Keepin the deer and dogs off my butt!

["Big Guy"]

Have you ever had a close encounter of the deer kind? Well I have, and let me tell you, it was nothing nice! I avoided the deer, but just barely...

Since then, I have always had deer "horns" on my scoot. No, not antlers, but little gizmos that make a high pitched sound that drives deer away or causes them to run.

I found out last week that Wal-Mart (as much as I hate to advertise for them) has a new deer horn product that emits two different whistles for $4.95; one that affects deer and the other for dogs! How neat!

Well I ran out and bought a set and put them on my scoot. I recommend everyone else do this as well, even if you're in the city, just to keep those pesky dogs away!

Here are the ones I bought:



And here they are installed on the front wheel (peel and stick):



Just remember when you go to buy these that you want to check the package for "dual whistle" horns. Oh, and they don't work under 30mph (so the package says).


-Rich

[zippadeedudah]

Rich....good post! Do they work off 12VDC or smaller batteries and how do you trigger them? Can you explain a bit more about the 30 mph bit? In Louisiana talk, it looks "like a good deal, Lucille" kinda thingy. Have you activated them yet against any dogs and what was their reaction? If not, please drive for any distance necessary (not over 400 miles) within the most sovereign and exaulted State of Louisiana until a reaction is derived and then file your report at bullet speed. I will keep the lights on and wait up for the reply. Since this is investigative you may deduct the cost of gas up to 2.1% of the total cost of fuel used from your income taxes in accordance with 38 USC, Section 6969, paragraph(b)(2). Joe

[rerun2]

I believe these are pure whistles, and they emit high pitched sounds only the animals hear. They are 'activated' by the air flowing through them, the venturi thingy. (Hence the need for speed)

The ones I have seen work that way, I assume that these do as well, pretty cheap to be much more than that!

;D

["Big Guy"]

zippadeedudah said:

Rich....good post! Do they work off 12VDC or smaller batteries and how do you trigger them?

Hi Joe,

No, they need no power at all. You simply affix them to the front of your scoot and the whistle is driven by air power, the reason you have to get up to 30mph or so.

Sorry I can't review them because I had an accident last week and tore my rotator cuff on my shoulder.

Hi Rerun,

These are specifically engineered (frequency) for deer and dogs, and some other critters. Each one emits a different pitch to address multiple animal groups.


-Rich

[rerun2]

yup, that is the rumor, we have deer problems here all winter long, there is a herd of 9 that make a nightly trek across my back yard. I have never heard of any one that hit a deer while using the whistles, but then again I know a guy that has creamed into stray steers on I-95 Twice, wonder if they make a bovine whistle?

;D

[zippadeedudah]

We do have some deer here, not nearly as many as when I first moved here 13 years ago and the new sub-divisions were being built out of wooded territory. I will buy those little horns and attach them the same way Rich has because we do have our share of dogs and there is one pit bull in the neighborhood that actually runs loose at times and I do not like the way he looks at me when I pass. Also, I think they will make a good conversation piece when people come up to me and enquire about the scooter as is often the case. Thanks for the heads up! Joe

[newc77]

Yup, it's a passive unpowered whistle and they work real well. You need the speed to bring the intake wind up to make the pitch. Lot's of deer here in Ohio, and lot's of people use them. Never thought of the scoots, but that's a great idea. Thanks. Have a karma.
Tom

["Big Guy"]

Hey Tom,

I think the difference with these Wally World horns are the dual pitch whistles. I got an email from someone at another group stating the slight changes in this version (the dual whistles), and on the back of the package, it does say it has 2 frequencies. I checked the package at Auto Zone and O'Reilies, but neither one said dual whistles.

I do think these may be different, and the girl that sent me the email said she was chased by a dog every day on her way to work, but once she changed from the old whistles to the new, the dog now just sits on the sidewalk and watches her go by.

Hey, for a couple of buck, I think they're worth the change. I'm pretty sure the last ones I got were 99 cents from the dollar store.

Oh, and thanks for the Karma! ;D


-Rich

[newc77]

Rich,
Well I guess that makes sense as dogs and deer probably would respond to different pitch frequencies. I gonna look for them and check it out.
Sorry about the shoulder.
Tom

[zippadeedudah]

Dawgs.... They have been purchased and installed. Picture included. They are the dual tone. The "open" one went to the right facing front of bike and the "closed" one went to the left. Joe ;D

["Big Guy"]

Alright Joe!

Now, since my riding days are on hold due to the accident, maybe you can tell us if they keep the dogs off your tail!

-Rich

[rerun2]

Picked up the whistles earlier today, will decide where to mount them during the daylight hours tomorrow! Heck, for the few bucks involved, these can save your life! Great post on this item, and thank you!
;D

Next week I will shop for the antlers you mentioned, might intimidate some of the cages that like to 'share' my lane!! And they will look awesome too!

[stewntexas]

Looks like we need a way to keep 'guests' that don't know how to act from posting.

Regarding the whistles, may figure out a way to power one of them from a can of compressed air like the ones we use to blow out our computers/keyboards/electronics. That would help keep dogs away when under 30 MPH. Just thinking.....

[jprestonian]

Hate to say it, but testing says these thangs don't work at all. Google it.
.

[termite]

I've actually hit a deer while driving a car, but never on my motorcycle or scooter.

Regarding dogs: Try an airsoft gun. The suckers sting pretty bad when they hit, and junior termite uses his to run cats out of Mrs. Termite's flower bed(cats use it for a toilet).

[zippadeedudah]

Since we are operating two-wheelers, out of an abundance of caution, I would just rather use the deer whistles, the high voltage Taser and the 25 caliber hand gun toted on the scooter, in that order. Since the deer whistles cost only five bucks and change for a set, if it only averted one serious accident it would be worth it to me. I have been doing research all over the web and it is true there are good and bad opinions about deer whistles, as with most everything. I opt for anything that might possibly help. Joe ;D

[earlwb]

Yup I have my doubts about these things working:
advance.uconn.edu/2002/021118/02111812.htm
I think on the deer whistle the scooter noise probably is louder than the whistle.
On the dog version, my dog hears my scooter coming a mile away and is telling everyone at home that I am coming before I get there. But if someone else tools by on a different scooter she doesn't even bother to get up and look. I think the fan blower and alternator whine probably has harmonic sounds in the dog hearing ranges already.

[tyrssen]

Gang, I hate to tell ya, but these things have been scientifically proven to do nothing at all. By the time a deer can hear anything from these whistles, you've already run into 'em. I live in deer country, and have had my cars hit three times by these durn critters. The only defense is to stay sharp, especially during early morning and dusk, especially during hunting season when they're on the move.

[newc77]

Lots of deer here in our locale of Ohio. The advice is good: stay sharp, be ready, watch the roadsides ahead, especially in early morning and late dusk. Be really careful in hunting seasons and also rut season (mid to late fall) because they are on the move the most then. I have never hit a deer with a car, thank the Lord, but I know sooo many who have. For me, and the price, I'm trying out Rich's idea. Have used such devices on the cars for years.
Tom

["Big Guy"]

Okay, so there is a so-called "scientific study" disproving them. It means nothing to me. There are also "scientific studies" proving HIV and AIDS can be cured. I remember in college math (statistics) learning how to manipulate studies in an absolute science to get a desired end result.

Why would one do this with deer whistles? Who knows, perhaps he has an interest in a company developing another model. My question is, why would one spend the time and money to test them in the first place without a business interest?

Anyway, I grew up in upstate New York, the Catskill mountain area, and I never met anyone who ever hit a deer using the whistles, but knew many others who didn't use them and had more than one encounter.

The bottom line is, for five bucks, are they worth it? I believe if they alert just one animal of your approach who would have normally crossed the road, you can't go wrong.

I have been using them for years, and will keep on using them...


-Rich

[lancecharming]

I`m new here- I just got my first scooter a couple days ago and I`ve read this forum for info on how to prep it and now I`m reading up on the safety issues now that I`m riding it (and LOVING it!). Regarding these deer warning devices, I won`t need them on my 50cc scooter that I ride around the squares of Savannah`s historic district, but I have them on my cars and the DO work. I installed them when I lived in L.A. and the first day I noticed a cat starting to run acoss my path from the sidewalk, then it stopped dead and looked at my car. I noticed other cats and dogs on sidewalks looking at the car after that. I then took one and blew air through it like a whistle in my house and my pet rabbits picked up their ears and reacted. It`s like a silent dog whistle, only a lot louder as speed rises and more air goes through them. I ended up attaching them with nylon ties inside my grilles- the tape weras off and they fall off, also they get caught on things and tear off. Try blowing air through one near your pets if you think they don`t work. Great forum. Love the photo of the guy in bed with the scooter. I brought my new scooter into my second floor living room to change the fluids and my girlfriend said she`d better not find it in my bed...

[magnaman]

I live in white tail deer country, they are everywhere. The county where I live did actual road testing of these whistles on the police patrol cars. They found they did nothing. I had them on an old street bike (received them as a gift), and this is when I was working nights & riding in most nights. I had to ride by a county park on my way and it always had deer crossing the road. On more than one occasion I had to slow and wait for them to cross, and on 2 occasions swerve around one that leaped out of the brush at the last minute. The whistles did nothing... snake oil in my opinion.

[earlwb]

For various university people to do studies on things, without a monetary interest, is what it is about. To graduate, one has to do a paper or study on something. What is being checked is the quality of the research, the science, etc. not the actual thing being studied. A good scientific study done on the flow characteristics of different brands of ketchup is a good example. Some some students do studies on some amazingly complex things and others go for the simpler more down to earth stuff. It is a lot of fun sometimes to go through all the neat studies some of the college people do. Sometimes they do some pretty neat studies to read about.

But you are correct statistics are a dangerous thing as everyone seems to manipulate the numbers for what they want them to say.

[newc77]

Ya know, if you look hard enough on just about any topic, you'll find research that both proves it OR debunks it. For a few bucks, I'd try the devices. 250mc54 is right, if it avoids one crash it was worth the price. Ride safe friends.
Tom

[yarddogbbq]

i have and still drive, a metro yes a metro 3cyl.
last thursday night i got run over by a whitetail flattened out the entire driver side and left hair in various places including the front tire, the car drives great, i will try the whistles on the scooter, i drive the metro for what else, gas mileage and i will be riding my scooter for the same. and the metro will be fixed and will have whistles on it, and like earl said i think our vehicles make harmonics in the animal range and whistling will stop a deer sometimes in its tracks when they are running and i will feel like i tried something at least.

someone invent an infrared heat detection and silent whistle combo!!! ha!

hey i will remove the doors to the metro and will that qualify for a scooter?
i think i know the answer....ha.

oh the bike i am getting has the same instrument setup as the metro, gas, speedometer, heat. looks almost the same.

[griff10]

It's been proven, many times, the deer whistles do not work. If they make you feel better use them, but don't trust that they'll keep any animal from your path.

Even if the deer could hear them they could only hear them after you past them, basic physics.

[motomech]

No deer here, the locals ate them all.

My biggest animal concerns(in order) are;

Pigs-These can move really fast and they are big enough to mess you up.

Dogs-The best technique if you see them coming is to head right for them(like a NASCAR driver heading for the crash). Haven't encountered one that didn't turn tail...yet. They like to sleep on the roadway at night.

People-Most animals are smart enough to move out of your way, but alas, the pedestrians here are not. Single file is an unknown concept.

Horses-Many on the road here. The Costa Ricans are superb horsemen, but the horses are a little jumpy. Like all Latins, they have happy dancing feet.

Cows-Not unusual for the ranchers here to move their herds down the road. Often, I impatiently shoulder though them. Their aftermath is more a concern than hitting them.

Oxen-usually attached to carts, 'nuff said.

Should one be foolish enough to ride at night, this order is reversed.

["Big Guy"]

griff10 said:

...Even if the deer could hear them they could only hear them after you past them, basic physics.

I'm sorry, but which rule of physics are you citing? If your deer whistle emits a high frequency sound and we concede that sound travels at (dry air, 70°F, 1129 ft per second) about 770 mph, wouldn't the only rule of physics applied here be the Doppler effect, or a slight change in the frequency (spatial and temporal distribution of a propagating disturbance) or phase velocity?

Using your analogy, a car or train horn would be ineffective as well. Unless your scooter travels at 770 mph, the deer horns will be heard well in advance of the scooter's arrival; this is a basic fact of physics, and I have yet to see any conclusive evidence debunking them.

Sorry guys and gals, but I'll say it again, for $5, I won't go without them, since in theory, they do work.


-Rich

[rattlemeter]

Anyway, I grew up in upstate New York, the Catskill mountain area, and I never met anyone who ever hit a deer using the whistles, but knew many others who didn't use them and had more than one encounter.

A feller is walking out in New York City and spies a street vendor selling some spray bottles of stuff called Tiger Bane. He asks the vendor, "why would I want to buy that? There are no tigers in NYC." The vendor replies, "see how well it works?"

Around 10 years ago, based on user testimonial and the "for 5 bucks..." angle, I installed a set of whistles on my truck. A year or two later, guess what I run into on my way to work? A deer. By run into to, I don't mean, "you know what I saw on the way to work this morning?" I mean a dented fender and hood.

In my experience, there *are* tigers, I used the tigerbane it didn't work.

[xmirage2kx]

by the time deer or dogs hear these things it is already to late, its like the "loud pipe" theory, sure if you look hard enough you may see some data that suggests it may work, but usually its "I didn't hit a deer today so it must work" well you didn't hit a deer the other 364 days either.