Customer Reviews

Bell 22-1-01000-8 Deer Alert Black

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I grew up and currently live in an area where there are a lot of deer and in the fall and winter there are many car accidents because of deer. My grandparents and parents swore that deer whistles such as these can help prevent a car accident with deer. I know that there are many who are skeptical of the devices and there have been about 4-5 studies conducted that have concluded that the devices probably don't work. I can't argue with the results of the study (even though most of those studies'--3 out of the 5 I am aware of--conclusions were based on that false presumptions about the physiology and actual behavior of deer). However, no member in my family who has had these devices on their vehicle has ever been involved in an accident with a deer. My sister is the only person in our family to not have these devices on her cars and she has been involved in two accidents with deer. Personally, I have seen deer that were preparing the jump across the road stop and look around when I have approached. I also know that the county police and many state troopers who use deer whistles on their cars. They are an incredibly cheap investment (or decoration if you don't believe they do anything). Recommended for people who own a vehicle and live in an area of high deer population.

OK, as promised, I'm back a year later to amend my review to add that in the past year, I have had NO further problems with kamikaze deer leaping in front of me. The deer mating season has just ended and all is well. My experience has been that these things don't actually scare deer away (I don't think they ever promised to) but they do call the deer's attention to the fact that you are there. Most of the time they just stand staring at you calmly as you pass. Which is a lot better than dashing madly out in front of you like they usually do! I'm definitely recommending them to everyone (I also gave a pair to our mail-carrier, mentioned below, and I've put them on all my loved-ones' cars, too!)

---original review follows---

First of all: No device can ever be a substitute for being alert, paying attention to the road, and having fast reflexes while driving!

That said, however, when a 600 pound deer leaps out of the trees and lands ten feet in front of your bumper, there isn't really a lot you can do - it's over before your brain even registers that it happened.

After my truck was towed to the shop for extensive repairs (thank goodness nobody was hurt) (well, excepting the deer, of course) I had near misses with two more deer in as many weeks while driving a borrowed car. Since they were running across open fields this time, I was able to see them and stop in time - but even so, the second one actually ran smack into the front of the car even though I had brought it to a complete stop! That same week I encountered our mail-carrier driving a car with a very famliar-looking bashed-out front fender. She had the same story to tell: she had managed to bring her car to a complete stop and the stupid creature still ran smack into her car.

I felt like I was being stalked by giant vermin with hooves! I was a nervous wreck - I would slam on my brakes whenever a leaf blew across my headlights, and tan-colored mailboxes at the side of the road would make my heart stop.

SO I ordered a set of these "deer whistles" for every car in my family. Naturally everyone had heard that "they probably don't work" but I figured, for the price, it can't hurt to try anyway. Besides, they look kind of cool :) Oh, and for what it's worth, they are very easy to attach - no drilling is necessary.

I have not seen any suicidal deer heading for my vehicle since then, though that may just be a coincidence. However, I have noticed that the neighbors' dogs don't chase my car anymore. They just get very confused looks on their faces and gaze up at me sadly as I drive by. Also I have noticed that when driving past folks out riding their horses on the sides of the road, some of the horses dig in their heels and refuse to move until I am past (so if you are the young man who keeps kicking his horse when I drive by, thinking it's just being stubborn, I apologize. I just don't want to die with a lap full of glass and venison, so give your pony the benefit of the doubt - he's really being a good boy!)

I will definitely come back and post if ... I mean when! ... I get a chance to see how the whistles affect actual deer.

Surprisingly, this device works. I drove my Corvette in the Hill Country of Texas for years, and never had a problem.

Most everyone here hits a deer sooner or later.

It is my understanding the DPS (state police) use them.

Well, some people say these work and others say they don't. I have passed many deer and haven't hit one yet.

Had these about a year. The deer by the sides of the road don't run away, as far as I can tell, when I come by at speeds fast enough to make these work. But I haven't had one standing right in front of me lately, either.

I live in a very poppulated deer area and I saw 4 deer accidents right in front of my vehicle. I decided to buy those things from target, I mount them up after I bought them because I had to drive 100miles at 11PM. I'm doing this every week (65mph)and on that night it was the first time when I almost hit a deer, I stopped about 3 ft away from the deer and it didn't move at all. I don't know if the sound of the whistle makes the deer to freeze up on my lane or these things are not working at all.

I worked for the State of Virginia and had to report to duty at 6am. Since I've had my car in 06 I bought a pair of these plastic deer avoidance devices and installed them as directed. I have hit two deer with these on the car, the first one in 2007 and the second in 2009. The first hit didn't do any damage, but flipped a small deer in the air and it died upon landing on a guardrail. That was in the daylight on the way home at approx. 60 mph. The second was on the same Highway in Jan 09. It did 3K damage to the car and was a direct hit in foggy conditions. I did manage to slow down to about 35 on impact. I'm lucky the airbag didn't deploy, body shop said an inch more to the center from the passenger side would have totaled the vehicle. Do the electronic ones work? I have no idea however if they also do not work expect another truth review. This area is infested with deer along highways.

I have used this device for over 10 years in heavy deer country on my Mtrhome, SUV, Mazda trk, & now Toyota Tundra.......with no accidents! At night, twice this week, at Ft. Toulouse, Al, several deer (5) were romping and/or grazing along roadside when I approached in my Tundra. Each time they either "froze" or ran into the woods but never attempted to dart or even cross the road. NOTE: I have no financial interest in this product.......I'm just applying the "Golden Rule"!

We have used these for years and not had any animal incidents.
We purchased a new car and neglected to add deer alerts.
Our car was totaled with a moose incident 6 months later, so we are back to using the Alerts!

Service from this vendor was fine!

they work living in the sticks its nothing to 30 + deer at anytime of day . they just jump back to woods . got tired of body shop as did insurance company