Deer Feeder recommendations

[moosedog]

I was looking at getting a automatic deer feeder. I've been eye balling the Moultrie 30 Gal Pro Feeder.
Any experience with these?

 

[msinc]

No, I dont have any experience with automatic feeders. The purpose of the auto feeders as I understand it is to kick out a certain amount of food at a certain time. This is supposed to get the animal you want to hunt/observe coming to the feeder at a certain time {that you set.} The guys I know that have them say it's not that simple. A lot of other animals eat the same things but they are not all as aggressive as some. What I have seen from my feeders is that just about everything will run deer off, especially squirrels and turkeys. So, the timed feeding dont work too good. I use PVC pipe "corn trees" they are cheap, no batteries {gravity feed} and the animals really use them, They do a better job of keeping game around because they can eat whenever they're not challenged and eat anytime they want. In areas where there are not a lot of animals to run the deer off they will very typically hit the feeders at dawn and dusk. They work as good and sometimes better in the woods as they do in a field or food plot.

 

[HCF]

I use PVC gravity feeders as well, no maintenance.

 

[setxn]

Not a fan of plastic housings due to varmints and durability. Moultrie electronics seem to be as good as any now a days. A rechargeable battery and solar charger are a real plus especially in cold weather. 30 gal(200lbs.) should be plenty unless you can't fill it periodically. Pipe feeders are almost zero maintenance for sure, but around here the pigs will clean you out overnight and corn is to expensive . Out in Central Texas you can add corn thieving cows to the hogs and you almost have to post an armed guard or build a sturdy feeder pen.

 

[Rangerpat]

I have Castaway feeders (Deer feeders and game feeders, Castaway Feeders) and Texas Hunter Products game feeder motors on my 55 gal. drum feeders that I built. You can check out their websites to get a good idea of excellent quality feeders. I've had black bears pull the spinner plates down so that the corn would fall out, but the plates were easy to either fix or replace. I moved the feeders higher off of the ground and that fixed my bear problem.

 

[moosedog]

I've seen neighbors use PVC feeders and the coons eat as much as the deer.
Got to keep critters out of the mix.

 

[HCF]

The gravity feeder is nice 5 gallon bucket with PVC pipe, hang it off the ground of course an when deer nudge the pipe it will drop feed. Plenty of how to if you Google.