I run feeders year round- just cutting back to lesser throw times during the summer. I have a variety of feeders from true “Frankenfeeders” to a Capsule, and a Monarch. Since I started off piecemeal, I’ve added and upgraded as possible.
Even though I get out there pretty much every weekend, I hate showing up and the dang feeder isn’t throwing, or the coins have emptied it. I’ve added eliminator plates but don’t want to keep adding pieces to keep them all
Functioning.
So in some fields I have 3 feeders- just to ensure 1 is working.
Recently I’ve purchased 2 feeders from Academy that work well. I’m thinking of phasing our everything else and going to them- they are stand and fill and right now I have stand and fill, crank-up and ladder-fill feeders.
So what do you do? A couple of inexpensive ones or one “good” one?

How much do you value not being frustrated? Personally I would get ahold of ramball36 on here and talk to him about building you one with the plates for a varmint guard.

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbth...eeders_-#UNREAD

Buy one of his blemished ones

I have one of Ramball’s barrel stand and fill that I added the motor, timer, etc. it’s functioned well.
Haven’t bought one of his newer ones since he relocated to BF Egypt.

Ours are mainly crank up hang em highs. I added 6 volt texas hunter feeder kids to them with solar panels and they have been good for over 10 years. Have had to replace 1 pulley and have converted 1 of them to 12 volt when the original 6 volt motor went out.

When I continue to have problems they will all be changed to 12 volt systems. We have coons but they have never been a problem for the feeders. A varmit cage is a nice addition though.

Put out one of the Bucees Ez-Feeder (made by All-Season) last weekend and it appears to be a solid feeder with no coon cage needed.

$399 bucks: Holds 600 pounds with motor, ASF timer, and solar panel included. Put in a battery and start slingin

For me the lost time and frustration caused me to move away from the rigged cheap feeders. I spend the money up front then have years of trouble-free service. I've also standardized on 12V with THE TIMER so I need to keep few repair parts on hand.

Cheap, small feeders are just not worth the headaches.

Moultrie Pro series...end of feeder issues...

I built this stand a fill from 2 feeders. It uses Buck Boss 12 volt feeders. I have it set where each feeder throws in the morning and evening,4 seconds each time, 1 hour apart. That way, if 1 goes down the other is still throwing morning & evening and the hunt won’t be ruined.

That's a nice set-up.

Very nice. You should build to sell.

x2

I like the stand and fill type feeders I now have. They came with solar panels and timers and have been very reliable for the three years I’ve had them. But, they have a flaw. The very sturdy steel cage around the timer/thrower will keep a hog or coon out, but not a squirrel. I had to wrap the steel cage with a tough finer mesh wire that’ll let corn out but keep squirrels out. Though they are stand and fill, I have to fill from the back of the Kubota. I’m not tall enough to put the corn bags that high up. If I buy more feeders, I will make sure the steel cage has fine enough mesh to keep the squirrels out. Otherwise, the feeders I have are just about perfect.

I've recently put another one of these in service, these are the best value for the money I've found:


The cage is impenetrable by coons or squirrels, and everything is protected.
They take a while to put together (bazillion nuts and bolts), and you have to caulk the thing, but they work great.

Academy has them.

Dang nice setup BigPig

Thanks guys. After taking a call while losing corn, and feeder issues over the years, I decided this was the best setup for me. I would change a few things to this one, but it works good enough as is. I couldn’t build them fast enough to make a single penny.

I have moved away from 6 volt feeders and gone to 12 volt (Cost a little more up front) but way less battery issues, solar not keeping battery charged, etc. I use to use the 6V Remingtons without many issues at all though. Lowest maintenance motor unit i have used are the All Seasons Galvanized Box unit with the Timer. Next in line would be their same unit with the cheaper timer. Sometimes I prefer the cheaper timer because it runs off the main battery!

I also have moved away from crank down and ladder feeders (Slippery when muddy). I like tripods cause I can drive beside them hop on back of the truck and fill them quick and easy. If you want them shorter just cut the legs and put a large round varmint cage around the motor unit (Not small square ones). Also use galvanized throw on lids on top.

Finally, the All Season solar unit or a solar panel that fits flat to the feeder with the armour cable is fantastic. I use the Academy ones also cause they are cheap but I have had tons of birds and animals bend them down or hang on the cables so to me they don't last as long.

I wish the Game Winner cube feeder was 12 volt. After switching from 6 volt it's hard to go back. No batter issues for the last few years.
They just spin and spin.

I think it would be pretty easy to switch the motor and plate to 12, the problem would be the battery. There’s not enough room in the compartment for a 12 volt. It probably would be doable to put the battery in the hopper with some engineering.

Red Chevy has the best strategy:
Hang em High Feeder w/ 12 Volt Texas Hunter Products Slinger= End of Story
Thanks for Playing!

PS: My Hang em Highs (multiples) w/ TX Hunter 12 Volt have been going since 2006 and still going..................