Best Deer Feeder

[JoeS500]

Hey guys what's everyone's opinion on the best deer feeders? I'm sick of the cheap plastic ones even with the varmint guards I haven't had luck. The cheap small hanging ones aren't bad other then having to refill them every other week and the squirrels chewing holes in the lids. Let me hear some suggestion for a reliable, well built feeder even if it's a little pricey. 

[mazzgolf]

I built a feeder with a metal can, not plastic (I started with plastic; after a month and the squirrels chewing through it, I went metal). I don't use mine anymore, but my dad made one for himself and still uses it - squirrels haven't defeated it yet.. I also built the frame bracket with 2x4s that I ratchet-strap to the tree so it gets up high... just use a pulley to lower it up and down. Buy one of those cheap spinners to put on the bottom so you can have the feeder go off automatically. I put some chicken wire around the feeder as a guard - it seems to work pretty good keeping the critters out.

I'll see if I can find the thread on here where I showed the parts that I used - I think I posted something a few years ago on this. Cost me something like $80 for everything (that was pre-inflation days)

Moultrie feeder mechanism: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EYIPLC

Tractor Supply metal pail with locking lid, 6 gallons: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/behrens-6-gal-galvanized-sheet-steel-garbage-pail

Edited March 1 by mazzgolf

[mazzgolf]

Here's what my metal bucket with the feeder attachment looks like (this is the thread where I showed the squirrel damage to my plastic bucket)

 

[mazzgolf]

And here's the bracket:

 

[Merkel]

I’ve used a Moultrie hanging feeder between 2 trees with a winch. It’s solid metal, holds 200 pounds of corn and lasts 3 months +. The only property I bait has lots of bears hence hanging. 

[nmc02]

https://www.oneanddonepro.com/

NO BETTER....

[Septicdude]

[bushden]

I use an older ALL METAL Moultry that holds about 175lbs of corn with a cage.  Stays filled for several weeks and  all the racoons keep trying to F it up but dont.

[bucky]

13 hours ago, Septicdude said:

Beat me to it..lmao

[Trykonkid11]

If you are in bear country, the one and done. 

[nmc02]

4 minutes ago, Trykonkid11 said:

If you are in bear country, the one and done. 

Great feeders....$$$$ & a little loud.

[Mountain Goat]

[jerseyboy32]

Corn field 

[Bucndoe]

You need to spend the money and buy a metal feeder and metal lid. It also needs to be away from the tree or the squirrels will climb the tree and get to the feeder. You can spend the money on the EZ Hanger also or put aluminum metal flashing around the tree near where the spinner is to deter the squirrels. Make it wide enough so they can't climb over it. Their claws can’t dig into the flashing so they may only be able to sit on top of the feeder and then give up. The birds will fly in and out of your spinner area if it’s open, that one I usually leave alone but have used metal mesh wire around to deter the birds.

The birds flying in and out all day takes a bigger toll on your feed supply than you think.

Edited March 2 by Bucndoe

[Merkel]

On 3/1/2025 at 7:29 PM, Merkel said:

I’ve used a Moultrie hanging feeder between 2 trees with a winch. It’s solid metal, holds 200 pounds of corn and lasts 3 months +. The only property I bait has lots of bears hence hanging. 

This is why I hang mine between 2 trees. Bears!  An added benefit is squirrels can’t reach it either.