

You strap it to a tree or pole, deer come and eat from it, and when the feed runs out, you put more feed in it. It’s got no batteries, no timers, no distribution mechanisms, and no moving parts. The Moultrie Feed Station is about as uncomplicated a deer feeder as you’ll find in our reviews. The open design allows wildlife to feed without their vision being blocked, this seems like a trivial benefit but mature bucks can get very wary as they get older.Summary: Very small, simple to install, and can hold 40 pounds, but will require frequent refills I have almost two decades of trail camera pictures that prove its function. There is definitely nothing fancy or revolutionary about the design of this feeder, it just simply works very well for most situations. You can make the top of your 2圆’s around the trough section around 22” to 24” to make sure it is low enough for fawns to reach and eat. This will prevent any rain from leaking through down into your feed. Use silicone or some outdoor sealant around any metal or sheet screws that are used to attach your roof as well as the crown. There is also an option for a rubberized roof material that would work really well and be long lasting. I think this is important, especially when they are in velvet you should keep sharp edges away from their growing rack. The edge of the roof should be around 68 inches to allow bucks with antlers plenty of clearance. This allows you to back up to the feeder with a UTV or truck and throw the chain over your trailer hitch ball and move it to another location if needed. I also like to attach a chain with lag bolts on the end of the 4” x 6” pieces I cut at an angle. 2, 8 ft 4圆 - I cut these on an angle to form skids for the bottom of the feeder so it can easily be moved to different locations.Several of these I have built over the years have been in use for over 15 years in the woods and are still very solid and functional. Material list for trough feeders - I like to use treated lumber for everything to ensure it will last. Placing a couple of dog proof or cage style traps in the vicinity of your feeder is almost a guaranteed catch and a quick place to keep your small predators in check. I have also utilized these feeders as a great place to target varmints that need to be trapped such as raccoons, opossums, skunks, etc. The end goal is to supply clean, dry feed to wildlife and have it available whenever they choose to feed day or night.
Deer feeder trough how to#
There are no rules written in stone on how to go about building these feeders or the materials you choose to use. In my years of managing properties, I see that many times this increases feed consumption, cuts down on wasted feed, and creates less problems with deer, turkeys, and pests all showing up at a timed feeder at the same time waiting for it to go off. It allows your deer and turkeys to access feed at any time during the day or night. In hot and humid climates, feeds can go bad very quickly when they lay on damp dirt or leaves even for a very short time.Ī free-choice designed feeder means just that. Protein pellets and other feed are not cheap and spin-cast style feeders can have a lot of waste to non-target animals and other pests if not consumed by the deer fairly soon after the feeder goes off. The measurements included in this build will also allow fawns to access feed without it lying on the ground.

After all, our main goal for supplying a protein pellet or enhanced feed is so all your deer use them and consume feed to increase their nutritional intake. Some older deer, particularly bucks, can get a little shy around noisy automatic feeders. Automatic feeders definitely have their place, but some managers find the simplicity of an open, trough-type feeder the best option.Īnother benefit from these open station trough feeders is the utilization by all age classes of deer. A major advantage of a “free-choice,” covered, trough-style feeder is the low maintenance and lack of any parts, batteries or motors to worry about failing. One of the most effective feeders I have found is pretty simple to build and will last for many years when built with quality materials. When it comes to feeders, there are dozens of different styles to choose from to meet your needs.
