Picked up an All Seasons 600# Stand and Fill at West Texas Game Feeders Saturday and before I could get 15 miles down the road the lid flew off, causing the feeder to get lift, tear my tie-downs and land on Highway 208. Still haven't found the lid, may still be in orbit.

While I was paying, the nice young kid that works there forklifted it into the bed of my F150 and assisted my lease partner in strapping it down. My buddy asked him if we needed to lay it down and he said "No, we send them out of here like this all the time". I gathered it up off the road and headed back in search of the lid and to see if there was anything WTGF was willing to do to help me out (I haven't bought anything new for hunting in 20 years, so I was absolutely sick). They pulled a lid off another one, supposedly called All Seasons to see what a lid cost and charged me $50 for another lid (so my $625 feeder went to $675 in a matter of minutes). I asked if they felt any responsibility since they loaded it and helped secure it. The old man spread some papers on the cork board behind him to display a sheet of paper that says they are not responsible for securing loads. I told him they shouldn't climb in the back of trucks and help secure then. He then said he didn't know that I wasn't running 100mph down the highway (which I assure you I wasn't as I was on the shoulder most of the time letting folks going the speed limit pass me). I give them kudos for straightening it back up and putting stronger springs on there. We did haul it lying down the second time. It's in place and the deer have no clue what the feeder went through so I guess there is a happy ending except for the added expense and tackiness of the owner. I will say All Seasons makes a tough product. Other than a little road rash on the steel, you'd never know it bounced down the middle of the road.

So, the advice, secure your lids or lay it down before transporting any distance, and be leery of WTGF. I don't think there is any way that lid costs $50, or that feeder would have to sell for a lot more than $625. I know, I know, put my big boy pants on, and move on down the road.....after securing my load.

What did you secure them with?

Looking at a 600# online, there is no way I'd haul it as it stands in the field, a bit too high center to be subject to the "g's" of riding in a truck bed i'd think.. Seems odd that there was enough lift just because of a missing lid though.

Looking at a 600# online, there is no way I'd haul it as it stands in the field, a bit too high center to be subject to the "g's" of riding in a truck bed i'd think.. Seems odd that there was enough lift just because of a missing lid though.

Might have to think twice about my next purchase at West Texas. Surely they could have sold you the lid for less.

I hauled mine 225 miles to lease last month. Feed store in New Braunfels loaded with forklift, I told them I'd tie it down. Removed the lid and put it under my Yeti. Used 2 small m/c tie downs through the varmit cage, and a heavy duty yellow ratchet strap over the top. Most expensive feeder I've ever bought, I was nervous about it all the way to the ranch.

We load almost all of the stand and fills we build that way as well. Two ratchet straps and they are good to go

this is a large feeder we are talking about... a heavy strap would be a very smart choice to secure these so this wont happen... not the little 300-500lb straps you get at tractor supply and what not..

Its not a shoe stores job to tie your shoes for you either

Looks like I'll stay away from West Texas Game Feeders also. They should have helped out more.

We used three straps which hold our ATV's on trailers for the 300 mile trip to the lease. They went across the varmint cage and just severed with the rubbing action. Obviously I had lost the lid way before I lost the feeder and just didn't realize it. I'm as mad at myself as I am WTGF. I should have looked up at those springs above the cab and realized this wasn't a good plan. I am proud to have it in place now....surely hogs can't tear up what asphalt couldn't.

They are good feeders

Jackson Brothers in Abilene replaced a lid on an all seasons feeder that blew off going down the road and was slightly bent at NO cost. We shook hands and said lesson learned on both sides. I have since bought 7 more feeders from them. That's what I call "good business"!

I have sold and loaded a good number of these. Best way to is lay them on their sides, with the lid butted up against something. Then, run a strap but put a little piece of cardboard between the strap and the angle frame. Otherwise, there's a real good chance that strap will get cut, as it sounds like you found out.

Sorry about your bad luck, but good lesson.

I have hauled four of them standing upright on my trailer before, but I took the lids off of those. Even then, they caught alot of wind. Solid feeders though.

not the 600lb, but got a 1000lb one. Loved how it could be flipped into the bed of the truck. It hauled great upside down (lid not attached) - did not even bother to strap it down.

Spent last weekend few weekends putting new feeders in (not All-Season, love how they haul, but not how the stand and fills throw). Blew out a tie down each trip. Use redundant straps - and understand they are semi-disposable.

huh?

Should have read this about the cardboard under the strap. I put one large new strap over the top and another through the guard resting on the angle iron and from Cabala's in FW to Cisco it was cut in two and in the bed. The top strap held the load. With a Tundra crew max bed with a tool box no option to lay it down. Solid feeder though.

Never underestimate the power of a Good Strap Job

That last photo just cracks me up, you have some cojones traveler But you got her there in one piece

Nice job Sniper. "Trailer to short? Ehhh, hold my beer and watch this!"

Obviously, I should have enlisted Sniper for this transport job!!

We took 5 All Seasons out this weekend 250 miles, just put one big yellow strap on top (but not too tight to bend the feeder itself, we left top on for structural support)
We have hauled so much stuff to the lease this year and use those 30ft 5-10k straps.
Worked perfectly.
Word of caution, don't put a strap all the way through the cage, it will slice it, we made one mile from the barn on the way out of town and had to redo straps.