Homemade Deer Feeder Plans

A homemade deer feeder will keep deer coming back to your property.

Few animals conjure up thoughts of boundless freedom like a herd of deer. Deer are graceful animals that few people get a chance to see up close. Many homeowners set up deer feeders to encourage the animals to visit their property, although commercial feeders are costly. You can construct your own deer feeder at home that works just as well as more expensive commercial models.

Things You'll Need

• 10-gallon plastic storage tote
• Drill
• PVC pipe, 48 inches long, 2-inch diameter
• Hacksaw
• Zip ties
• Kitchen twine
• Deer feed or grain
• PVC end cap, 2-inch diameter

Instructions

1. Drill 15 to 20 holes in the bottom of the 10-gallon storage tote to create the feeder base. The holes will allow water to drain from the tote, so space them evenly on the bottom.

2. Use the hacksaw to cut three 8-inch-long vertical slots in one end of the PVC pipe. Make sure each slot is a minimum of 3/4-inch wide to let the feed fall into the base.

3. Drill two holes adjacent to each other in one side of the tote. Make them large enough to accommodate a zip tie. Place the pipe inside the tote with the vertical slots at the bottom. Wrap a zip tie around the pipe, and thread each end of the tie out through one of the holes you just drilled. Tighten the zip tie to hold the pipe securely against the side of the tote. Lock the zip tie.

4. Rest the feeder against a sturdy tree on your property and tie it to the tree with kitchen twine. Secure the feeder in three or four spots along the length of the pipe, wrapping the twine around the tree and the pipe.

5. Add enough feed to the base to fill it halfway. Pour more feed down the pipe. Seal the feeder tube with a PVC end cap to keep rain and small scavengers, such as mice, out of the pipe.

Tips & Warnings

• You can find deer feed at larger hunting and sporting goods stores. If there are no stores like this in your area, you can use the regular sweet feed for horses or cattle available at ranch stores.

References

• Whitetail Deer Management and Hunting: How to Make Homemade Deer Feeders
• Purina Wildlife: Top 5 Things to Know About Feeding Deer and Elk