Gravity feeder advice

[habersham hammer]

I have a question I thought I would ask about a gravity feeder. I built this one this year and while it was a great idea, it seems the deer don’t like it too good or as I had hoped they would. I have had it out since September of last year and as of the end of the season they still hardly touch it. Squirrels get up there and scratch feed out on the ground and the deer will eat that but as far as eating from the tubes they don’t care for it much. What am I doing wrong? Is it because it is square tubes or would it be something else. I know patience is the virtue but 5 months should be long enough. Maybe I should yank it out and replace it with sling type feeder. I liked my concept but it seems to not be working.

 

[antharper]

Well it looks nice ! I’ve never used a gravity feeder but hear a lot of people complain about the deer not eating out of them . And others can’t keep them full

 

[Milkman]

Have you tried the apple flavored corn from Walmart?
If they like it you could either keep feeding it or start mixing it with plain shelled corn.

 

[habersham hammer]

May try that milkman

I would really like to make this work. I don’t want to have to go spin cast unless I have too

 

[habersham hammer]

Is square tubes the problem?

 

[ddavis1120]

Take the Carolina sticker off and I assume the deer will warm up to it. Put a UGA sticker on it if you want to expedite the deer’s acceptance. Everything likes a winner!

 

[Milkman]

Is square tubes the problem?

Did Moultrie make the feed tube portion?
If so, they know a deer can eat out of it.

 

[sghoghunter]

What’s the height of the feed port,they look a little high? I can’t get deer here at my house to use one

 

[habersham hammer]

Did Moultrie make the feed tube portion?
If so, they know a deer can eat out of it.

No I just had that sticker laying around and I put it on it

 

[habersham hammer]

What’s the height of the feed port,they look a little high? I can’t get deer here at my house to use one

37” to the bottom of the feed tube

 

[habersham hammer]

Take the Carolina sticker off and I assume the deer will warm up to it. Put a UGA sticker on it if you want to expedite the deer’s acceptance. Everything likes a winner!

Yeah I’m almost sure that’s it lol - deer really care - they are more vain about sports than we are

 

[ddavis1120]

I’ve had real good luck with Boss buck gravity feeders but I do think the time of year and deer density have a lot to do with how fast they will start eating out of it. I picked up a lease mid season this year and put a couple of feeders out November 4th and had deer eating out of less than a week later. Bucks eating out of it a few weeks later.

 

[frankwright]

I bought this attachment at Academy and the deer wear it out.
I have a problem with coons but we have been trapping like heck and I recently added bird spikes all around it but the feeder is empty till closer to deer season.

 

[habersham hammer]

I’ve had real good luck with Boss buck gravity feeders but I do think the time of year and deer density have a lot to do with how fast they will start eating out of it. I picked up a lease mid season this year and put a couple of feeders out November 4th and had deer eating out of less than a week later. Bucks eating out of it a few weeks later.View attachment 1289300

Ddavis have you tried the post mount boss bucks - they look good

 

[habersham hammer]

I bought this attachment at Academy and the deer wear it out.
I have a problem with coons but we have been trapping like heck and I recently added bird spikes all around it but the feeder is empty till closer to deer season.

Frank,

How did you mount that barrel to the tree - straps only?

 

[sghoghunter]

37” to the bottom of the feed tube

That’s about the right height IMO. They say the ports should be around 42 inches but the deer wouldn’t eat out of ours till we lowered them now now everything except yearlings eat with no problem

 

[Blackston]

Is square tubes the problem?

Whats inside tube ? I understand feed drops out of drum through vertical sq tube and dumps into horizontal sq tube with 45degree cuts on ends , what keeps it from pouring out ?

 

[habersham hammer]

Rebar

 

[Blackston]

Rebar

Rebar like a “lip” across bottom of spout ? Only thing i see is the over hang on top of tube might be more than a store bought feeder ?

 

[habersham hammer]

You are write on both accounts - I bought the head and bolted it on and had some pipe welded on it to sturdy it up cause the head was heavy - had a piece welded at the bottom also to mount on the post