Tripod Deer Feeders, which one to buy?

[Fox]

Let me start out by saying that using a deer feeder is legal in Ontario and all it does is keep deer in the area.

Now, what feeders have people used and been happy with? We are looking at a Moultrie 30 gal that uses AA batteries, just a slightly less expensive unit to see how this works on our property. The plan was for food plots but the ground is so acidic we have to invest in AG lime first and for the next year or two that is out of the question.

Thoughts?

 

[huntingfish]

Tagged: Great question.

For those that have had success with feeders, do you have to leave it on the property all year long? Can you simply put it up once the field have been harvested?

Cheers

 

[Fox]

Tagged: Great question.

For those that have had success with feeders, do you have to leave it on the property all year long? Can you simply put it up once the field have been harvested?

Cheers

We just have a meadow, nothing grows there but evergreens and moss it seems, minimal grass. I had deer coming in to the camera to corn and other bait but only at night, hoping a times feeder will get them coming in during daylight hours.

 

[mnr]

The answer to this depends entirely on how many bear you have in the area and what time of year you start feeding. I likely could not use a tripod feeder in my area unless I installed taller legs that would make it a PITA to fill up, or waited until November to start putting food in it.

Through lots of trial and error (including broken feeders, pictures of a bear 20' up a tree swatting at a feeder out on a limb and managing to snag + break it, photos of 8 bear at the bait at once all night, etc), the solution I've settled on is using a 55 gallon drum with a lid + funnel on the inside, electronic timer kit, suspending it on a tree using a bracket I welded up, and using with a hand crank boat winch to raise/lower it - bracket is 2" x 2" square steel tubing angled up at about 30 degrees, 8 feet long, with plastic pipe over it to spin if something tries to climb out to it, and attaches to the tree with a ratchet strap. Lasts all season and is perfect for helping define movement.

Deer coming in only at night is likely a symptom of a larger issue (habitat in the local area as it relates to cover/browse, feeder is installed in the middle of a large open clearing, and pressure). Changing the time settings may not have as large of an effect as you figure without other things also falling into place.

 

[Fox]

The answer to this depends entirely on how many bear you have in the area and what time of year you start feeding. I likely could not use a tripod feeder in my area unless I installed taller legs that would make it a PITA to fill up, or waited until November to start putting food in it.

Through lots of trial and error (including broken feeders, pictures of a bear 20' up a tree swatting at a feeder out on a limb and managing to snag + break it, photos of 8 bear at the bait at once all night, etc), the solution I've settled on is using a 55 gallon drum with a lid + funnel on the inside, electronic timer kit, suspending it on a tree using a bracket I welded up, and using with a hand crank boat winch to raise/lower it - bracket is 2" x 2" square steel tubing angled up at about 30 degrees, 8 feet long, with plastic pipe over it to spin if something tries to climb out to it, and attaches to the tree with a ratchet strap. Lasts all season and is perfect for helping define movement.

Deer coming in only at night is likely a symptom of a larger issue (habitat in the local area as it relates to cover/browse, feeder is installed in the middle of a large open clearing, and pressure). Changing the time settings may not have as large of an effect as you figure without other things also falling into place.

1 bear has come in to the camera at the corn/apple baits over 3 years.

The deer seem to come out and destroy the bait at night, my thought was to have them compete with the squirrels and time things, do this through the summer and into the fall.

 

[blargon]

Squirrels and racoons will chew through a plastic one. I can prove it.

 

[remyltr]

I have used a 45 gallon plastic drum for a feeder.
Cut a square hole in the top
Attach a piece of plywood on a hinge and bungee cord over to keep the pesky
Squirrels and raccoons out

Now only on the “front” side bottom of the barrel drill 1/2 dozen one inch and quarter diameter holes
Just an inch above the bottom rim of the barrel.
Don’t do all the way around the barrel.

You now need two same diameter logs or a couple
Pieces of 4x2.
Find a bait spot
Put down the logs/4x2s
Place barrel on top
Big Ratchet strap and strap it to the tree.
Lift up lid and fill with grain

Works a treat
Pigs moose elk deer will feed from it
The 1 1/4 holes keeps them at the barrel
They have to lick the bait out

 

[Steyr101]

I’ve just started looking into this as well.

Although we have lots of bears in our area (in Quebec) we rarely see them.

Looked at the Moutrie and Wildgame innovations tripod feeders, and the reviews are iffy at best. Seems like pretty flimsy units, and the electronics don’t last apparently.

So, that leaves a homemade unit. As mentioned above, it can get pretty elaborate to keep out bears and other critters. Gotta start someone though.

Found this online that I’d like to adapt.. likely sink the posts into some concrete to make it harder to tip over.

Can anyone recommend a quality feeding assembly? Seems the Moultrie units have terrible reviews, Wildgame innovations seems slightly better.

Has anyone found other alternatives for sale in Canada? Boss Buck seems like a quality unit?