We have one feeder at our place where the coons are a nightmare, the other feeders haven't been so bad. All our feeders are 55 gallon drums hanging from tripod and winch. Its been a constant battle keeping the coons from emptying it. I have pics of 20+ coons around it, we've probably shot 15 coons at that feeder over the years. We've tried different varmint cages and they have figured a way around them. Finally put Eliminator Plates on them and they actually work great. I thought we had the coons beat, then this.

Just bought some metal lids with springs. Worried about the springs so I put a heavy paver on top. Hope that puts a stop to them but not counting on it.

Dangit

I'd put my money on squirrels. Had them doing that 30 yrs ago on feeders.

Recently had squirrels ruin a pool chlorine bucket and lid that I had pig bait mix in. Plastic is no bueno left outside.

Put out a couple of DP traps, and in a week or two you'll have them under control. At least for a couple of months..

Get traps as suggested ^ ^ ^
if you want to get rid of nuisance varmints, trapping and dispatching
is the only way to go.

chewing through plastic strikes me more as squirrel damage not coons. Coons generally try to spin plate or shake varmint cages, never seen them chew through plastic and I have had two polyurethane feeders for 10+ years with many coons and never any chewing issues.

Could have been squirrels but its a pretty big hole and when I walked up saw a coon climbing out of it.

100% Squirrels (regardless of what you saw coming out of it).

Coons have canine teeth, they don't 'Gnaw' on things. Squirrels do nothing but.

I have the same thing going on right now with squirrels and plastic feeder lids.






Got my .17hmr out yesterday and sniped 4 of them. EVERY one of them shot off the feeder, about 30 minutes apart.

Agree that it must be squirrels gnawing the holes, looks just like yours. I bought 3 of the metal lids below, hope that stops it. They have springs to hold them down but not sure how well they'll work. They seem to hold the lids down okay but I put a paver on the feeder I have the most trouble with just in case.

Does anyone have experience with these lids?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FGTPXM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use these on my big feeders. No hold downs. They just slip on. I have never had a problem with animals pulling them off, but they may be deeper than the one you pictured with the tie downs. I would guess it weighs around 10 lbs. I have not had a mold problem after going to this type of lid either.

https://www.amazon.com/Boss-Buck-Slip-Silver-55-Gallon/dp/B005Z7OC02/

I have those lids on a couple of feeders and they work great. Coons can't get to my lids but I imagine a squirrel could if it wanted to. I run no plastic parts on my feeders of any kind. if it's not metal it will end up being trouble.

I run a lid similar to that on all of my 30 gallon feeders. But I use short rubber bungie straps to hook at the lid and then pull it tight to the bottom lip of the drum. Coons can not get into that and they don't bother the bungie straps.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I hope this fixes the problems. I spend way too much time messing with these dang feeders.

First it was hogs tearing them up, I put them on tripods and lifted with winches and staked the legs down. Hog problem solved.

Next was coons spinning the feeders. Installed Eliminator Plates, been running them about a year now, seems to have solved the coon problem

Now squirrels

What's next? I'm ready LOL

^^^^^^

Locusts probably..............

Locusts probably..............

Yeah locusts or maybe bears. I have a buddy in AR who can't have a feeder cause the bears tear them up.

Porcupines.