# 55 Gallon Drum feeder



## kansasheadhunt (Nov 27, 2008)

I have made two different 55 gallon feeders in the past. I made one with legs that had a timed spinner mechanism on it. I had problems with animals spinning corn out of it, pieces of cob getting stuck and not allowing corn to escape, and dealing with batteries running out. I then made a gravity feeder that sits on the ground with a wooden base. I had cut 4 horizontal holes in the bottom where the corn could pour out. The problem with this type of feeder is the ***** would eat more corn than the deer. I have now decided to make my own "Boss Buck" gravity feeder. I ordered the Boss Buck 3-way gravity feeder head and funnel. I also ordered the belly band leg kit. I paid $125 for the parts. I am going to use a plastic 55 gallon drum to reduce weight. I will then just use conduit legs. I should have this feeder built for less than $150. The Boss Buck feeder that is sold commercially and the same size of the one I am building costs $300 plus tax.


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## aocasek (Oct 27, 2008)

Thats a good savings and a good idea, I will check those out. Other ideas?


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## ks_bow_hunter (Sep 4, 2008)

I get those plastic barrels for $10, and then use old T-post for legs. I cut a hole in the bottom and use 3" pvc fittings to make a gravity flow feeder just like the boss buck feeders. When I'm done I have about $30 wrapped up into them. Here a picture of one.


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## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

ks bow hunter,
What do you do to keep the corn from just pouring out?? Did you install a small catch lip at the end of each tube??


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## Fireman324 (Nov 10, 2011)

Ks bow hunter -
How did you attach the legs to the feeder? I cant really tell from your pic... Thanks


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## aocasek (Oct 27, 2008)

Ks that sound awesome but I'm also was wondering about the legs and how the corn gets regulated


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

If you make the side spouts long enough, the corn stops before it gets to the end.


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## Sawyer (Nov 6, 2009)

How many pounds will the 55 gallon hold?


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## captain71 (Oct 16, 2009)

This is what I use it hold 200 lbs. of corn it will last 7 to 8 weeks paid only 95 $ for the hole set up.


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## Nitro1970 (Jan 26, 2009)

I like spin feeders myself but for gravity type I'd bolt a closet flange (for toilet) to the bottom, add a length of PVC to about the desired height then put a "T" on the bottom of that. To keep the feed from flowing out you could add a very short piece of PVC with an end cap (mostly cut away) to the "T". Make sense??


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## Sawyer (Nov 6, 2009)

Nitro1970 said:


> I like spin feeders myself but for gravity type I'd bolt a closet flange (for toilet) to the bottom, add a length of PVC to about the desired height then put a "T" on the bottom of that. To keep the feed from flowing out you could add a very short piece of PVC with an end cap (mostly cut away) to the "T". Make sense??


Yes it makes sense. You could prob get one of those handheld heater/torch from Lowes and warm that PVC until you get a 10 degree bend out of it.


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

captain71 said:


> This is what I use it hold 200 lbs. of corn it will last 7 to 8 weeks paid only 95 $ for the hole set up.


man that thing is so low. it looks like the deer could just lick the spinner plate around to get it to make the corn drop. lol
is that the moultrie easy fill ? i have the moultrie pro hunter one, you can get it for about $10 more, i have to stand on my atv or tailgate
to pour corn in it. it dosen't matter to me though, cause i only have to fill it 2 times during the season. get about 7 to 8 weeks also.


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## MIKEY CUSTOM-G (Oct 5, 2002)

I have 4 hanging 55 gallon feeders on my hunting lease. All with 12volt feeder motors and solar panels that allows the batteries to last 3-4 months on a charge. I spin 3 morning feedings and 3 evening feedings for 3 seconds each 30 minutes apart.

My drum hold appox. 350 pounds of corn. I have to hang them because we have a bear problem when using tripods,,,,they rip the feeder down. Gravity feeders will attract more bucks than spin feeders,but again the bears destroy anything attached to the ground. I have no choice but to use spin feeders. Plus gravity feeders allow bucks food so that they can be nocturnal easier.


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

timmed feeders are the way to go for sure. with the price of corn what it is, along with gas (sure it will be close to $4 by hunting season), they can pay for theirself quickly.
they will save you alot of money in the long run. i started using them last year, after i saw how much money they saved me, i am hooked.


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## captain71 (Oct 16, 2009)

V-TRAIN said:


> man that thing is so low. it looks like the deer could just lick the spinner plate around to get it to make the corn drop. lol
> is that the moultrie easy fill ? i have the moultrie pro hunter one, you can get it for about $10 more, i have to stand on my atv or tailgate
> to pour corn in it. it dosen't matter to me though, cause i only have to fill it 2 times during the season. get about 7 to 8 weeks also.


The feeder stands 6' tall. The spinner plate is surrounded by a varmint cage there is no way for the deer to lick the spinner. I put 200 lbs a week before Christmas still have some left on it. I have it feeding in the morning and the evening. I seen lots of deer tracks around it so I put my camera back out and see whats coming to it.


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

captain71 said:


> The feeder stands 6' tall. The spinner plate is surrounded by a varmint cage there is no way for the deer to lick the spinner. I put 200 lbs a week before Christmas still have some left on it. I have it feeding in the morning and the evening. I seen lots of deer tracks around it so I put my camera back out and see whats coming to it.


well if that spinner plate is 6 feet off the ground then you have some giant deer. i can clearly see the second deer in your photo, its eyes are level with the spinner plate.
i have seen photos on here of deer standing on their back legs, and licking the spinner plate to make it drop corn. the varmint guard really doesen't help. i have them on some
of my hanging feeders and have gotten pictures of tree rats and ***** sticking their arms in to spin the plate. i can stick my finger through the guard and spin the plate, if i can do that, you know a deer can lick it, or varmint can spin it. on a tripod, it is just tough for the varmints to get to the spinner, like on a hanging one, if close to a tree. it will keep them from
tearing it up though.


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## tdaward (Jul 29, 2003)

Go with a timed feeder, one guy mentioned "Boss Buck". They make some great varmit cages that will work with drums. Down here in Texas we go BIG! My feeder will hold 2500 lbs of corn/protein. I put out about 75 lbs a week. Realize, I hunt down by San Angelo, there isn't alot of stuff for deer to eat down there and feeders are a big part of there lives. My pics are off a trial cam and AT doesn't support that file type, sorry


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## Nitro1970 (Jan 26, 2009)

These folks have some good quality equipment http://www.ultramaticfeeders.com/


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## gauge1972 (Jan 13, 2010)

check out boss buck feeders website they have all they parts you need to make a awesome 55 gallon drum feeder !great products , they have protein heads ,spinners, leg kits , lids .


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## sharpshooter359 (Jan 6, 2007)

I have a 55 gal drum that I cut 4 holes about 3 in high and 5 in wide. It just gravity feeds and the deer keep it working even in the snow. It just sits on the ground but I would also suggest using hay for feed also cause deer need more than just corn in their diet. Also if there are plenty of deer in the area they will empty that feeder really quick.


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## captain71 (Oct 16, 2009)

V-TRAIN said:


> well if that spinner plate is 6 feet off the ground then you have some giant deer. i can clearly see the second deer in your photo, its eyes are level with the spinner plate.
> i have seen photos on here of deer standing on their back legs, and licking the spinner plate to make it drop corn. the varmint guard really doesen't help. i have them on some
> of my hanging feeders and have gotten pictures of tree rats and ***** sticking their arms in to spin the plate. i can stick my finger through the guard and spin the plate, if i can do that, you know a deer can lick it, or varmint can spin it. on a tripod, it is just tough for the varmints to get to the spinner, like on a hanging one, if close to a tree. it will keep them from
> tearing it up though.


6' tall to the top of the feeder lol. So far I haven't had any pictures of deer trying to spin the the plate


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

captain71 said:


> 6' tall to the top of the feeder lol. So far I haven't had any pictures of deer trying to spin the the plate


i was like, wow they got tall deer in the bluegrass state, lol.


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## ks_bow_hunter (Sep 4, 2008)

RatherBArchery said:


> ks bow hunter,
> What do you do to keep the corn from just pouring out?? Did you install a small catch lip at the end of each tube??


No, put an 8" piece of 3" pipe in the tee that had been cut at a 45 deg angle.



Fireman324 said:


> Ks bow hunter -
> How did you attach the legs to the feeder? I cant really tell from your pic... Thanks


I rolled a piece of sheet metal into a cone shaped ring that matched the profile of the barrel. Then I weld the legs to it and bolted the ring to the barrel. You could probably just use a piece of flat bar.


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

built one this year and put a $40 moultrie timer on it - I like having a timer....


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## nick060200 (Jul 5, 2010)

Where can I get the belly band to attach legs on a 55 gal plastic drum? I want long legs about 5'. What can I use to make it or where can I buy it for cheap? This is whats holding me up right now.


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

The band on mine is a strip of 10 gauge metal with the ends bent up as tabs to run a bolt through. Attached (welded) to the band are pieces of rebar that are there to slip the legs over. The legs are fence posts which have been crimped a little on the top to hold onto the rebar.


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

i thought about building some, but i caught a great sale on moultrie last year after the season. they had some refurbished moultrie prohunter feeders for $75 to $80 each with free shipping, i got 10 of them. 

i couldn't make them for that much cause the timers cost almost $50, the drums $10-$12, the metal needed would have wound up costing me more. if you have access to free materials, it is cheaper, but that price is hard to beat really.


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## TrykonSniper79 (Dec 19, 2009)

This is a little different idea with 1/2 of a 55 gallon drum, if I would've thought of it I could've put 2 1/2's end to end.

It can hold about 80-100 lbs of corn.

Sent from my PantechP9060 using Tapatalk 2


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## nick060200 (Jul 5, 2010)

Thanks. Can you take a close up pic of the band and where the legs attach?


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## nick060200 (Jul 5, 2010)

oldschoolcj5 said:


> The band on mine is a strip of 10 gauge metal with the ends bent up as tabs to run a bolt through. Attached (welded) to the band are pieces of rebar that are there to slip the legs over. The legs are fence posts which have been crimped a little on the top to hold onto the rebar.


My last post was for you old school. 
Thanks


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## dustoffer (Jan 24, 2009)

Put a spinner on it and then put a varmint cage around it--make the cage the same diameter as the barrel to keep the little "**** arms" from reaching the spinner plate. Use 1" mesh wire. Hold it on with a ratchet strap--and I'd go one step further--put it on a tripod with a winch and cable.


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## ks_bow_hunter (Sep 4, 2008)

nick060200 said:


> Where can I get the belly band to attach legs on a 55 gal plastic drum? I want long legs about 5'. What can I use to make it or where can I buy it for cheap? This is whats holding me up right now.


Get a peice of flat bar and have a welding shop roll it to match the diameter of the drum or just bump break (just make small bends every 3 inches of so) it yourself in a vice.


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## auburn (Mar 2, 2009)

gravity feed with protein heads and coned sheet metal use 1'' steel mesh over cone hole to filter any cobs put on tri-pod with bottom of heads at least 4' off of ground to keep pests out.


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## okbow68 (Jul 9, 2009)

dustoffer said:


> Put a spinner on it and then put a varmint cage around it--make the cage the same diameter as the barrel to keep the little "**** arms" from reaching the spinner plate. Use 1" mesh wire. Hold it on with a ratchet strap--and I'd go one step further--put it on a tripod with a winch and cable.


That's how we have our barrels caged too. I did gravity feed last year and fattened a lot of *****. As for legs we used chain link fence top rail. Flatten the end with a sledge get your angle bent and bolt to the barrel.


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## hookinbull (Oct 20, 2009)

Made this one several years ago. Moultrie funnel inside, few feet of pvc pipe and a 5 gallon bucket lid for corn to spill onto.


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## highside (Jun 20, 2012)

My timer goes off at 5:00 and the deer are there by 5:45. Gravity fed cant do that.


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## Liveblue23 (Aug 9, 2011)

im partial to the timer feeders mostly cause i dont want deer eating me outta house and corn lol. i made this feeder last year out of a 55 gal drum, cabelas leg kit and some old pipe for the legs. put a moultrie timer on it and gtg. i set it to go off once mid day and vary the amount of time it goes off. early season prob around 5 to 7 sec . around lat Oct early NOv i crank it to 10 or so and late season prob up close to 12. if i had to make another one id def buy the funnel to put in the bottom so i dont have corn sitting on the bottom.


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