Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Poor mans corn feeder

Must have been th mid '80s we started hearing about these battery operated corn feeders for the deer. We were poor boys and couldn't afford the money they were asking but we got to thinking. Bobby Jackson came up with an idea. We saved up our one litter plastic cola bottles all summer and be September had quite a batch. Got a couple of bags of corn. Using a scoop to get it out of the bag and our hand as a funnel, we filled those bottles up. Loaded up the four wheeler and off down the trails and fire lanes we went. Bobby knew where most of the crossings were and we'd drop a bottle off at each one and any likely spot we saw. Checked back about a week later and saw the deer were using them. They quick figured out they could kick the bottles around to get more corn out of them. We'd pick up the empties that we could find and take them back to refill to put out again. Seemed the deer really liked the idea and were using them regular. They would get impatient if we weren't filling them often enough I guess cause we were finding more and more bottles that had been stomped flat as they tried to get more corn. Don't remember how many bottles we had but a bag of corn would last pretty good. Crows and coons didn't seem to mess with the bottles that much. We did that for about five years 'till we could afford the real thing.

I still use that method at my popup blind area. Green Jays will use them like crazy though.

cool story

It sounds like a poor man's "pig pipe feeder". Neat idea.

We used to do that as well. We'd take 2 liter bottles and cut a square hole in the lid with a razor knife. The deer would have a ball with them.

We still use a few of the sewer-pipe feeders strapped to trees down below our camp, as it makes an easy way to watch deer from the porch year round. Also, if a bear finds it, he usually won't tear it up since he can get all the corn he wants by just eating.

Anybody still use the old 5-gallon bucket method? I used to see these in the woods all the time. It was just a lidded bucket hung from a tree branch with a hole cut in the bottom. Take a broomstick or dowel rod, drive a long nail through it near one end, and drop it down through the corn and through the hole so that it sticks out 3-4' from the bottom of the barrel. The nail won't let it slip through the hole in the bottom. As the deer bump the rod, it lets corn trickle out from the hole and fall below the feeder. It has been quite a while since I've seen anyone using this method.

usta do that but fed more tree rats and coons than deer, have saved alot of corn after going with the timed feeders

used all those methods over the years... make pig pipes out of the PVC and stake to ground still today for the one pig hunt I go on.

Cousin used gallon milk jugs full of corn for years.

Its all good methods.

I had little trouble affording a $100 feeder it was the 4-wheeler I couldn't afford

We did use the 2-liter coke bottles on public land a few times...

Not to sound like an Enviro-whacko - but how many plastic bottles do you wind up losing in the woods? Kinds seems like littering, don't it?

I had been hunting on foot for 15 years. Gave myself a four wheeler for my fiftieth birthday.

If you can't see them it ain't littering. Haven't used that method for five years, haven't seen one of those bottles in three years.

Dontcha know you can't be a deer hunter without a 4wheeler . I never wanted one but it would be great traveling the Sandhills. One can put the corn in coke cans and then sleep on stand till the sound of clinking wakes the hunter. No, I haven't but others have. Raccoons figure it out pretty quick.

We have a 4 wheeler. Have yet to use it for deer hunting.

100 buck feeders. Had my fill of cheap pieces of junk. Never again on cheap feeders.

In fact I'm getting to the point that a big self feeder may be much better than a timed motorized one....

I try to leave the 4wheeler at home when hunting, or maybe just leave it with the truck and go get it for retrieval of a deer. They are just too loud, in my opinion. I bought a little Toyota 4x4 this year and have yet to pull the 4wheeler out of the garage. The Toyota is really quiet, keeps me dry, carries all my gear, and has a heater. LOL....

Yep. Suzuki samarui here. Still want to save up for a hard top for it though...MUCH quieter than most ATVs.

But we only drive to the stand if Mom wants to sit with us. Hard for a 75 year old to walk too far in the woods.

For Carolyn and I, we walk at least half a mile to get to the stand and back....

ditch that toyota,i'd drag them miles before i buy that junk.

I always thought that a Samurai with FI and a hardtop would be a handy hunting rig. As far as not driving them all the way to the stand, I agree. We usually park at least a quarter to half mile away and walk in.

Toyota is one of the best vehicles we've ever owned. Puts many US made to shame.

As to FI... yeah I wished I had one with FI for sure.... that would be the ticket, but it was between two... that I had a chance at... FI was 2wd....

I'd take a good, clean golf cart if anyone wants to part with one. I'd even spring for fresh batteries if it needs it