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Banks 300lb feeder

Posted By: fr8-shkr

Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 12:52 PM

Anybody used them? Tell me the pros and cons. Can you use something besides corn in them? Pellets, rice bran??? I use big spinner feeders now. I can pick a couple of these up for a decent price. Was wondering if they are worth it. Thanks in advance.
Posted By: hallb

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 12:58 PM

Love them you could put anything in them you put in a regular gravity feeder. I’ve got three of them out and will be replacing my three spinners with them for next season. I’ll post some pics when I get to my computer later. It took the deer a bit to warm up to them after putting them up. What kind of deal are you getting on them?
Posted By: blumsden

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by hallb
Love them you could put anything in them you put in a regular gravity feeder. I’ve got three of them out and will be replacing my three spinners with them for next season. I’ll post some pics when I get to my computer later. It took the deer a bit to warm up to them after putting them up. What kind of deal are you getting on them?

Will you mature bucks eat out of them, if so, how long did it take?
Posted By: fr8-shkr

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by hallb
Love them you could put anything in them you put in a regular gravity feeder. I’ve got three of them out and will be replacing my three spinners with them for next season. I’ll post some pics when I get to my computer later. It took the deer a bit to warm up to them after putting them up. What kind of deal are you getting on them?


A guy at a local store has 3 of them left over from season. I can get them for $225 a piece.
Posted By: Deerdook1

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 01:26 PM

I drilled a few extra holes at the bottom of the pipe openings. The powder residue from protein pellets will stop up the factory holes once rain hits the openings. Just clean these on a regular basis, prevents any mildew/souring that deer are finicky towards.
Posted By: CRUTCHJD76

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 01:41 PM

I have always used Boss Buck 200# feeders but recently bought the 300# Banks and I’m looking forward to seeing how the deer respond to it.. I also drilled extra holes in the troughs for extra drainage. That’s a good price, I paid 270.00 for mine off of Sportsman’s
Posted By: hallb

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 02:12 PM

Can you all explain what you're talking about with the extra holes, don't guess I've experienced the problem yet but maybe I need to go ahead and do it. I also got mine off of sportsmans guide.

I'd say it took the bucks about a month to start eating out of them. The does and younger dear came to it pretty immediate. One thing I did do on the last one or two was bury the post a few inches deeper, think it says bury an 8' 4x4 3' in the ground. It seemed to leave the openings a little high to me, but it doesn't seem to bother the deer, they just stretch their necks out. I got turned onto them by a buddy in GA, he has a bunch of them out for a couple of years now and has had good luck with them.

Here's some pics I have handy:

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Posted By: fr8-shkr

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 02:12 PM

How often are you guys having to fill the feeder? Do y’all put the pvc pipe around the base? If so, what size pipe?
Posted By: hallb

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by fr8-shkr
How often are you guys having to fill the feeder? Do y’all put the pvc pipe around the base? If so, what size pipe?


I think I was having to fill mine about once a month, but obviously it will depend on your deer density and how much other corn and feed you have out. I do not have anything around the base of mine and the coons definitely find their way up there to the spouts.
Posted By: Rmart30

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by fr8-shkr
How often are you guys having to fill the feeder? Do y’all put the pvc pipe around the base? If so, what size pipe?


Depends on how many deer ya have. What I found is they eat more if its straight corn. With pellets mixed in they don't seen to empty a feeder so quickly. I don't know if those fill them up faster or what. Co op protein pellets are $2 a bag more than corn. So we do about a 80 %pellets 20 corn mix and it lasts longer.
We didn't use PVC we wrapped tin (flashing) around the posts of ours. Make sure and start at the bottom and wrap up so you don't leave a lip with each wrap for the coons to get grip on.

Originally Posted by blumsden

Will you mature bucks eat out of them, if so, how long did it take?


We had does eating out of them almost from day one. Bucks came a little slower. Maybe a month or so. But I will say I have a buddy who is less than 3 miles from my spot who bought one of the banks and his bucks wouldn't even get near it the first year he had it up. Its on year 2 and all his mature bucks will now eat from it so, some are slower to adapt to it. He used apple corn to finally get them started on it.


Tip …. If you ever think you may want to move this feeder or take them down in the off season to prevent theft. Knock the sharp edges and corners off the end of the 4x4 that's facing up so that the end is a little smaller. The inside of the feeder is tapered and the 4x4 will wedge inside and you cant pry it off. We took probably 1/4" in x 1" down the sides tapered off our 4x4's

Posted By: blumsden

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 03:30 PM

For those using these, do you prefer them over trough feeders? I know coons live in trough feeders, but seems like you could build 2-3 for what one of these cost, but I guess you would use more feed with a trough feeder?
Posted By: Rmart30

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by blumsden
For those using these, do you prefer them over trough feeders? I know coons live in trough feeders, but seems like you could build 2-3 for what one of these cost, but I guess you would use more feed with a trough feeder?


Big yes for me. Trough feeders are coon buffets. Figure up how much corn coons are eating every yr and the cost saved if that was eliminated.

My goal with trying the first banks type feeder was to eliminate the cost of feeding non target critters. id say the deer we were trying to feed were only getting less than half of what a spincast feeder threw out. Hogs, turkey,crows, other birds, squirrels, coyotes, were getting most of the feed. Same with a trough. it was a buffet for everything that could get to it.
Posted By: Deerdook1

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 03:39 PM

If you put one near trees, make sure you cut all limbs back and as high as possible, coons perform an air raid on one of mine. The extra holes drilled in the feed end of the pipes will allow rain water to drain faster. Some protein pellets will have a little powder in the bags that will clump heavily at the end of the feed tube if you do not clean regularly. Once this residue accumulates, it will start to sour and the deer will deter from it. I usually mix 33% protein to corn. This feeder vs trough(have both) does seem to slow down the amount of consumption. You can also regulate the amount of gravity flow from each pipe(adjustable). Mounted too high, first year deer have a little trouble reaching. Not sure this is any better than the other gravity feeders, hope this helps.
Posted By: fr8-shkr

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 04:42 PM

I’m currently running 2 55 gal drum homemade spinner feeders. They are about 5 foot off the ground. Hold enough corn to las from now till bow season. I drop about a pound a day at noon. I don’t have a problem with coons. I like it because there is minimal effort once they are filled. I change batteries twice a year and fill twice a year. I like the idea of free choice gravity style feeders, but am having a hard time pulling the trigger. I like the design on the banks feeder and they would be permanent fixtures. Just don’t know if it’s worth the money to change up my routine. I only really need one more feeder. Really don’t have the time to build it
Posted By: Deerdook1

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 05:07 PM

Where I am, #300 straight corn lasts about 8 days, #300 of corn and protein mix lasts 12 days. When spring blooms are at full throttle, I slow down on supplemental feeding through middle of summer. During that time, I raise the ratio of protein to corn for antler growth. And slowly transition back to the 33% protein to corn as fall green fields are coming up. During the pre-rut and rut, I go primarily corn just to attract the does, etc. But, that is much more supplemental feeding vs the spin feeders as mentioned above. Deer will consume as much as you are willing to give them in a matter of days.
Posted By: High_Voltage

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 05:22 PM

Great feeders and are ALMOST coon proof with the pvc pipe. I have one property where they empty it in 5 days and one that itll last two weeks just depends.
Posted By: blumsden

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 05:28 PM

I have plenty of 55 gallon plastic drums, and made a gravity feeder using a toilet flange, pvc pipe and "T". Built a small table for it to sit on and it works great for corn, but was wanting to feed some pellets this summer along with my plots. The only problem I see using the banks over boss buck, is you cant move the bank feeders. Well you can but it would be a pain in the arse. I appreciate the info.
Posted By: fr8-shkr

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by blumsden
I have plenty of 55 gallon plastic drums, and made a gravity feeder using a toilet flange, pvc pipe and "T". Built a small table for it to sit on and it works great for corn, but was wanting to feed some pellets this summer along with my plots. The only problem I see using the banks over boss buck, is you cant move the bank feeders. Well you can but it would be a pain in the arse. I appreciate the info.


The moving thing is no biggie for me. These will be permanent fixtures. Now that we can bait, my feeders will never come out. Well worth the 15 dollars.
Posted By: hallb

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 06:21 PM

If your deer are wiping out one of these in 8 days, you need to have a bunch more feeders out or go with the bigger size, which they do have. One ain't gonna cut it unless you just like going to fill them up a bunch. We were running about a ton of corn every 3-4 weeks on approx 440 acres in 3 banks feeders, 3 spin feeders and 3 trough feeders and I would say on the deer density level we are middle-upper on numbers.
Posted By: blumsden

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 07:25 PM

300# gone in 8 days? Your native habitat must be non-existent or you have way too many deer. 300# lasts me almost 2 months, but its on a foodplot so it only gets hit morning and evening.
Posted By: Remington270

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/14/20 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by blumsden
300# gone in 8 days? Your native habitat must be non-existent or you have way too many deer. 300# lasts me almost 2 months, but its on a foodplot so it only gets hit morning and evening.


I dunno, I’ve had the same experience. I have plenty of deer but nothing crazy. Not 100/sq mile, probably not even close. I was filling my 350# feeder that often too. A few deer can really eat a lot of corn.
Posted By: Big Bore

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/15/20 05:35 AM

I have 3. They are great. Get 6” pvc pipe. Big bucks skirt it but does and young bucks hammer it. Feed the Hurd. Zero maintenance.
Posted By: LetOff

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/15/20 12:16 PM

Any day pics of mature bucks eatin out of that ?
Posted By: bwhunter

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/15/20 12:28 PM

Good feeders, you need to drill the holes for extra drainage and add a 6"PVC pipe so the coons don't clean you out.
Posted By: hallb

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/15/20 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by LetOff
Any day pics of mature bucks eatin out of that ?



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Posted By: blumsden

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/20/20 03:17 PM

Hallb, in your opinion, what is the right height for the feeding tubes? In the pictures it looks like smaller deer would struggle to feed from those.
Posted By: Cooperjohn

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/20/20 03:29 PM

Do any of you guys use the triple grip in
The gravity feeders, if so how does it do in these
Type feeders. The triple grip is corn roasted peanuts
And sometype little black bean.
Posted By: hallb

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/20/20 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by blumsden
Hallb, in your opinion, what is the right height for the feeding tubes? In the pictures it looks like smaller deer would struggle to feed from those.


Posted this up above earlier was buried in my other comments:

Quote
One thing I did do on the last one or two was bury the post a few inches deeper, think it says bury an 8' 4x4 3' in the ground. It seemed to leave the openings a little high to me, but it doesn't seem to bother the deer, they just stretch their necks out.


I thought maybe they were a little high at first, but after seeing the pics come thru the season, the 3' they say to bury is fine - I'd go 3' plus 3-4 more inches maybe? Even the smaller does can eat out of them fine. The fawns and yearlings may struggle a little bit, but they're usually with a bunch of does anyways that tend to knock a bunch of corn out on the ground for them to eat. So they are all getting their share.
Posted By: JoeBuck

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/20/20 04:40 PM

Just ordered 2 of these from the Sportsman's Guide. Should be here next week. Can't wait to get them to the farm to supplement the spin feeders during the antler growing season. Is there any need for sakrete around the 4 x 4?

What kind of pellets have ya'll found to be the most palatable to the deer?

Also, what are your opinions on placing the Banks feeders in the same area as my existing spin feeders (on food plots) or should I move the gravity feeders off the plots and try to create another feeding area? I am leaning toward keeps all the feed on the plots but would like to hear ya'll's opinion. I am planning on using these Banks as a supplement feeder for protein during the growing season and go back to spin only during the hunting season. Thanks for the input.
Posted By: Deerdook1

Re: Banks 300lb feeder - 02/20/20 10:06 PM

If you put them on the plot, be aware that you will lose at least a 10 -12ft diameter circle of your plot around the feeder. Pending on how much you refill them.
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