guys,  deer whistles DO NOT WORK!

They were started by the Great Great Grandson of the old west's Snake Oil salesman!

I live in Wyoming and have an office in Montana.  I drive 50,000 miles a year in those two states.  

In the past 20 years (1,000,000 miles) I have hit about 12 deer.  8 without whistles and 4 with whistles.  They seem to make no diffenece. (all hit with cars--not a bike-thank god)

I have seen 100's of deer on the side of the road when deer whistles were on my car. They didn't flinch at all when I passed, they acted exactly the same for a car with and without whistles.

Many studies published in the west all (ALL) say the whistles are just hype.  

I believe it.   They are no good!

BUt,  hey, they look good.  Put one on each side of your helmet and tell the harley riders they are BUG whistles!  They will believe you. Next time you see the Harley rides they will have the whistles glued to their cheeks!  BUT---you will never know if they work or not becasue you won't know if the black places in their teeth are Bugs or just missing teeth!

CK

Well - I've had my deer alarm for about two years.  Back in '03 when I was out in Taos, NM for our national get together, my wife and I were riding near Red River, NM when off to my right was a small herd of elk.  There were about 1/4 mile away and making a bee line for the road I was riding.  All of a sudden the stopped about 100-150 ft. from the road and looked at me.  Now, I can't say that they heard the alarm on not.  I don't think they heard the bike since I don't run loud pipes.  We have plenty of deer in Georgia and even in the metro area of Atlanta.  For what it's worth, I'm glad I have one on my bike (it's chrome).  I mounted the toggle switch under my ignition key switch and flip it on at dawn and dusk time.  You can't be to safe (I also have a modulating headlight, Motolights and a air horn).  Good luck.  Ride safe, smart and often...Tom

['KC']

Here, Here, Tom. I think that the originator of this thread was referring to the Kuryakyn Deer Alerts, they are ELECTRIC.
I bought one for my '99 I/S before the trip to Sturgis in '00. On my way back, (somewhere in Wyoming), I was told about MANY MANY elk for the next 50 miles, and it was beginning to get dark. I told my riding buddy to let me lead since I had the Deer Alert. I could see lots of elk near the highway, but they all moved away from the road as I approached. Made a wide path for us. I am convinced that they do work.
Oh, by the way. I haven't installed one on my '00. On my way back from Taos, I had a deer drop down from a rock wall directly in front of me. I was lucky that I was able to change lanes to just miss it.