How to Make a Wooden Deer Feeder
Building a deer feeder can be a rewarding family project and will provide the teamwork of construction and the pleasure of animal watching when finished. Feeders can be constructed of various materials and in many fashions and styles. The following instructions will give the average family and beginner carpenter a fairly simple plan for fabrication of a reasonably inexpensive feeder.
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Things You'll Need
- Electric drill
- Two 10-foot 4 x4 pressured treated posts
- One 8-foot 2 x 12 pressured treated board
- Two 8-foot 2 x 4 pressured treated boards
- No. 8 x 1½-inch wood screws
- Wood rasp or file
- One sheet of tin roofing or fiberglass (3 x 4 feet)
- Roofing nails
- 10-penny sinker nails
- Various grit sandpaper
Instructions
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Begin by fabricating a trough style feeder from the 8-foot 2 x 12 boards. Cut the board into two 3-foot pieces that will make the trough sides. Cut the remaining 2-foot piece in half to make 1-foot end pieces. (The boards are secured with the No. 8 x 1½-inch wood screws). Place the side pieces perpendicular to the end pieces, and install one of the No. 8 screws into the top edge of the boards. (Do this to both ends of the 3-foot long pieces and the 1-foot end pieces to make a rectangle.)
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2
Swing the bottoms of the 3-foot sideboards towards the bottom center of the end pieces, making a V-shaped trough. Allow a 4-inch gap between the bottom of the two sideboards so a 3-foot 2 x 4 can be installed in the bottom of the trough. Secure both ends and bottom with the No. 8 wood screws. Determine the best location for the deer feeder on your property. Consider ease of access to the location, where it can be easily observed and natural protection from wind and predators.
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3
Dig two holes approximately three feet apart. The diameter should be 12 to 14 inches, and the depth should be 2½ to 3 feet deep. Install the 10-foot 4 x 4 posts in the holes, and plumb the posts. Fill the holes with a mix of cement, sand and gravel.
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4
Fasten the trough to the posts at approximately 32 inches above the ground with the 10-penny sinker style nails. (Make sure the trough is level between the posts). Cut one of the 8-foot 2 x 4 boards into two 4-foot lengths. Cut the other 8-foot 2 x 4 into four 2-foot lengths.
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5
Secure the 2 x 4s together with the No. 8 wood screws, making a rectangle for the roof of the feeder. Fasten this roof frame to the top of the posts to cover the trough. Using the roofing nails, secure the tin or fiberglass sheet to the top of the roof frame. If using fiberglass sheet, drill a pilot hole for the nails so as not to crack the fiberglass.
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Tips & Warnings
Deer are aggressive animals when it comes to eating, especially if it is food such as corn and grain in a feeder. The best designs for deer feeders are of the stationary type, which are permanently fixed in place or attached to the ground.
