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Varmit cage thoughts #6904391 09/30/17 11:23 PM
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Haven't used one before. Been noticing lots of coons tearing me up like never before.

Bought a cheap varmit cage from Academy for 15 bucks. Size looks good.

My question.

I went to TSC and bought some smaller wire to wrap over the squares, to make a smaller opening. I understand the corn won't shoot as far. Is just putting the mesh on top half close to funnel enough? Where do coons reach in or what angle do they use? How many inches can they reach?

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6904446 10/01/17 12:36 AM
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Most of your corn will fall straight down. That's why you see a deflector under the cage of an HB or All Seasons. There is no special way they usually reach in. They'll work and experiment all night until they find the closest place they can reach. I had them reaching in a good 8 inches. I had to cover the top portion with rabbit wire and the corn dropped straight down. I broke down and bought an all seasons. I have an HB and they can't reach it. The All Seasons should work as well. You might try PVC around the legs.

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6904460 10/01/17 12:49 AM
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I strap mine to trees. So no legs. May try aluminum flashing as well.

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6905123 10/01/17 10:50 PM
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found a round cage that's almost same circumference of barrel...well made and have yet to see a corn thief get paws in and spin...picked em up at Lyssy and Eckel in Llano....ive also seen on here where guys will use the metal plumbers strap to re-enforce cage to barrel all around

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6905203 10/02/17 12:20 AM
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I bought some rabbit fence. Pretty small square. Put that over the cages I bought.

Used lest over fencing and went all the way around the barrel. Attached it with a strap to the barrel. Used my grinder and made 4 cuts and pushed those together and tied together. It ain't pretty, but looks like it will work.

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6905509 10/02/17 12:48 PM
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Go to HomeDepot or Lowes and get some 1x1" mesh wire in a 2' wide roll.
The squares are 1" and it makes it easy to measure.
Start with a ring that is the same size as your barrel.
When you cut it, leave the ends sticking out and use them to join the ends of roll together.
Cut a square a little bigger than the barrel diameter and put it on bottom of the circle.
Cut and bend the ends around the circumference to secure this bottom in place.
Cut the cage to height + a little to go up on the barrel.
Make sure to leave the cut ends sticking up.
Take a pair of needle nose pliers and grab the end of the wire and make a loop for a sheet metal screw to go through and screw into barrel.
Cut out an access hole to change batteries, make adjustments, etc. and bend the cut ends over so they don't eat you up when reaching in!
Cut a piece of mesh that overlaps the hole 2" on all sides and attach so it swings open.

These usually last a while but squirrels and coons just don't seem to give up and will try to reach in pretty much every time they visit.
Eventually, moving the welds back and forth over and over they will give out.
I just lay another piece over it and tie it in.

Hope that helps!

Last edited by Vern1; 10/02/17 12:53 PM.

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Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6905579 10/02/17 01:29 PM
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Replace with eliminator spin plate.

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6905691 10/02/17 03:02 PM
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All my feeders are 55 gallon barrels. The 3 legs attach to the side of the barrel, half way between the top and bottom of the barrel. This way, the distance between timer/spinner plate and the legs will be too far for the coons to reach. If I were to put a varmit cage around the timer, then the coons would be able to reach it and hang from it all night and eventually mess up the timer.

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Hunter Daddy] #6905764 10/02/17 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted By: Hunter Daddy
All my feeders are 55 gallon barrels. The 3 legs attach to the side of the barrel, half way between the top and bottom of the barrel. This way, the distance between timer/spinner plate and the legs will be too far for the coons to reach. If I were to put a varmit cage around the timer, then the coons would be able to reach it and hang from it all night and eventually mess up the timer.


Make sure your feeder mech bolts are tight. I've had them jump from the legs and latch onto the feeder mech, and wing from it until it slides down from the barrel. Opens the gap and the buffet is on.

I got so frustrated with the dadgum circus freak coons they've got in E Texas that I bought some metal shelving from Lowes, bent it in a circle, and welded it to the bottom of the barrel. It's the only thing that's stopped them.

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Hunter Daddy] #6905963 10/02/17 06:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: Hunter Daddy
All my feeders are 55 gallon barrels. The 3 legs attach to the side of the barrel, half way between the top and bottom of the barrel. This way, the distance between timer/spinner plate and the legs will be too far for the coons to reach.


Wait a little longer until all the easy pickings from fall weather are gone.
I think you will be surprised how far a coon or squirrel will jump when they are hungry later in the season.


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Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6906055 10/02/17 07:06 PM
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Born to Hunt/Fish
Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: YellowDog] #6906124 10/02/17 07:55 PM
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Originally Posted By: YellowDog


Bought some of these and made some cages but haven't put them up yet.

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Wilhunt] #6906363 10/02/17 10:29 PM
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Originally Posted By: Wilhunt
Replace with eliminator spin plate.

We did this for ALL of our feeders....problem solved....


Originally Posted by Sneaky
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Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6906383 10/02/17 10:42 PM
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Where you located? I will give you the same one you saw at Academy.
So I buy one the day before I head to the lease....Raccoon issue on feeder.
Get to the lease and realized the cows got loose from where they are supposed to be....no more feeder 😢

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Hunter Daddy] #6906725 10/03/17 02:00 AM
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Originally Posted By: Wilhunt
Replace with eliminator spin plate.
Originally Posted By: Hunter Daddy
All my feeders are 55 gallon barrels. The 3 legs attach to the side of the barrel, half way between the top and bottom of the barrel. This way, the distance between timer/spinner plate and the legs will be too far for the coons to reach. If I were to put a varmit cage around the timer, then the coons would be able to reach it and hang from it all night and eventually mess up the timer.
r

^^^^^
Raccoon jungle gym. They love them cages!

Last edited by MoTex; 10/03/17 11:36 AM.
Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: dashing dog] #6906867 10/03/17 05:00 AM
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Originally Posted By: dashing dog
Where you located? I will give you the same one you saw at Academy.
So I buy one the day before I head to the lease....Raccoon issue on feeder.
Get to the lease and realized the cows got loose from where they are supposed to be....no more feeder 😢


I'm in north dfw. I already bought and installed them today. Return to academy and get store credit. I have a box if you need one to return it...

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6907070 10/03/17 01:27 PM
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I don't have coon, squirrel, cow or pig problems with this one.
Legs are tied to TPosts driven in at same angle as feeder leg so cows and pigs that rub on underside don't spread legs and crash feeder.
Solar electric fence charger wired to cage knocks the coons and squirrels right off.
Since the barrel is plastic, it makes a good insulator and the cage is screwed into bottom of barrel.
Ground wire is looped around the 3 legs and back to charger ground.
Hot wire from charger goes to cage.
Just remember to turn off the fence charger BEFORE you attempt to open cage!
It's been standing for over 4 years like this.



Cheers,
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Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6907252 10/03/17 03:25 PM
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We used a driving range golf ball cage , heavy duty .. Worked well

Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6907785 10/03/17 09:53 PM
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The best cage I’ve found is made by Monarch- perfect size mesh and diameter. Squirrels or coons can’t get in.


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Re: Varmit cage thoughts [Re: Roll-Tide] #6908816 10/04/17 06:37 PM
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during off season..i will cut the bottom out of a 5 gallon bucket and place over feeder box and fasten to bottom of feeder barrel.....with about a 2 foot offset the coons cant reach spinner plate..bad news is feed falls straight down..but off season im hog hunting and i dont care if the scatter pattern is only the width of the bucket..i only do this with one of my 4 feeders

Last edited by mow; 10/04/17 06:38 PM.
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