Feeders - timed or gravity

It has everything to do with being a hunter. This topic isn't new. As far as I know, this method isn't illegal, but in my opinion it should be.

Coons are nuisance as well as crows and squirrels, in my opinion, they all can wreak havoc. But poisoning them to "solve" your problem is the wrong way to go about it. Trap them or hunt them. Again, this can misrepresent the hunting community. How's the motto go again? "Preserving for future generations"?

How in the world can you teach a kid (or anyone that is new to hunting) that preserving land and animals are essential. Then turn right around and label what's inconvenient for you as pests, thus justifying poisoning them. It's foolish.

To reiterate, this is my opinion. As far as it goes, it isn't illegal. But it is a direct misuse of content that is meant to kill flies. Just think about how something represents hunters (already scrutinized enough) as a whole.

 

I respect your opinion but totally disagree with it. I've never resorted to the poison method, always trap just because I'm scared to death my dogs or cats may get into it. I don't see it as being any different from trapping an animal and shooting it in the head. Dead is dead and with fur markets the way they are, they aren't of much use for anything.

They are a nuisance and while I would not agree with wiping them all out, they need to be controlled in some form or fashion. Coons, based on my experiences, are pretty much the main culprit with the loss of game birds (along with opossums and skunks), they predate on fawns and carry disease. There is no glory in advocating for animal rights for an over populated nuisance species from an environmental standpoint.

 

You're right in the standpoint that coons are predators, are nuisances, and some places over populated (for what some hunters want).

But this discussion has absolutely nothing to do with what right an animal has,, I assure you. Animals are for us to be used by us. Coons do need to be controlled, that's what trapping and hunting is for.

The point is the method. For an example, NC law has a season for killing coons by trapping and night hunting, like every other state. Our law doesn't allow more than 3 coons a day but has no season limit. Trapping and shooting are different from poison by the ability to control how many are being killed. A can of poison isn't going to seal itself after 3 coons are killed. Again, that's NC law. Some states might not have a day limit.

But I see where you and I possibly differ. I use everything I kill. If I don't intend to us it, I don't kill it, nuisance or not. That goes for coyote, beaver, muskrat, whatever. Fur market doesn't really pertain to me, I like having a collection of fur. The left over meat is used to baiting coyote, foxes, and more coons.

I can see both sides of the argument. But poisoning the coons just does not sit right with me.


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Good discussion, thanks.
No, poisoning doesn't sit well with me either....exactly but then again I feel like crap for shooting a coon in a live trap. I hate it and it pains me to do it however I realize that if conventional means provided legally and acceptably by the authorities isn't going to provide a realistic chance at keeping rampant coon populations from causing harm to property and other wildlife then I can certainly man up and do what's needed be it poison or trap. I use rodent poison because they are a nasty critter that cannot be allowed to overpopulate unchecked and destroy my property...I see a coon as no different.

Walking into a pheasant pen a few times and finding coons have killed a few thousand dollars worth of birds gives one a different perspective. I wouldn't wish them all wiped out but I sure wouldn't complain if they were held back to sustainable levels.

 

Yes, very good discussion.

In my area we are finally starting to get a turkey population. Coon's are arguably turkey's top predator, so I completely understand the dislike for coons and even opossums. (I probably dislike opossums more, since they're so ugly. At least coons have a pretty pelt and markings haha). I now keep the coon/opossum count in line by trapping, which I really enjoy. I use to hunt coons with my redbone, but since quit after getting rid of him.

I said all that to say, (what you mentioned) killing rodents(mice in particular) in the house/barn I may would consider poison if the population was such that the barn cats couldn't keep them in control. So, probably where my dislike for the idea of poison being used for coons (assuming there's no local law restricting the daily count) is that they're another game animal to me, while still being a pest in certain cases.

I've had to put "coon" cages around my corn feeder because the coons will literally sit and spin the wheel until it's all gone. That really can make the corn go quick.

 

Damn coons!!

I didn't read the entire thread Moose - Assuming you just want to use for inventory purposes?


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Apologize for changing up the discussion.

I use both, gravity and timed.

Time feeder is 30 gal and gravity feeder is 5-7 gallon (5 gal bucket with pvc pipe tubing).

My area has a "normal"? density level and the time feeder does the best (now that there is a coon fence around the thrower). I can average a couple months on 30 gallons of corn and 2 settings to throw at 12pm(5 seconds) and 3:30pm(20 seconds). The gravity feeder varies. There's really no way to keep the coons out, until trapping season and then setting DP coon traps out. The gravity feeder and vary from a week to 2 weeks, give or take.

 

Yup pretty much it


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So here is where I'm at right now. I could make a 1200lb feeder out of 4 55 gallon barrels. I haven't decided times or gravity yet I just want to inventory the deer and have big bucks show up to it. I could put this in one of our plots and only full it up after the season or I could put it on a corner of the farm that is in a sanctuary and keep it full all year round. If I do that all year round I feel I will have to go with timed.

Do you guys that used timed feeders have a problem getting big bucks to show up?


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I used to run a few gravity fed PVC pipe feeders with a Y joint and screw in drainage cap on the bottom but found that raccoons emptied them pretty quickly. I have a timed feeder now with a cage around the dispenser tray to try to keep the squirrels and raccoons from emptying the barrel. It does much better but nothing is completely squirrel or raccoon proof. I did enjoy making my own though, and they could be strapped to a tree just about anywhere, no need to worry about a tripod or finding level ground. They were perfect for putting directly on deer trails to get them to stop and take a few pictures with a scouting camera.

 

Did you have a problem getting big bucks on camera with the times?


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