Unpredictable for sure. I've had deer standing in my front yard bolt off as my wife walked past a window inside the house. Others will stand and watch me mow the yard. I've seen two or three deer in a group take off while others just stand in the field, or continue eating.

 

The only device I've seen work on getting deer to turn tail and run every time is the horn on a locomotive. 13 yrs and countless horses, cows,dogs,cats and a few people, I've never hit a deer. Might be kinda hard to mount one though.

 

I had to stop one night in the middle of the highway. This buck was just standing there looking at me. I yelled "get the f$%ck out of the road!" he then trotted off into the wood. Wife asked me how I saw him. I said I could see his beady eyes from a quarter mile away.

 

Hey, if it works for you I'm gonna try it. Just back from a Co. Wy. trip and deer were a constant worry. Saw some standing eating at the shoulder, I slowed way down and no reaction on their part. Had a group from here riding to Sturgis last year and a deer jumped on the front fender of one of the trailing bikes sending rider and passenger to the hospital. Unpredictable is right

 

Just got home yesterday from a 3,800 mile ride from Austin, Yellowstone.
Red Lodge, Devils Tower, Sturgis and back to Austin.

Had 8 encounters with single deer (only saw one deer, maybe more) and a group of 8 to 10.
They were all within 10 feet of the road on our side.. two motorcycles.

Within 30 to 50 yards they looked straight at us...turned the other direction and ran.....

And YES,, I have Deer Alerts installed....
and no, maybe "I" can't verify that it was the Deer Alerts that
alerted them to us... but for $12.00 I will continue to install them
on my bike as long as I ride a motorcycle.

Or maybe it was just God protecting us...did say a few prayers on the trip
after my horn crapped out the first day of the trip and had no way to alert cagers...

 

I spend a lot of time riding the Blue Ridge Parkway and have had many encounters/close calls with both deer and turkey. I have dodged a few and had some close calls but I always keep close to the speed limit and on constant alert. One good thing to say about em' is they sure are tasty!!!!

 

we have deer everywhere down here, my experience is you don't have a clue what the little bastards are gonna do. some guys use the deer whistles some don't I've never seen any results different with 'em or without. Just slow way down ( when you see them) & hope for the best.I play my radio loud as hell ... does it work ??? have had deer stop, turn & go the other way & bolt right out in front of me so I'm guessing no doesn't work anymore than anything else.

 

Deers, Geese, Goats, Squirrels, Turkey buzzards, Turtles, Snakes, Bears. Come close but have not hit any yet. But bicyclers and their little spandex shorts, I've smashed into a few.

 

I've came across thousands of deer and "to date" haven't hit one. Now when i started driving big trucks, an old timer told me to "TRY" to act like i don't even see the deer(unless it is running toward the road)! He claimed that even letting off the throttle would make enough of a change in sound to "spook" a deer. Now if it's already running, letting off the throttle(or hitting the horn) would likely make the deer STOP. These tips served me well in a big truck, however on a bike....it's a bigger gamble! If i think i can get slowed down in time...i do!

 

The only tried and true method of getting a deer to run, put it in your crosshairs, and preload the trigger,,,I dont know what they hear, but works everytime.....lol