Coon Proof Deer Feeder

[NoCams]

HI Guys,
Want to build a few deer feeders for supplement as well as camera sites for pics next summer. Anyone have any ideas for a feeder that will keep the feed dry and as much out of reach of the coons ? Don't mind feeding a few squirrels, I know it is next to impossible to keep them out.

Seems like I remember some made out of PVC pipe ? Any ideas and plans out there ?

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[jacobsladder]

this is not the best link to make one but it gives you a good idea...

basically take a 5 gallon bucket with lid..cut a 2-3" hole in bottom...run a 10" pc of 3/4" pvc up thru the hole from the bottom inside the bucket..now put a "t" fitting on the 10" pc...hang the bucket within deer reach...the deer will learn to nuzzle the pvc dowel and a few kernels will drop at a time..the feed stays dry and this system works slick and is cheap.. the deer will kick the crap out of the bucket if you let it go empty...

   http://www.whitetaildeer-management-and-hunting.com/bucket-deer-feeder.html  

if you look in the bottom right of this pic you can see a camo bucket hanging in my back yard...has a yellow platic dowl hanging...they work slick...

 

[BobinTN]

I made a PVC pipe feeder but it worked like the bucket feeder above.  Basically it was a 4-inch PVC about 36" long.  A flat cap on top that can be pulled off (to add food) and a round cap on the bottom.  I drilled a hole in the round cap at the bottom that I stuck an old aluminum arrow through.  Near the top I drilled a hole across the diameter of the pipe.  I stuck  a coat hanger wire through.  The wire attached to the aluminum arrow, I forget how and went out the other side.  I used 2 bungee cords to attach to the tree.  The hole in the bottom is just big enough that when the arrow is jiggled the food falls out.  The deer had no problem learning to paw at the arrow to shake more food out.  The top cap is pulled off to add food.
It works well for me.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

get a 5 gallon bucket w/lid. Drill a .5" hole in the center of the bottom of the bucket. Get a dowl .25" and drill a hole though the dowl and place a nail to hole the dowl in place. Dowl should be just high enuff so the deer can hit it with their head, but coons, hogs can't get it down.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

P.S. hang it from a tree limb. The lid keeps it dry.

[GrnMtnTradNut]

Shoot the coons! they make good practice, and fur to play with on projects like quivers and hats.

[NoCams]

Guys,
I read up on the bucket / dowel setup and seems like it does not work too well. Not enough usage by deer that are not smart enough to use the dowel. Also showed coons had chewed the dowel almost in two.

The more me and Mason talked about it we finally come up with a good idea..... We will most likely build the PVC tube feeder that Bob suggested except we will just put a 90 degree elbow on the bottom and not worry about the coons. After we feed for a few weeks we will then let the feeder run dry and set up a box trap with sardines, ( read dessert to a coon ), so we can get rid of the masked bandits !!! We will take them to friends of ours that coon hunt and turn them loose so they can run their dogs.

I am also open to more ideas so keep them coming ! Thanks tradgangers.


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[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

Well, you pretty much just nailed my idea. That's a cheap, simple and effective set-up.  You can build two of these tube style feeders for about $15. Same set up I use.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Sorry I forgot to add... on the other end of the dowel, rub some molasses or peanut butter on it... the smell will get the deer to hit the dowel and drop the corn....


 

Also showed coons had chewed the dowel almost in two.

then it was to low to the grown...

[Carbon Caster]

My dad made an ear corn feeder once that worked wonderfully.  The turkeys were scooping up all the corn from a regular feeder, so he had to find a way to get it just to the deer.  He took a section of metal tube(the top rail from a chain link fence we removed when installing a wood privacy fence for someone). and suspended it about 6 feet above the ground between two trees.  He then tied short strings to the pipe at 6" intervals with a 16 penny nail at the end of each string.  You would then "stab" an ear of corn on each nail and the deer would have to grab the ear with their teeth and pull it off to eat it.  Worked wonderfully well and it was sure funny watching the squirrels try to get to the corn.  LOL!!!  Of course, the deer would not always eat all the kernels off each cob they would pull down, so there were LOTS of corn cobs with a few kernels of corn up in the tops of MANY trees around there that the squirrels took up there to save for later.  BTW the deer learned quickly how the system worked.

[Stripstrike1]

IMHO there is no coon proof anything.  Unless it is floating in thin air they will find a way to get to it and get to the corn.  Dan Bonner on this site swears that they have learned how to push the test button on his electric feeders.

[swampbuck]

"IMHO there is no coon proof anything."

LOL thats why I started laughing when I saw the title...I gotta agree with ya on that one

hey anybody got a squirrel proof bird feeder      

Good luck

[Nakohe]

I had a supposedly varmit guard on mine and caught coons hanging on the ladder and scooping corn out of the spin plate with their hands in between the wire. They will find a way.

[Rice Spann]

And WHY are we feeding deer????  Did I miss something or are we not talking about "wild" creatures????
Rice

[Keuka]

I just finished an article in the New York State Conservationist Magazine on deer feaders and the spread of diseases like (CWD) chronic wasting disease. Good read!
It changed my mind about the benefits of feedig deer. Kind of like all the kids in school using the same drinking cup during flu season!

[NoCams]

burnbarrel,
Main reason is to get them in for their school picture, haha !!! The feeder is used in conjuction with a trail cam so I can see what kind of big bucks are eluding me.

Stripstrike1, that is tooooo funny. Can't you just imagine them masked bandits pushing the test button !!! Watched a video on Youtube that Ron LaClair had posted showing them stealing a rug thru the pet door of the house. Hilarious !!!

Got some 6" PVC pipe and to save a little more $$$ I think I will miter cut the pipe on a 45 degree angle and glue the ends together to form a 90. That way no 90 degree elbow to buy. Just have to buy the top cap. I will experiment with how long the short end of the " L " needs to be to keep the feed from running out.

Keuka, The reason I am building a feeder in the first place is to try to keep the feed dry and not moldy. I had heard that regular corn can make them sick if it is moldy. I am going to feed a deer feed from the local Farmer's COOP that is 18% protein. Maybe the coons, squirrels and crows will not be as attracted to it as they would regular corn ??? Got the deer's health at the top of my list. Sure would like to read that article though. Keep it coming guys......


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