How to Build a Homemade Deer Feeder

Homemade deer feeders provide a steady supply of food for local deer.

Landing a trophy buck is an ambition for most deer hunters. Deer herds travel long distances to find steady food supplies, which makes finding large bucks difficult. Some hunters turn towards deer feeders to lure deer into their hunting fields, although commercial feeders aren’t cheap. You can make a homemade deer feeder that works as well as store-bought models for a fraction of the price.

Things You'll Need

• 40-quart plastic storage container
• Drill
• 36-inch long PVC pipe, 3-inch diameter
• Saw
• Zip ties
• Deer pellets
• PVC cap

Instructions

1. Place a plastic 40-quart storage container upside-down on a level surface such as a table or work bench, and drill five or six small holes through the bottom to complete the feeder base. These are drainage holes that let water filter into the soil, rather than accumulate in the container.

2. Use a saw to make three vertical cuts in one end of the PVC pipe, each measuring 6 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. These wide slots gravity-feed the deer pellets into the base as the animals eat, keeping fresh food in the feeder at all times.

3. Flip the base over and lay the cut end of the pipe on the bottom of the base. Hold the pipe against one long side of the container, and cut two holes on one side of the pipe and two holes on the other side. Space these holes evenly, with the lower set near the bottom of the pipe and the upper set approximately 3 inches down from the top of the container. Attach the pipe to the base with 1 zip tie threaded through each set of holes.

4. Move your completed deer feeder into your yard, attaching it to a sturdy tree with zip ties. Add deer pellets to the pipe, closing it with a PVC end cap once it is full.

Tips & Warnings

• Storage containers and PVC pipe are available at home and garden stores or hardware stores.

References

• Whitetail Deer Management and Hunting: Homemade Deer Feeder
• Deer Departed: Deer Feeders