Deer feeders are a popular accessory for whitetail deer hunters and country homeowners, too. Unlike scattering corn or other feed on the ground, gravity feeders allow the user to fill a pre-measured amount of feed into the feeder for the deer and not worry about checking the contents every day. Gravity deer feeders may be made out of plastic, metal or other materials. Most homemade versions are made from a metal plate and PVC pipe. They can be used purely for supplemental feed or to facilitate whitetail hunting.
Deer feeders are most often used by whitetial hunters to attract deer to a certain location in time for annual hunting seasons. Feeders are also made or purchased by those who enjoy having wildlife visit their backyards. During hard winters, many people will put out deer feeders so that the deer do not starve over the winter when little natural food is available.
The two main types of gravity deer feeders are freestanding and hanging. Freestanding feeders may have more than one feeding station and are activated by the pressure of the deer eating off of the base plate. Hanging feeders work similar to typical bird feeders in that the feed is released as the deer eat what’s available in the base of the feeder. Deer feeders come in sizes ranging from those that hold a few pounds of feed to those that can hold over 200 pounds. Smaller hanging deer feeders generally hold 5 to 10 pounds of feed, while the freestanding versions typically hold 25 pounds or more.
The cost of a gravity deer feeder is relative to the amount of product the feeder holds. High-end feeders can cost several hundred dollars, but they may hold several hundred pounds of feed at a time. Homemade deer feeders can be made for a fraction of the cost of a purchased version, but they will have to be filled more often. Feeders that provide supplemental feed can be used simply to attract deer or to make your whitetail hunting better. Lastly, before you place out any type of feeder make sure that they are legal in your state.