Homemade wildlife feeders? *PICS ADDED*

Predator257Roy

New member
Has anyone made there own deer and hog feeders. Not talking pvc pipe and gravity. I'm thinking metal bins, steel or plastic 55 gal drums or something and getting the motor unit control panel spinny thing to mount to the bottom. It can't be too hard to make one. The cheaper ones you can buy look like cheap garbage, the good ones are too expensive! Has anyone made one themselves close to what I'm describing here? Homemade feeder pics anyone?
 
Last edited:
Very nice. Paint it tan and spray "Moultrie" on it and it's a $450 dolar unit. What did you use for the controller/dispenser/motor? I wa thinking of using the "On Time Tomahawk" unit if I made one. I like how you made the legs wide, looks very stabe and doesn't need extra bracing. How much do you have in time and materiels in it?
 
I can get metal 55 gal drums for $10 or 55 gal plastic pickle drums with a screw lid top for $25. Any suggestions? Metal drums can have the leg brackets welded to them I guess (is the metal too thin?) and the plastic ones would be drilled with bolts, nuts, and large washers to hold the brackets on, and some silicone to weatherproof the holes. Plastic doesn't rust and the drums looked real nice, especially with the screw on lid. Metal may be stronger as far as anchoring the legs and supporting 400lbs of feed. Any thoughts?
 
Around here if you use legs on a feeder, the hogs and cows will bang on the legs and empty it in a few nights. We swing them from a high limb, with a pulley and a cable. Only other option is to build a hog proof fence around the feeder.
 
Last edited:
No cows, but I have seen feeder legs secured to t-posts driven into the ground next to the legs and fastened to the feeder legs a couple feet off the ground. Would that not be hog proof. I plan on having some very happy hogs as I will be feeding distillery grains from Jack Daniels which is not too far from here...Don't reckon they will get rowdy and start tearing up my feeder do ya?
 
Look at the silver + controller from Magnum Hunting Products. About 60 of them running with no problems. And Squirrels will chew thru a plastic drum!!!
 
Originally Posted By: Predator257RoyVery nice. Paint it tan and spray "Moultrie" on it and it's a $450 dolar unit. What did you use for the controller/dispenser/motor? I wa thinking of using the "On Time Tomahawk" unit if I made one. I like how you made the legs wide, looks very stabe and doesn't need extra bracing. How much do you have in time and materiels in it?

I used a moultrie pro hunter feeder have pretty ggod luck with them I like metal drums so i can weld a 6" x 6" steel plate to mount legs to. You can alos put vasoline on the legs so raccoons and squirrels cant climb the legs.
 
Originally Posted By: Predator257RoySquirrels.....didn't think of them. Thanks!

I speak from experience!! LOL
300 lbs of corn wasted in 5 days. Got inside and knocked it all out of barrel
 

LOL. Put a camera on that. Will be fun to watch!!

Originally Posted By: Predator257RoyNo cows, but I have seen feeder legs secured to t-posts driven into the ground next to the legs and fastened to the feeder legs a couple feet off the ground. Would that not be hog proof. I plan on having some very happy hogs as I will be feeding distillery grains from Jack Daniels which is not too far from here...Don't reckon they will get rowdy and start tearing up my feeder do ya?
 
I was looking at Boss Buck too. I've heard of some reliability issues with ON Time. Really looking at the All Seasons "Hurcules". I'm thinking I'm better off spending a little more on a good controller so as to not have problems. The lease is 5.5 hours away, things need to work since I can't check on it too often.
 
I might try a couple Boss Buck. Wont know about reliability till hunting season though. Prolly put 2 out in June/July and see how they do into season. Looks solid in a metal box. Already use their covers and funnels.
 
Lots of fairly easy options, depends on your situation and what you want. Cheap easy "barrel" is a 20 gallon galvanized garbage can from the hardware store. Hang it with a programable timer/motor unit screwed to the bottom of it and you're done. Holds about 100 lbs of whole corn.

More elaborate set up would be be a 30 or 55 gallon steel barrel with programable timer screwed to the bottom of it. 30 gallon barrel holds 200 lbs of whole corn, 55 gal barrel holds 300+ lbs of corn. These large/hevy barrels require a sturdy support system such as steel legs or hung from a tall tripod frame or large tree limb with a boat winch and steel cable. Bolt on leg kits, motor/timer assemblies, and other accessories can be ordered online.

Coons are a problem to feeders. They can/will climb any leg and get to the corn. They will eat and spill a considerable amount of corn every night. I have seen as many as twelve coons at one feeder. They come and go all night. They can bite and chew on the motor, spinner plate, wiring, etc. Eliminating the coons is the only surefire way to protect the feeder. A dozen DP coon traps set around the feeder and along the coon trails leading to the feeder will get most of the coons in a couple of nights. Hanging the feeder on a cable and winch from a high limb is the most varmint resistant mode.

Running the timer/motor for 4 or 5 seconds will throw about 1 lb of corn. Do that morning and evening will throw approx 2 lbs each day. Double or triple that if coons are raiding the feeder. Most hunters run them 6 - 8 seconds twice a day to get more corn on the ground.

Good luck.

Dave


 
Last edited:
There must be a fine line between feeding and baiting. To me it looks the same. If you are fattening them up for harvest during deer season, what is the difference? These threads make me curious.
 
Carpet tack strips tie wrapped around legs will stop the coons from climbing the legs. 3-4 strips per leg all way around. Tender coon feet will leave it alone!!
 
I'm going the 55 gal drum route. Ordered a All Seasons controller today with battery, funnel, and solar panel. There was a lot of good things said on a Texas Hunting forum about All Seasons. Boss Buck and Monarch were also mentioned a lot. I'm going to have to see how it works....and how good or not so good my feeder turns out. I'm going to try to outsmart the coons one way or another. Dave1, you mentioned a bolt on leg kit. I was wondering how or what exactly I was going to do. Any links or names? I'm going to start searching, but if you know something, let me know. Otherwise my first source will be the scrap yard, followed by hardware/ supply store and I'm going to see what I can do.
 
I know there have been an idea or two for making the poles varmit/coon proof,and that's great, I appreciate it. I like to try to find other ways sometimes, better ways if possible to try stuff. I had thought about an inverted funnel on the legs to deter critters but was unsure of it being effective. So, I had another idea. Has anyone ever seen a coon or sqirrel climb pvc pipe? I'm thinking of adding a full length pvc pipe sleeve to the feeder legs. If my feeder pipe legs are 1 1/2" and I sleeve it with 2" pvc (unnattached), could a critter really grip that? what do you think? And better, since I can't make mt feeder till next week, somebody try it and set up a camera!
 
Back
Top