Feeders - timed or gravity

For those of you who use feeders (primarily in winter) do you use times feeders or gravity feeders?

What is the capacity on your feeder and how long does that last?

Are you in high density deer areas or low?


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We use gravity flow Bossbuck feeders, 350# and it will last one to two weeks depending on how hard they hit it, filled to the point of running over. Goal is to have one per 100 acres. We're in a Eastern KS so a fairly high deer density.

We've had a couple of the bossbuck feeders break or quality control issues with the last order we received. I love them and didn't have any trouble but the other part time helper moved some around on the far property some time back and said two were broken when he opened the boxes. I have a feeling they were handled a bit rough either in shipping or out of my sight so I don't know. Feeders have some weak points that should probably be web reinforced but like I said, I have run 7 of them for over a year and never had any problems with the ones I set up.

Just to put that out there for everyone. I've not contacted the company yet.

 

We use both gravity and spinners. We go through alot more feed in the gravity feeders. We set the spinners for three times a day at 6 sec a run. We set our spinners low. Deer can eat directly off the spinner. Its a means of them getting to eat any time they want but limits them to how fast they can eat it. Keeps them at the feeder much longer.

I like the gravity feeders as there is really no maintenance. At the same time it also depends what you are going to feed.

I was in the blind with my boy late season and had a big group of does come in. The feeder was all but empty. They would smack the crap out of the hopper with their hoofs. Every time one of them did this a little more feed would drop on the spinner This went on for 2 hours....

 

Yeah see I have pros and cons for both...

I don't want the deer to have stomach problems from too much corn with the gravity

Don't want there to be too little corn to help with a timed

Don't want to fill it every 2 weeks with a gravity

Don't want to pay for a timed when I can make a gravity for almost free


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We run 2 boss buck 350# feeders. We feed a mix of pellets and corn the majority of the time but every once in awhile I will mix corn and soybeans. Our deer density is fairly high in SE Indiana so it lasts about 2-3 weeks right now. The Boss bucks seem to work great for us. We used to use 2 Moultrie spinners but they couldn't hold as much and after awhile we started to have issues with the spinner not working unless a fully charged battery was in it.

 

On my farm I run timed feeders all spring & summer. They work decent, mine go off at 6:00am. The deer come roughly around 7:00am every morning on camera.

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I won't feed until end of the season and I'll stop slowly around April may


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That's because they both have pro's and con's.

If you have local corn fields that deer eat residue off of during winter, they won't have stomach issues from feeders anyway.

? not sure what this means.

Fill it when you feel like it. They'll just have to wait until it's refilled.

Cheapskate

I ran timed spinners for years, I loath the PITA's. Always battery issues, if not batteries it's the motors or the timers. Hard to get them to throw the correct amount of grain out, too much and it goes to waste, too little...turkeys and blackbirds may get it before deer show up.


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I meant with a times feeder only so much corn goes out, if it's gone it's gone and some deer won't get any so they won't come back? That's my thought atleast.
We have corn foodplots in other areas of the farm so maybe that won't be a problem. I think they have plenty of food I would just like to try and see which bucks make it through wintee


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I like timed feeders because you don't have to keep filling the feeder and you can stay out the area more. But if you have hog issues the against the tree gravity feeders are a must. Just a PVC 4in pipe with a cap and 90' on the bottom will hold a 1/2 bag of corn and might last a week but the hog wont mess with it. Louisiana/Mississippi Hog problems are getting worse than before so ya have to do what you have to.

 

Oh got ya. Yeah same thing I remarked about there at the last. I've been far and away happier with the gravity feeders. The only other interesting thing I've seen is a nudge feeder, they have a stick that protrudes out the bottom and when the deer nudge it, it moves and drops out some corn (feed). No idea how long it would take for deer to learn to use them though.

 

I use homemade feeders like this

 

Booner I like the idea but I fear only 10% of the corn will go to the deer where I'm at...


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Coons that bad?.....golden malrin will fix that.....

 

Will the deer get into that Golden Malrin....??

 

I put it a ways away from my feeder. Or up in the fork of a tree about head high. Ive never had deer get into it...at least I've never found any dead ones nearby...as fast as it kills coons I don't think they would make it far. Idk...I don't think the coke/pepsi I mix the stuff with would attract deer like it does coons

 

Coons squirrels turkeys pheasants deer birds


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Coons and turkeys are my biggest problem when it comes to stealing from feeders. I shoot the coons when I can when I'm bowhunting.

 

Do not use Golden Malrin to kill coons. Trap them or hunt them. I'm not sure if the law strictly forbids the use to kill coons (or any unwanted animal) but using poison does not represent the hunting community in the way we want to be represented.

All it will be used for is to fuel the fire of anti-hunters.

There is a BIG difference between hunters and killers. Find another way to rid your coon population.

 

Doesnt have anything to do with being a hunter. I do the same thing when they get in my chicken house...or my sweet corn in the garden...or my horse feed....they're a nuisance. I deal with them as such.