The Complete Handbook of Wild Game Feeders

Chapter 1: Understanding Wild Game Feeders

A wild game feeder is relatively simple in its core function: it stores a large volume of grain, usually corn or a protein pellet, and then systematically distributes that grain into a specific, usually small, area to attract deer, feral hogs, or other game. The simplicity of that purpose, however, masks a range of design decisions, mechanical tolerances, and field conditions that determine whether the unit is and effective management tool, or just an expensive, rusting yard ornament. This chapter covers the physical mechanics of a feeder, the biological and behavioral context of the animals you are feeding, and the operational realities that define the equipment's true value.

To understand the feeder, you must first understand what the unit is up against. A whitetail deer has a hearing range that exceeds a human's by a significant margin, and feral hogs have an olfactory capability that is almost comically acute. A poorly timed feeder that slams a metal lid at 5:00 PM will condition wary, mature bucks to avoid that location and shift to a nocturnal pattern. An efficient unit, operated correctly, begins as an environmental stimulus - the sound of a motor turning and the sound of corn hitting the ground - and becomes a reliable food source. The mechanics of the feeder are the tool you use to control that stimulus.

The Core Mechanisms You Will Encounter

Every feeder on the market, from the cheapest gravity box to the thousand-dollar remote-monitoring unit, uses