Deer Whistles Any cruiser (1 Viewer)

[yknot123]

With time on our hands, read post from thebeedeege about hitting a deer. The post talks extensively about the challenge of dealing with Insurance and the fact the the vehicle was Totaled from this collision in Right Front. The main lesson is that a good strong bumper like ARB or others can really help in this situation. The Challenge is cost around 1000$. It definitely makes us think about one for our 97 FZJ cruiser. In reality insurance would still only pay guessing 5000$, if totaled. Even with lockers, important to many, but not insurance.

We totaled our 1996 Toyota T100 after hitting a deer close to Buena Vista in Colorado. It didn't help that we also went over the embankment with 3 1/2 flips end for end. Luckily the shell took the first hit, the front corner the next hit, the tail gate the next, the other front corner next and finally the top of the cab/bed. We landed upside down on passenger side and I was hanging from my seat belt. My wife was knocked unconscious with final impact hitting head on side glass and ground. Had to brace myself before undoing the seat belt and landing on her. Luckily she came to and we were able to crawl out the back window. We started to walk to the highway and neighbor showed up.
We were eventual dismissed that night from the hospital after a very long Ambulance ride to Salida.

That was in October 1997 and immediately purchased a new 1998 T100 after searching for awhile. Purchased cruiser in 2003. Highlander 2012.
Since that accident I have put deer whistles on all 3 of our red Toyota's. Never believed in them before but have noticed over the years that the animals do react to them. Birds fly out of cover, cows stand at attention and yes deer look up when driving by. It seems the animals hear the ultra high pitch and stop.

This may sound like hog wash but am wondering what others think?

 

[Mark W]

This may sound like hog wash but am wondering what others think?

There are other points I could address as to why I would put little stock in them, but the easiest is...

How much pressure do you really think is pushing against that "whistle" opening? And how is the pressure differential created from the front to the back of it?Which translates to "How much air do you think is being forced through it?" Which in turn translates to "Just how much sound do you think it is creating?"

Take a lower pitched whistle that you can hear and hold it out the window as you go down the highway. It will not impress you.

But, they don't hurt anything so if you feel better with them on your rig... well, they don't hurt anything.


Mark...

 

[yknot123]

There are other points I could address as to why I would put little stock in them, but the easiest is...

How much pressure do you really think is pushing against that "whistle" opening? And how is the pressure differential created from the front to the back of it?Which translates to "How much air do you think is being forced through it?" Which in turn translates to "Just how much sound do you think it is creating?"

Take a lower pitched whistle that you can hear and hold it out the window as you go down the highway. It will not impress you.

But, they don't hurt anything so if you feel better with them on your rig... well, they don't hurt anything.


Mark...

Can't really answer any of your questions, sorry. The sound is a high pitch above the human range according to the manufacturer. They also indicate the each whistle has a left and right if you can believe that. At 60 mph it must be a lot of pressure though since they are mounted on the front area. Did have faith until I started to notice the animals change their motion.
For a mere 4$ I'm willing to try and haven't hit any bambi's or bucks after over 500,00 miles of driving in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Midwest and Michigan. These States have some of the highest deer accidents around. Sure the lower states do too. Thanks for your thoughts

I guess they make us feel better, just like washing a rig makes you go faster.

 

[flintknapper]

Can't really answer any of your questions, sorry. The sound is a high pitch above the human range according to the manufacturer. They also indicate the each whistle has a left and right if you can believe that. At 60 mph it must be a lot of pressure though since they are mounted on the front area. Did have faith until I started to notice the animals change their motion.
For a mere 4$ I'm willing to try and haven't hit any bambi's or bucks after over 500,00 miles of driving in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Midwest and Michigan. These States have some of the highest deer accidents around. Sure the lower states do too. Thanks for your thoughts

I guess they make us feel better, just like washing a rig makes you go faster.

I live in a Southern State with LOT'S of deer and have lived out in the countryside most of my life. We frequently encounter deer. Just an observation: Deer have excellent hearing, so they hear your vehicle coming just as well as whistles, etc...

More important than what they 'hear' is how they react. The premise and purpose of the deer whistles are twofold:

1. It is supposed to create a sound that deer (but not humans) can hear.
2. The sound is supposed to alert/frighten them.

As for being 'alerted' I can assure you...the deer already know your vehicle is coming. As for the whistles creating an unfamiliar or irritating noise (sufficient to move them the other direction) I can't say. I CAN tell you that deer act quite unpredictably at times. So their 'reaction' to any noise is far from guaranteed.

Bucks (and Does as well) during the rut can act completely oblivious to anything going on around them. Deer eating on the side of the road or just crossing are ALWAYS unpredictable. I've been driving in Texas for a bit over 50 years (lots of rural roads with deer) and have hit exactly one (and that one literally came out of nowhere), but I watch for them. Conversely, my Wife has hit 3 not counting the one that ran into her (side of vehicle at highway speed). My Sister holds the family record at 5.

My opinion... is use the whistles if your experiences have proven them worth your while but I'd wager driver attention and slowing down will avoid more animal to vehicle contact than anything else.

 

[Cruzerman]

Like Mark said, they can't hurt. But I sure wouldn't count on them protecting you either. A good strong bumper is your best bet. While an ARB is way, way better than stock, I think there are even stronger choices. And as you know, you just need to be careful out there. I've seen many a vehicles crashed trying to avoid a cat. Swerving to avoid an animal is often worse than just taking the hit. As you know, there are worse things than a deer strike. This is from someone that has hit four deer in my 60 series. All resulted much worse for the deer than the cruiser. The cruiser never was damaged mechanically, just dented. And that was only with a stock bumper.

 

[flintknapper]

Like Mark said, they can't hurt. But I sure wouldn't count on them protecting you either. A good strong bumper is your best bet.

 

[yknot123]

View attachment 2245770

 

[yknot123]

Great Picture

Thanks I8hmud community for feedback. Many great points and ideas. A stronger bumper is a general agreement and we wish could put one on like picture above, wonderful.
Deer are defiantly a skittish animal. Learned lesson on not trying to move at all for the deer. Tried to move slightly for the deer we hit, thinking it was coming straight into the windshield. Hit it on left front but the impact pushed the truck to the side. The tires got caught in the drainage ditch and then threw the truck back on the road. Then we went over the embankment other side.
For the simple cost of 4$ it is worth a try. Maybe someone else might experiment like we have. Our family has noticed that the high pitch sound gets the animals attention and they stop moving.
Do we feel safer not really but that's what a stronger bumper does.
Do we think it may help, its still a experiment in progress.

 

[greentruck]

Buy the whistles, but also buy the bumper. Just one hit minimized by our ARB made it worth the investment. Turns out those yellow barrels don't react to whistles, in any case, but the ARB proved its value.