Investing in the best feed for dear feeder might not sound like a necessity to all game hunters, but doing so can add an extra edge to their hunting excursions.
You can lure out deer from the woods by putting attractants on deer feeders at a convenient place. This is a popular tactic among deer hunters to confirm an easy kill.
Therefore, a quality deer feeder could be a fantastic hunting gear to have. These would also come in handy besides hunting purposes.
If you are a wildlife enthusiast or a nature photographer, longing for a good view of these beautiful creatures, you can use the best hanging deer feeders to make deer come out in open space for an extra munch.
6 Best Hanging Deer Feeder 2023
This article will cover everything there is to know about the best gravity deer feeders. We will also point you towards some of the best deer feeders you could buy online.
What Is A Deer Feeder?
A deer feeder is a simple accessory, where you can put supplemental food to draw out deer to your hunting range or to meet their nutritional deficiencies.
The food is typically supplied as corn grains or mixtures of several ingredients. The best feed for deer feeder would include all necessary minerals required for the sustenance of a healthy, adult buck or a doe.
Do I Need A Deer Feeder?
A supplemental feeding program during the offseason goes a long way in maintaining a vigorous herd of deer. You can put out deer feeders around your property with corns and grains.
The availability of easy-to-access food will prompt deer to move into your territory and stay there. During hunting season, you can use feeders to bring deer out to your preferred location and then shoot them.
If you want to populate a specific area with deer, then it must have adequate vegetation for the animals to eat. If the land lacks proper natural food resources, you must place feeders in the environment to make up for it.
If you are a bowhunter, you will find feeders particularly helpful. Since the range would be substantially limited compared to firearms, you would want the deer to come near you, and feeders would help you lure them close.
6 Best Deer Feed For Deer Feeder Reviews 2023
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1. Moultrie Feed Station
Moultrie Feed Station is a gravity feeder that has a sturdy UV-proof construction. Resistance to ultra-violet rays makes it immune to extensive sunlight exposure outdoors. This deer feeder can serve you for a long time, and as a bonus, it comes with an affordable price tag.
If you live in states like Texas and Florida, where the summer heat is outrageous, you will find this feeder particularly useful. Moultrie Feed Station is an ideal pick for amateurs. The setup is as straightforward as it gets.
All you need to do is to strap with a tree trunk, and you are done! There are no electronic components involved, gravity will pull the feed right into the feeder tube. It can hold up to 40 lbs of deer food.
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2. Moultrie Tripod Feeders
When it comes to deer feeders, Moultrie is one of the best names to go for. The Georgia-based company has made its name offering incredibly heavy-duty feeders at unbelievable prices.
Moultrie Tripod Feeders sums up everything the Moultrie brand stands for-durable, versatile, and affordable. These feeders are available in four different variants with varying features.
The Unlimited version boasts an electric varmint guard to protect the feeder from annoying varmints. These feeders also have timer functions so that you can schedule feed dispersion time to your liking.
Advanced models also have solar charging options, while the standard one runs on 4 AA batteries.
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3. Wildgame Innovations Quick-Set 225
If you feel like Moultrie Tripod Feeders are out of your budget, then you could find a great alternative in Wildgame Innovations Quick-Sets 225.
The price is way more affordable than Moultrie, and you wouldn’t be making much of a compromise in terms of quality.
The hopper can store 30 gallons of feed, which should give you weeks before going out for the next refill.
The tripod legs are not ideally stable, but the build quality of the feeder is magnificent. The spinner plate is made of galvanized steel, and the feeder is completely weatherproof.
Whether it’s the scorching sun or a raging thunderstorm, the Quick-Set 225 can put up with all severe weather conditions.
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4. Wildgame Innovations Pail Feeder
Wildgame Innovation Pail Feeder is a bucket-shaped feeder that you can hang from a tree branch. If you are looking for something basic, this deer feeder could be the one you have been looking for all along.
It is powered by a 6V battery, which will remain operational for quite some time before you need to replace it. It doesn’t have programmable feeding schedules, but it will dispense the food two times a day.
The 50 lbs capacity should hold enough deer feed for a few days, at least. It has a beautiful camouflage design that goes easy on the eyes. It’s conveniently mobile. So, you can move it around without breaking a sweat.
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5. AMERICAN HUNTER Digital Hanging Bucket Feeder
This bucket feeder from American Hunter is one of the most versatile feeders you will find in the market. There is a digital timer in the feeder, which gives you absolute control over feeding schedules.
You can program it for as much as 16 feeding schedules a day. The 40 lbs storage might not sound much, but it’s perfect for hanging feeders.
The watertight lid is another highlight of the feeder. It is designed to keep the rainwater out during heavy drizzles and storms.
The bucket is quite sturdy, and the plastic material is so thick that you don’t have to worry about raccoons or other varmints chewing through it.
The battery life is fantastic, to say the least, with each battery replacement lasting for about a year.
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6. Moultrie Directional Hanging
This automatic feeder from Moultrie ships with a ratchet strap and a bracket so that you can have other hanging options besides tree branches. It has a mobile design and is conveniently lightweight.
This makes it the perfect candidate to set up deep forest feeding stations, where it’s difficult to transport heavier feeders. It has a sizeable feeding capacity of 15 gallons or 100 pounds.
This should give you ample time between the refills. It can disperse food a maximum of 6 times per day, with sessions lasting between one to twenty seconds.
It disperses the feed at a straight pattern, which makes it easier for the deer to find.
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What To Look For While Buying The Best Gravity Deer Feeders?
Choosing the best feed for deer feeders can be a difficult task, given the cornucopia of options available.
An ideal deer feeder is pivotal in making the game population establish trust on your land, and retaining a healthy flock size.
A defective one, on the other hand, would turn out to be a waste of money. Here are some of the factors you need to keep an eye out for while purchasing a deer feeder-
Is It Legal In Your State?
First and foremost, you need to make sure your state regulation allows you to use deer feeders. Deer feeders are illegal in some states, and in some others, you can use deer feeders but can’t use them for baiting purposes.
In Indiana, for example, you can use feeders to feed deer, but you can’t use them as hunting tools. In states like Arizona, Idaho, and Illinois deer feeders are an absolute no-no. So, check your state laws before buying a deer feeder.
Setup Difficulty
Ease of installation should be one of your primary concerns, especially if you want to do it by yourself. Many feeders are suitable for a single-person assembly.
The level of complexity varies from individual to individual. So, evaluate the installation process thoroughly before deciding on buying a model.
Setup Location
You have to be mindful of the nature of the terrain where you want to install the feeder. If you are placing it deep into the woods, which is barely accessible, you must go for a larger size.
You would not want to head out there every day to refill the feeder. It should also have sizeable battery power.
Solar would be convenient, but in the absence of sufficient sunlight penetration, its effectiveness will be compromised. Heavier and bulkier feeders would be difficult to transport if you have to hike them to the spot.
Larger feeders are always preferable because of their superior holding capacity and lesser maintenance demands. But without vehicle conveyance, you would have to make a sacrifice on the size.
Can It Take A Beating?
A deer feeder is supposed to be made to withstand all weather conditions since it’s meant to be deployed outdoors. However, not all brands deliver the promise of a weather-resistant build in reality.
You are making an all-season investment while buying a feeder. So, it must be rugged enough to tackle the sun, rain, and snow. The feeder will come in close contact with wild animals.
If it’s not sturdy and stable enough, it will be easily tipped over by animals and get damaged. In that case, you would have to look for a replacement.
To avert such a scenario, stick with the best deer feed for deer feeders that have all the right attributes to survive in the wilderness.
Varmint Protection
Everybody loves free food! So, it’s inevitable that there would be some unwanted guests circling the feeder for free grub. Varmints like rats and raccoons would try to chew through the hopper to get to the edibles stored inside.
Your feeder must have an anti-varmint system to ward them off. To deal with this intrusion, some models incorporate a cage around the feed dispenser.
It keeps animals from wrecking the dispenser and accessing its contents. Some have specially modeled tripods that make it impossible for the varmints to climb upon it and reach the food storage.
There are also some with a built-in system that sends out an electric impulse to scare away smaller animals.
What Are The Benefits Of Deer Feeders?
Using a feeder has been an age-long strategy for hunters to track their prey. But, that’s not the only utility of a deer feeder.
Ensures Responsible Hunting
Hunting is a fun outdoor activity, but it’s also a crucial tool in maintaining the optimal population size of a species and upholding ecological balance.
The deer population in Rhode Island, for example, has grown so large that it is destroying the habitat of many other creatures like songbirds.
Hunting, therefore, is an ecologically responsive thing to do. However, you have to make sure that the population replenishes at an optimal rate after hunting.
If the hunting practices are not sustainable, the population size will drop below the recommended level and push the species towards the brink of extinction.
Deer feeders provide an alternative food source to deer and other animals when the weather dries up, or massive chunks of greenery burn down because of a raging wildfire.
Not having to worry about food, the animals will not consider migrating to a different place. Their reproduction cycle will also remain intact, which will result in an ideal population size for hunting.
Therefore, installing the best deer feed for deer feeders would allow you to hunt deer without harmfully depleting their numbers.
Diversifies Your Hunting Pool
Deer feeders encourage other animals with similar eating habits to frequent the area. This will cost you some extra food, but it will also allow you to expand your hunter’s portfolio.
If you are an outdoor enthusiast with no hunting interests, you can expect to see a more diversified wildlife scene by installing complementary feeding stations through deer feeders.
Ensures a Healthy Herd
The rutting season takes a heavy physical toll on deer. The best deer feed for deer feeders can help recoup their bodily strength. You can put specialty feed on the feeder that meets their nutritional needs to the brim.
In their natural habitat, deer might not always find everything they need to eat for adequate nourishment. By providing additional minerals, vitamins, and proteins through deer feeders, you can ensure a balanced diet for deer living in your area.
A successful supplemental feeding program would ensure proper antler, bone, and muscle development in deer. Not to mention boosting breeding abilities and fawn survival rate.
Therefore, deer feeders would see to it that you have a decent-size bunch to hunt from come open season.
Where Should I Place My Deer Feeders?
You would need to do some scouting before deciding on a location to set up your feeder. It’s meaningless to set shop in a place where deer are a rarity. Identify the hotspots, and look for a place nearby.
It would feel tempting to pick an open field with more-than-ample shooting opportunities, but deer are cautious by instinct, and they will be reluctant to go out in such an exposed patch of land.
So, it would be wiser to pick a small open spot with some trees around. The covering will give the deer a sense of security the courage to approach the feeder.
Types Of Deer Feeders
To pinpoint the best deer feed for deer feeders, you need to be familiar with all the varieties the feeders come in. You can find them in three different categories-
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What Are The Best Deer Feed For Deer Feeders?
You need to mix up the offerings season-wise to keep up with the varying nutritional needs of deer in different seasons. In fall and winter, they need higher energy intake because of the mating season.
Oats, wheat, clovers, peas, turnips could be excellent dietary choices for them to cope with this stressful period. There are plenty of forages available in spring.
So, you don’t need to be overly picky with the deer feed. Any cereal grains, fruits, and vegetables would be a healthy choice.
During the summer, you can use fruits with high water content like cantaloupes and oranges to prevent dehydration.
Q. How Many Times Should I Feed The Deer?
Twice a day would suffice. Don’t feed deer after nightfall to make them more used to hanging around in the daytime, when it is easier for you to hunt.
Q. How Many Feeders Do I Need?
This depends on the number of deer living in the area and the amount of land you want to cover. Approximately, a feeder per 25 deer and 100 acres should be sufficient.
Remember, the purpose of setting up feeders is to provide dietary add-ons, not to replace natural food sources. Overstuffing the land with feeders could have an adverse effect on the herd.
Q. How Long Will The Feed Stay Good In The Feeder?
Pre-packed formulas have expiration dates on the package, don’t use the feed past that point. Fruits and veggies will last for weeks, while cereals would be fine for months.
Understandably, the feed will get spoilt faster when the summer heat is in full effect. Check for molds, when you refill the feeder. If the remaining feed is mold-free, they are okay for the deer to eat.
Q. What Should I Not Feed To Deer?
Processed animal protein is a red flag to look out for in commercial formulas. You should also refrain from putting hay into the feeder.
Deer have a tough time digesting these things, which could turn out to be lethal for them.
Final Say
In our best feed for deer feeders guide, we have tried to break down the usefulness of deer feeders in game hunting. We would like to remind you once again that they are not universally legal.
Make sure it is not unlawful to use a deer feeder in your state before you go out to buy one. The feeders we have discussed here are some of the best in the market.
We have considered a handful of factors for narrowing down the list to 6 items. So, we believe, you would be successful in fulfilling your game management goals by picking up one of these feeders.