# Do deer whistles actually work? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** ford, expedition\ **Created:** [February 6, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964 "2011-02-06T14:13:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/1 "2011-02-06T14:13:00Z")
Hitting deer or elk is my greatest concern driving in the middle of the night. Is there enough ram air to make them whistle? High frequencies quickly attenuate in air. Are they even heard far enough ahead to have an effect? Thank you. Robert ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/2 "2011-02-06T14:27:50Z")
Here is one car talk discussion. [http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/1842809.page](http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/1842809.page) ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/3 "2011-02-06T17:53:19Z")
Thanks, H2Oboy. ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/4 "2011-02-06T18:37:23Z")
No, they’re utterly useless. They’re dangerous, in my opinion, because people who use them THINK they might work, and perhaps are lulled into a false sense of security. The only protection is vigilance, a clean windshield, bright headlights, and driving as slow as possible. What else helps is driving a tank. ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/5 "2011-02-06T18:53:10Z")
In my 43 years of driving, I have never hit an elephant. Works so well at repelling elephants that “I ain’t never even seenone, neither.” Do these whistles even whistle? Seems like ram air would not do it. I should invent DEER LIGHTS to better reflect light from staring deer. (I actually mean that.) ---
**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/6 "2011-02-06T19:35:24Z")
unless the deer are looking directly at you you will not see their eye shine very well. forget about deer when you are in moose country… there’s one big animal. ---
**Author:** ![DfromSD](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dfromsd/32/1669_2.png) [@DfromSD](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DfromSD)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/7 "2011-02-06T19:39:43Z")
While it may be impossible to completely eliminate the threat, the best way to avoid collisions is to slow down & be alert. Use high beams when there is no oncoming traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/8 "2011-02-06T19:40:30Z")
I’ve never seen a moose. My moose whistles work very well! Have not learned of any moosencounters in Colorado. ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/9 "2011-02-06T20:43:23Z")
I have seen the lights of critters eyes including deer to avoid a collision. I have no experience with moose, except while setting up camp in Yellowstone. A large brown body coming right towards our campsite as we were setting up. Ran to the car locked ourselves in (in retrospect a lot of good that would do) thinking it must be a bear, as a moose ended up walking through our camp site. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/10 "2011-02-06T21:03:06Z")
It’s one of those false proofs. How do you know if it never happens. I have some electronic pest devices in my garage. I don’t see the pests and and assume it works. The first time I start seeing rodents, I know it doesn’t. They’re cheap. Put a couple on your bumpers. If you hit a deer, get back to us. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/11 "2011-02-06T21:31:49Z")
No one can prove they do or do not work. But, in a former job as an insurance appraiser I have photographed several deer whistles attached to wrecked vehicles that were clogged with deer hair. The point is they might work but obviously not all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/12 "2011-02-06T22:20:25Z")
I’d like to connect my oscilloscope to a microphone to see if they even whistle. High frequencies do not travel far in air. Deer and elk would hear the engine and vehicle noise first. Better would be the sound of a predator from a speaker. But that may panic them to flee into the vehicle’s path. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/13 "2011-02-06T22:48:13Z")
They’ve been invented. They’re called PIAA driving lights. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/14 "2011-02-06T22:52:32Z")
If the deer whistles are hard for the deer or elk to hear, someone needs to come up with a high frequency hearing aid for the deer and elk. Then these animals would hear the whistles and stay out of the way of the cars. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/15 "2011-02-06T22:53:45Z")
“Do deer whistles actually work?” It has been proven that they do absolutely nothing… ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/16 "2011-02-06T23:07:47Z")
That begs the question would not the deer or elk hear a car coming? Me being a human having less sensitive hearing than a deer can still hear a car coming early enough to be alerted. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/17 "2011-02-07T04:42:42Z")
Just to be a wise guy, as usual, the doppler effect would produce higher sounds depending on the speed traveled, with respect to the deer you were approaching. In that case, how would you ever calibrate the appropriate frequency, if there even was one. That makes me eVen more skeptical about their practicality. ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 12:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/18 "2011-02-07T12:46:58Z")
Interesting. Is there a link? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Bladecutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bladecutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bladecutter)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/19 "2011-02-07T21:21:01Z")
Predators don’t make any sound until they are attacking the prey. BC. ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964/20 "2011-02-07T21:28:39Z")
I could play a recording of wolf howls over the siren speakers. Maybe sound like Ghostbusters! [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-deer-whistles-actually-work/60964.md?page=2)