Avoiding Hitting Deer?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 11,772
Likes: 41,407
From: Marion NC / Lake Norman NC / Panama City Fla
FWIW - Those deer whistles are worthless gadgets. It takes little time for the tiny hole in them to get clogged with dirt and debris. Thus rendering them useless.
I often ask my riding partner, who has them on his Triumph scooter, how often he actually cleans them. And not just by hitting it with a hose while cleaning the bike. He never has. Most don't service them.
If I thought they worked, I'd use them, as I have three confirmed kills to my credit.
Two with a car and one with a motorcycle. Two more and I reach Ace status. And Then I get to wear a white neck scarf. Or a body bag.............
Deer are nothing but hooved I.E.D.'s.
I often ask my riding partner, who has them on his Triumph scooter, how often he actually cleans them. And not just by hitting it with a hose while cleaning the bike. He never has. Most don't service them.
If I thought they worked, I'd use them, as I have three confirmed kills to my credit.
Two with a car and one with a motorcycle. Two more and I reach Ace status. And Then I get to wear a white neck scarf. Or a body bag.............
Deer are nothing but hooved I.E.D.'s.
I have no experience with it nor can I vouch for its effectiveness but the Old Man Pat, the guy who just broke the long distance motorcycle record and Hoka Hey member said he has used these and believes they help deter deer from entering the road.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 4,251
Likes: 3,132
From: Texas
As Garry Sr said, seeing is key. If you're riding at night with a little 5 3/4" halogen headlight, you're not seeing much of anything. Put on some Denali D4 driving lights, and it'll light up the world and you'll have a much better chance of seeing them.
Slow down when in deer country, it gives you so many more options. If you're going 50, you can see, react, and stop in about 200 feet. If you're going 70, that nearly doubles (about 350 feet). And if you do end up hitting one, the impact energy is drastically less at the slower speed. If you hit a deer at 50 mph, it's bad. If you hit it at 70, it's so much worse. And think about those numbers: if it takes 200 feet to stop from 50, and 350 feet to stop from 70, that means it takes 150 feet to just slow down from 70 to 50. So imagine there's a deer about 150 feet away: if you're going 70 when you spot it, the best case scenario is you'll hit that thing full on at 50 mph and there will be deer blood and guts and human blood and flesh splayed all over the highway. BUT, if you were going 50, you'll be practically stopped by the time you reach that deer. You could stop, pet it, give it a carrot, then kick it in the *** to get it off the road. Speed matters a whole lot.
If you really don't want to risk it, get a SoundBomb Mini and lock the horn button down. Deer don't seem to care about headlights or car traffic, but they'll take off running away if they hear the slightest unexpected sound, so a blaring noise a hell of a lot louder than a deer whistle should keep 'em away. Won't earn you any friends, but if you believe you're in danger, some pre-emptive honking might clear your path.
Slow down when in deer country, it gives you so many more options. If you're going 50, you can see, react, and stop in about 200 feet. If you're going 70, that nearly doubles (about 350 feet). And if you do end up hitting one, the impact energy is drastically less at the slower speed. If you hit a deer at 50 mph, it's bad. If you hit it at 70, it's so much worse. And think about those numbers: if it takes 200 feet to stop from 50, and 350 feet to stop from 70, that means it takes 150 feet to just slow down from 70 to 50. So imagine there's a deer about 150 feet away: if you're going 70 when you spot it, the best case scenario is you'll hit that thing full on at 50 mph and there will be deer blood and guts and human blood and flesh splayed all over the highway. BUT, if you were going 50, you'll be practically stopped by the time you reach that deer. You could stop, pet it, give it a carrot, then kick it in the *** to get it off the road. Speed matters a whole lot.
If you really don't want to risk it, get a SoundBomb Mini and lock the horn button down. Deer don't seem to care about headlights or car traffic, but they'll take off running away if they hear the slightest unexpected sound, so a blaring noise a hell of a lot louder than a deer whistle should keep 'em away. Won't earn you any friends, but if you believe you're in danger, some pre-emptive honking might clear your path.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 466
Likes: 472
From: Chicago
As its been said, slow down, constantly scan, and avoid riding at the peak times of their activity, and if you cant, be extra vigilant. Add riding lights. The more you light up the road the better. And yeah if you see one theres probably more. Long ago I tried those deer whistles. I think they were worthless. Any dog I rode by didnt move a muscle and I had to think if the whistle would affect a deer it would get some response from a dog. Lifes a risk.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,019
Likes: 1,469
From: Black Hills of SD
Now that was funny - And true. Snap,,,,,gone....
I like to look out the front windows at night while we watch the stupid Boob Tube. I use a flashlight to look and see if any deer are out front.
I get up, walk over, and turn on my flashlight - HOLY HELL ! A HUGE buck jumped, I mean reared up, and I jumped too! He was right at the edge of the front porch - Damn ! Big guy !
I like to look out the front windows at night while we watch the stupid Boob Tube. I use a flashlight to look and see if any deer are out front.
I get up, walk over, and turn on my flashlight - HOLY HELL ! A HUGE buck jumped, I mean reared up, and I jumped too! He was right at the edge of the front porch - Damn ! Big guy !
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,281
Likes: 3,419
From: Idaho Panhandle
Where I live, we are overrun with whitetail deer and turkeys. Riding at dusk or dawn is most risky, but with vigilance and speed control, I’m not worried. At night, the turkeys are roosting, so it’s just deer. That takes a special awareness and good lighting. I prefer halogen to led to see deer or deer eyes at night. While LEDs are brighter, I see deer heads and bodies faster and earlier with halogen on high beam. Must be color balance or difference in background reflection between the two light sources. I put my halogen back in as I love leaving at 4 AM or arriving home late at night.
in the rural roads of Idaho, Washington and Montana, at night I’ll often fall in behind a fast vehicle and use them to plow the road. This is especially helpful when we are the only two vehicles on that road.
Of my two close calls, one was a herd of elk on a blind corner and the other at 11:00 PM at 70 on the freeway, having practiced emergency swerves and braking saved my ***, my bike and my desire to ride at night. When you have no time to think, your immediate reaction better be the correct one.
Oh, did I say, I hate deer unless it’s what is being served for dinner. Or, the only good deer is one in the freezer.
in the rural roads of Idaho, Washington and Montana, at night I’ll often fall in behind a fast vehicle and use them to plow the road. This is especially helpful when we are the only two vehicles on that road.
Of my two close calls, one was a herd of elk on a blind corner and the other at 11:00 PM at 70 on the freeway, having practiced emergency swerves and braking saved my ***, my bike and my desire to ride at night. When you have no time to think, your immediate reaction better be the correct one.
Oh, did I say, I hate deer unless it’s what is being served for dinner. Or, the only good deer is one in the freezer.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
Noise must be why you never see a deer carcass on the highway. Too much traffic noise for them. Same with noisy diesel trucks and such, they never hit a deer.
Naw, when it comes to running into deer, or being run into by a deer, I know of no absolutes or guarantees. Just things that seem to help.
On an oddball note, I did have a truck once some years ago that seemed to attract deer. Never hit one with it. But that was a vehicle I'd regularly see deer from the front, heading towards it. Over and over again. It's like it made a sound that called them in. Only vehicle I ever had that did that.
Naw, when it comes to running into deer, or being run into by a deer, I know of no absolutes or guarantees. Just things that seem to help.
On an oddball note, I did have a truck once some years ago that seemed to attract deer. Never hit one with it. But that was a vehicle I'd regularly see deer from the front, heading towards it. Over and over again. It's like it made a sound that called them in. Only vehicle I ever had that did that.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,604
Likes: 4,045
From: Virginia
Good advice here, only thing i would add is if you see one on the side of the road, stop if you can for a minute or two because deer always travel in groups.
Slow down.
Eye's scanning both sides of the road.
Try not to ride eve and daybreak.
Slow down.
Watch the cars in front of you for any odd movement.
Curves - always careful on bends and blind curves.
Slow down.
Hand and foot light on the brakes.
Finger on the clutch lever.
They say not to try and swerve to miss - BS, if you have good reflexes, quickly evaluate and try to avoid. Your skill level determines whether that is an option. I have had many close calls, but never hit a deer or large animal. I plan to try and keep it that way. Had some close calls with turkey dropping down from tree's in the morning - watch for them too.
You can only do so much, but those are the things that come to mind since you asked.
Eye's scanning both sides of the road.
Try not to ride eve and daybreak.
Slow down.
Watch the cars in front of you for any odd movement.
Curves - always careful on bends and blind curves.
Slow down.
Hand and foot light on the brakes.
Finger on the clutch lever.
They say not to try and swerve to miss - BS, if you have good reflexes, quickly evaluate and try to avoid. Your skill level determines whether that is an option. I have had many close calls, but never hit a deer or large animal. I plan to try and keep it that way. Had some close calls with turkey dropping down from tree's in the morning - watch for them too.
You can only do so much, but those are the things that come to mind since you asked.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 2,057
From: Phoenix
Ride really fast so you can get past them before they can get to the road 😄.
Just kidding of course.
A lot of good advice above.
Stay alert, watch for movement, when there's one there's usually more, the more lights the better, follow an automobile, watch for brake lights or erratic behavior of vehicles ahead of you, and animal eyes reflect light so watch for reflectors that could be animals.
Just kidding of course.
A lot of good advice above.
Stay alert, watch for movement, when there's one there's usually more, the more lights the better, follow an automobile, watch for brake lights or erratic behavior of vehicles ahead of you, and animal eyes reflect light so watch for reflectors that could be animals.