Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders - Do They Really Work?

You have spent good money on a feeder that claimed it was squirrel proof. However, the critters spend an entire day eating your bird seed. So, is there really a squirrel proof bird feeder I can trust? This is probably the most asked question we receive. Have you tried all those feeder that claim to be squirrel proof? Are the squirrels on the feeder all day long? We can help you understand how these feeders are designed and what their purpose really is.

A properly designed squirrel proof bird feeder should thwart the average squirrel 95% of the time. That means less than 5% of the time the animals will successfully obtain a bird seed reward for their diligence. For most people, this is fine. However, some are not pleased with this result and, unfortunately, allow these small number of invaders spoil the marvelous hobby of backyard bird feeding. I know of one customer who literally flips out each time she even sees a squirrel.

When you provide free food for your birds, you are basically offering to any aspect of nature, including deer, fox, raccoons, and yes, squirrels. Learning to enjoy all of nature in it's glory simplifies this hobby tremendously. Birds have learned to live with squirrels and a successful backyard birder can too.

Many of our customers use a humane trap and drive great distances to release these intruders into the wilds. We have one man who has trapped over 75 squirrels in the past two years and is still going strong. Oh well, it keeps him busy and he is having fun doing it. However, for most of us, living with a couple of squirrels is part of nature and we enjoy that as well.

There are a number of excellent feeders designed specifically to keep red, grey, and fox squirrels from monopolizing the bird seed. Each one can satisfy your desire to allow the birds to feed, but not the squirrels. Be sure to inform your local bird store about what squirrel proof bird feeder you choose. Let them know what critters you wish to deter and what birds you wish to attract.

At http://www.WildBirdDepot.com we have been satisfying backyard birders for over two decades. End the war with squirrels. Bird feeding is supposed to be a stress reducing hobby. Do not let a few critters ruin it for you. It is possible to attract between 25-30 different varieties of wild birds in your backyard, if the feeder you choose doesn't become a squirrel feeder. Choose the right squirrel proof bird feeder the first time. Save your hard earned money for the bird seed, not the bird feeder. No more damaged feeders or wasted seeds. Own the world's best squirrel proof bird feeder, the one model that has never been returned to our store!

5 Tips to Building and Maintaining a Deer Feeder

Although it may not be for everyone, hunting is a popular activity pursued by a lot of individuals. For hunters, setting up the bait, waiting for the animal to come close enough and fall for it, and chasing them to hunt them down is a thrill that is unparalleled to any other activity.

Hunting the Whitetail Deer Buck

The whitetail deer is one of the most elusive creatures to hunt down. Therefore, hunters need deer feeders to lure them in before the hunt can begin. And here's a tip: waiting for them in camouflage for hours under the sun and finally having them come close enough to the feeder so that one can hunt them down, is a process that is only understood by those who indulge in such an activity.

Importance of Setting up a Deer Feeder

• Deer feeding equipment is a very useful for hunters and zoo keepers alike. It should be made into an appropriate design in order to attract the animal to it long enough.

• Some deer feeding equipment is reasonably priced. Hunters usually use these feeders to lure one deer at a time. However, if you are looking to attract more than one animal, you might need a bigger deer feeder.

• Make sure that your deer feeder is high enough for tall deer. It is also important to ensure that the food inside the trough used in the feeder is kept free of dirt and water.

• The food should be dry when the animal reaches it. For this, a roof is required which should be high enough to accommodate the animal.

• As long as you can make the area surrounding the deer feeder safe enough for the animal, you should be able to attract deer. A big deer feeder may require a fence surrounding it to keep other animals at bay, though. And this fence should be low enough for the deer to jump over it to enter the feeder ground.

If your feeder requires a stable foundation, then you can dig holes on four corners and fill them with sand, cement and water mixture before fitting in the legs of the feeder into them. See what's appropriate for your area.

Click here for more information on a rut summit and check out: hunting deer secrets for your library of resources.

Deer Feeder Helper

Are corn cob pieces/stalks or wet protein pellets clogging your feeder? Remove them without climbing a ladder and digging to the bottom of the barrel! Just swing the control unit down and remove the clogs from ground level! Need to change your control unit but don't want to bring whole feeder back to camp? Simple!

Every avid hunter knows the value of using deer feeders to attract deer to the areas they hunt. But like you, they also know the headaches of maintaining their deer feeders. Just changing a timer can take hours and removing clogs every time you go into the field wastes time that you could be using to hunt. Developed by an avid hunter, Chris Nicholes, the Deer Feeder Helper takes away all the effort of maintaining your deer feeder and makes DIY things such as changing timers and relocation quick and easy.

The Deer Feeder Helper is the ultimate accessory for any feeder!

Price: $29.97

Click here to buy from Amazon

Deer feeder maintenance

Deer season can be, but now is the time to start to get ready and one of the most important tasks is to ensure that your deer feeder is in good shape.   If your feeders will be correctly maintained it will succeed in drawing and the holding of wildlife on your property.  Here are some tips for maintaining your deer feeder:

Check the batteries. Check the battery at least once a month and that the battery is fully charged.  Also check the cabling to make sure that rodents or other animals did not get through it.  It should also seek the oxidation of the Terminal and clips.  Clean result with limes or fine sandpaper.Check the engine. Make sure that the engine is running smoothly by what corn is produced in adequate quantities and with the appropriate speed.Check the condensation. With changes in temperature from hot to cold, feeders collect condensation.  You can collect particles of straw of maize in the interior walls and the bottom feeding, which will restrict the corn of flow and also reduce the amount of corn to be held the feeder.Verify the existence of pest. Yellow Jackets, you wasps and hornets often make their home in feeders.  If your diet is to attract raccoons or other varmints, place a cage bug on the engine of the timer.Verify the existence of water. Make sure that their food is not taking on water.  Animals don't eat moldy food soggy and the mould left by wet feed also can damage future batches of food.   Tapas and sight glasses should be resealing.See panel solar. Scan of solar panel and make sure that there is no condensation on the lid.  This can interfere with the amount of light that enters the panel, causing batteries not be reloaded completely.

Get your deer-shaped feeder prepare you for a successful deer hunting season!

If it's time to replace that old deer feeder, then fall and visit with us on our feeders.   Deer carries a variety of corn, protein feeders feeders and accessories to help you manage your diet program and maintaining the objectives of the Administration on track.

Deer management: its Stock of prospecting, nutrition and habits of deer, deer season is around the corner, common errors that deer hunters, deer culling causes controversy

Tags: hunters of deer, deer management

Published Monday, February 7, 2011 at 9: 47 pm in News of Hunter.

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200 lb Deer Turkey hunting feeder w timer & ladder NEW

Retail value: $279.99
You are bidding on a brand new 200 lb capacity deer/turkey hunting feeder with a new improved timer that is capable of feeding six times per day and an attached ladder for easy loading. Fill this feeder at the beginning of the season and forget it!! This is a brand new Tundra Quest feeder in the box and comes in a brand new camo brown color!! This sturdy unit has a 200lb capacity hopper that measures 18 1/2" x 18 1/2" x 24". Unlike the others, it has a split hopper design for simultaneous dual grain feeding, an attached ladder in order to fill the feeder and has four strong legs for stability. Feeder is extrememly easy to fill because of the 15" x 16" platform. Don't settle for a wobbely tripod design. The lid latches for easy opening and easy filling. A NEW IMPROVED programmable DIGITAL TIMER is included at no extra charge!! This timer works on two battery types-12 volt or a 6 volt battery. Timer can be set for each individual day of the week and has 6 time settings for your custom feeding needs (battery not included.) Timer also comes with a convenient battery voltage meter. The powerful motor has 3 speeds, and with different feeding durations, you have a unit that is fully customizable for all your wildlife needs.

This feeder uses the OPTIONAL varmint guard (pictured) and can be purchased for an additional $25 which includes the s&h. Please send a note along with your payment if you would like a varmint guard added to your purchase.

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Deer Feeders and Feeding Tips - A Guide to a Safe and Enjoyable Home Hobby

All of us love deer and many people enjoy attracting them to their yards but some do not know how to do it well or at all. I have received many requests in regard to deer feeding and tips to do so properly. To begin with, feeding deer is very simple. Their sense of smell will direct them right to the feeder and your offering. When other food sources are becoming scarce, they will follow the scent of good quality feed over long distances. Once they have found it, they will be more than happy to stay around as long as there is a fairly consistent supply.

There are various aspects of feeding deer that need to be addressed before setting out a feeder. First and foremost. Deer are beautiful creatures and look to be friendly, cuddly and approachable. This is very far from the fact of the matter. Deer can become aggressive, although rarely, for many reasons and I advise to keep your distance and do not approach them for any reason. If you find a wounded deer, or any wild or domestic animal, call your local wildlife control organization and do not approach the animal. Any wounded animal is potentially very dangerous.

In order to feed deer properly and safely, pick a location away from your home with a good viewing area. Do not set a feeder near a doorway or other area that is or may be frequented by people or pets. If someone walks around a corner or through a doorway and comes face to face with a deer, that deer needs to make a decision. It will go into one of two modes, flight or fight. It prefers to flee and usually does but if it feels it cannot, it may decide to fight instead. Keep your feeders away from any area where people may come into close contact.

With that said, feeding deer is a wonderful hobby and one that can be done safely and enjoyably. Once you have picked a safe location for your feeder, it's time to feed. We highly recommend whole shelled corn as the staple food. Whole shelled corn is the dried corn kernels that have been stripped from the cob as a whole seed. It is a high protein feed, readily available at any feed supply store and is the least expensive to buy. Most importantly, it remains edible for many days under high moisture conditions. When you start looking for suitable deer feed, you'll find many types of deer feed on the market. Some are excellent and some are not. We're often asked about commercial deer chows.

Deer Chow is a manufactured, pelletized product utilizing a mix of various feed types and may contain animal remnant by-products from slaughterhouses or the like. If these by-products are not processed correctly they may contain various diseases that can be introduced to the deer population through a feeding activity. Please do not use deer chows unless you are positive they are tested safe.

Another issue with deer chow, and my personal dislike for them, is their inability to remain palatable to your wildlife once it gathers moisture. Deer chow has no resistance to water and even humidity will render it worthless. Any rain, melting snow or high humidity will "puff" the chow into a mass of sloop. Think of a bowl of bran type cereal. By the time you have reached the bottom of the bowl, the cereal is mush. This is deer chow when it gets wet and your deer WILL NOT eat it. You have now wasted money on an expensive product and it must be discarded. Whole shelled corn is by far a superior food type. The encased kernel of corn protects itself from moisture and will remain edible for many days, wet or dry. Some people use cracked corn in hopes of feeding their turkeys or other large birds such as crows, blue jay and cardinals. Cardinals love my own deer feeder and use it all day long. This is a great idea as long as the feed is consumed quickly, within a day or so. Since the kernel, or pericarp or outer shell of the seed, of corn is "cracked" open, it losses its capability to protect itself from moisture. When exposed to wetness, it too will absorb water and my not be eaten by your deer. Turkeys and other birds have no issue with it though and if you have a good population of turkeys, they will readily consume your offering.

The MOST important rule of feeding deer is to offer one type of feed consistently. Deer are ruminants, like cows, and to properly digest their foods they develop a bacterium in their stomachs to start the process. Many unaware people start feeding their deer when the weather gets very cold or after other food sources are gone. This is a nice gesture but it takes many days for deer to produce the bacteria. Hence, your offering fills their bellies but they are getting little if any actual nutritional value. No matter when you start feeding, keep the same base food type available throughout the year or season. Once your deer have built up the appropriate bacteria, corn will become a premium food source. Its high levels of protein and complex sugars will do wonders in sustaining them through the hard months or helping them grow to their full potential.

Why feed deer? Besides the obvious reasons of our own enjoyment, Doe Deer that receive good nutrition throughout winter will produce the healthiest fawns in late spring. Most Does carry two fawns and it takes a lot of energy to grow them in a healthy manner. Feeding deer throughout the year will help hold them in your area which means they will bring their babies in late spring. Believe me, this is a treat you will not want to miss. Watching a pair or groups of baby deer feeding and frolicking around your yard will warm your heart like few other experiences. It is one of my most awaited wildlife moments of the whole year, I guarantee it will become one of yours too.

I highly recommend adding this new level of wildlife feeding to your home. It is easy and when done correctly, is perfectly safe and extremely rewarding. For more information regarding deer feeders and deer feeding tips, visit the web link below to read the full version of this article which includes some excellent information regarding white-tailed deer and their abilities to survive.

Peter Hurley has been an active nature lover all his life and is the owner of The Hurley-Byrd Bird Feeder Co http://www.hurleybyrd.com His vast experience with wildlife has produced some of the finest bird, deer and wildlife feeders in the world. Visit http://www.hurleybyrd.com/DeerFeederTips.html for more information regarding the white-tailed deer and the enjoyable way of feeding this beautiful animal. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to visit Hurley-Byrd's site and write Mr. Hurley directly. You are also welcome to view some beautiful photos of deer, including white-tailed bucks, does and fawns plus world class mule deer at hurleybyrd.com/DeerFeeder.html

Using proteins for subarctic hunting feeders

Routing season is long and bucks will soon begin to shed their antlers.  With regard to the management of horns is important to consider the five necessary categories for maximum growth; protein, energy, minerals, vitamins and water.  Adequate nutrition during the months of February and March are especially important, because deer which should replace the body fat and muscle lost during the winter months before growth horns can reach their potential.  Now is the time to start thinking about how providing protein to the deer in the ranch or lease.  Inadequate protein intake will reduce development of horns and could affect the development for several successive years.  They help you manage the excellent results during the hunting season to provide protein.

Many hunters, land managers and biologists believe that a 16% protein food source is necessary for that bucks achieved a maximum growth of horns and to achieve maximum production fawn.  Protein levels are of utmost importance at certain times of the year.  For the growth of the horns, this period is late winter until the end of the period of growth of horns. For the production of Fawn, the period when the levels of proteins are most critical for is during fetal development and breastfeeding. And, in general, protein levels are higher in native forage during the spring and fall and are lower during the summer and winter.  It is no coincidence that horns growth and fetal development Fawn coincide with seasonally high level of protein in the spring.

But periods when proteins is limited, as during the summer and winter? Deer can compensate for this seasonality of proteins through recycling of the protein, but this means that the proteins will be used for critical functions in the first place.

Although deer can survive a dry spring, bucks will produce antlers that are smaller than their potential and not overrides fawns before birth or shortly thereafter to leave them. Protein levels are not critical to the survival of deer, but "too much" protein can permanently increase the size of horns, rates of flatterers, and in most cases.

If you are interested in supplementing the white-tailed deer, remember that winter and summer are the critical moments in relation to the availability of protein, but provide additional protein during the spring and autumn will improve the conditions of body of deer on his property and put them in better shape for the difficult periods.

The best practice of deer management is maintaining the population in line with the carrying capacity of the Habitat and provide additional choice food. In this way, the food is really supplementary. A herd of Red Deer well-feed will be very productive, often produce 60-100% crops chamois. This means that 50 can regularly produce fawns for 30-50 each year.

Deer feeders will continue to play a key role in the management of deer in the coming months.   Feeders of corn for feeds protein Exchange will attract deer to its stand and providing adequate nutrition to his flock during this period of growth.  With a single Deputy deer feeders can be easily transformed to meet the needs of corn and protein.  Protein tubes are interchangeable and designed for distribution, ensuring optimum potential for up to four animals with virtually no damage of feed horn.  Our feeders are considered the best in the market due to its unique design and durability.  2000 Standard sizes available in 600 lbs, 1000 lbs, lbs this 2 1 unit offers solutions to provide the nutritional needs throughout the year and maximize the experience of hunting.

Nutrition and feeding of deer habits, numbers count: relationship of Buck DOE, Deer Management: surveying your Stock, deer season is around the corner, deer feeder maintenance

Tags: hunters of deer, deer management, subarctic deer

Posted Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 10: 10 pm at Hunter news.

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