Gravity Vs Spin Feeders

Which one do you prefer and why? I have not used a feeder in a long time but the last time I used a spin feeder it just dumped a pile of corn out on the ground till it rotted. I'm looking at getting a couple feeders to put out and I'm kind of leaning towards gravity type. It just seems to me like there would be less waste. But how long does it usually take deer to learn to eat from a gravity type feeder?

Took mine almost a year and two years later the bucks still won’t touch it.

I prefer spin feeders. Having the ability to set timer seems to increase daytime movement. Gravity feeders not only encourage night time movement, the deer eat a lot more corn. You also feed more corn to coons and squirrels.

If your deer will adjust to them spin feeders are the way to go. Set times and control feeding amounts. Gravity just prolongs what you could do by pouring a bag on the ground. I haven’t seen anything work as well as casting a couple hundred pounds over a food plot though.

I used a 31gal silver metal trash can from home depot. Did not paint it, cut a hole in the bottom side so a golf ball can easily go in and out. Used a can of great stuff to create a form a ramp on the back side. Tied it to a tree, and filled it with corn (holds ~160lbs - if I remember correctly), slung a bunch of corn around it. Took ~2 days for them to find it and start using it. Does & young bucks did seem to hit it first, then the older bucks didn't care.

My next one will be a 55 gal drum with an open top & lid. I am going to glue/caulk a big salad bowl upside down in the middle & cut 2-4 hole in the bottom sides.

I don't seem to have a coon, hog, or bear problems over 3 years (yet). So it works good for me. May not be a good option in other areas.

Out in KS years ago when I dabbled working for an outfitter the feeders were all 55 gallon drums with 2 six inch tall "U"s cut on opposite sides about an inch up from the bottom. Bend the U cutout to control how much they could stick their mouths in. Seemed to work just fine.

Just build a covered feed trough and be did with it less waste and whole lot less headache

Before i start hunting, after Christmas, ill spread a cyclone spreader full(250-300lb) about every four days across an acre or so about 150yds in front of my shooting house. You would be amazed how it has increased my deer sightings

This. I have run both and just converted to all spin feeders.

I’ve had zero issues getting young bucks to utilize a spin feeder. Young bucks turn into old bucks (just takes a couple years). Just don’t expect a 5yo to hit them. Now those 2.5yo bucks that were using the feeders 2 years ago will use them now. It’s a process lol.

we have 6 boss buck gravity feeders (350 lbs)and 1 spin cast feeder (200 lbs)....took deer a few weeks to take to the gravity feeders , now they empty them in 3 weeks or less . we are going thru a pallet of feed every month....

The real question is can you afford a gravity feeder.....?

Not right now. Will cost you more than your kids, and that's honestly not a joke.

I feed deer behind the house every day. Take a scoop or two or corn in a five gallon bucket and spread it myself. Been doing it for years. I tried to put out a feeder last year. Took the does about 4 months to eat from it and the bucks never would. Went back to hand throwing.

I’ve got most of the deer acclimated to spin feeders now but it takes a while. I can’t afford to keep feed in a gravity feeder.

Last season I ran one gravity feeder and one spin feeder. I went through 1300 pounds in the gravity feeder and 200 pounds in the spin feeder with the same results as far as use. Does and small bucks fed from both regularly. I had some nice mature bucks cruise by on occasion but none ever stopped to eat at either.

I prefer to load up my 350 pound hopper on the pull spreader and go to it.
Down bushhogged roads and some in green fields

Good bucks WILL utilize spin feeders. It just takes time.

i have pics of 3 and 4 yr old deer at both types of feeders.....it will take some time if your deer are skittish...just think about it...if momma deer brings baby buck to feeder and they dont get blasted then they keep coming back, the baby will continue to return as an adult if it dont get shot or run off by mom....

What spin feeders do you like, and how do you keep coons and squirrels from messing with them? I see Moultrie has one that has a charged electric shock grate built in, but don't see much online about how effective it is.

I bought 2 All Seasons Stand and Fill feeders this year and have no complaints so far. I have 5 Foreverlast feeders that have been great, but they were discontinued. I was able to upgrade them this year with All Seasons Eliminator control units since several needed new motors/timers. Below is a pic of the Eliminator plate that is supposed to be coon proof, but we'll see.....

All Seasons Stand & Fill with an Eliminator spin plate, or a Lamco Stand & Fill.

Both will deter coons and skwerls, but get the All Seasons if you have hogs near.

No hogs, but I really want to stick the feeder down in a bottom where no one knows it is, and have a ground blind to hunt it with the kids. Gonna set it to broadcast 2 times, about 7:30 and 4ish. For only a few seconds. I want to train the deer to come running when they hear it. Or they miss out.

No hogs where we are. Yet.

Man just throw it on the ground if you have to bait. I think all it does is attract hogs though. Man we never had hogs until one member started throwing corn out then we had them and now can't get rid of them. Tearing up the place and spooking the deer.

These aren't terribly light, but with the All Seasons at 300 lb capacity and the Lamco at 600 lbs, they will run for a while. Both of mine got moved into position with a UTV

Throwing it on the ground means I am basically feeding the coons, which I am trying to avoid. If I trap them around the corn, then that tends to create more human intrusion, which I don't want. I had two of those bag feeders out last year, and the coons would camp out on them every night. Same in places where I threw it out on the ground.

So its not a question of if I need to bait, I don't. But in a hunting club, people do so its one of those things. And if we don't, and the club next to us does, guess where the deer will go?

Amen.. We honestly killed more mature bucks before we started baiting regularly.. Don't get me wrong, I still like to throw it on the ground in different areas when the rut comes in but the only thing we accomplished by running feeders 24/7 is bringing the hogs in.. The hunting drastically changed after the hogs set in..

I

I have a Moultrie and a couple wild games. Both brands work great. The wild games are cheaper like $80 only concerns we had was that they aren’t complete water proof like the Moultrie lids. they tend to leak around the hinges but we fixed that with silicone. Also the best thing to do is lather them ole feeder legs up with some Vaseline/petroleum jelly. Let’s just say the coons will be peed off when they stick those crummy hands on them slimy legs😂

Most of the guys I talk to and hunt with that just throw corn on the ground seem to do better than those using spin cast feeders. Of course these are guys that don’t have jobs and can use cameras to pin point when to kill the deer. I know I don’t see or get many pictures of big bucks on my spin cast, but I can’t afford , money or time, to throw corn on the ground.

I ended up buying a moultrie standard spin feeder. Put it out last Thursday and filled it up with corn that I laced pretty heavy with this stuff called Corn Spike that they had at the feed store. This guy doesn’t seem to mind the new feeder at all. We’ve never used feeders on our place but I’m assuming our neighbors do given how quickly he took a liking to it.

Big deer don't like feeders.

Actually, they do.







I can get more if you want additional proof.

And before anyone says anything, this is low fence/no fence free range.

I ended up getting a Moultrie with the 'shocker' around the spinner. So we shall see how it does. If they seem to still get in it, then I will add a cage. I got the solar charger to and got it mounted and taped all the wiring up with T-rex duct tape, which is stout.

I think its NXT... All I know is it says shock hazard all over it.

It was a joke. My sarcasm was running strong at the time..lol

Cool. We have had some folks in the past be ridiculous about that. I tossed mine out a bity quick, I guess

With the price of corn this fall we switch our gravity feeders back over to spin feeders. This was we can control the amount of feed being used.

It's awful. I think I paid 11.99 for a 50 pound bag at TS.