Posted: 8/16/2026 10:52:20 AM EDT
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I'm in the process of buying some hunting acreage in Oklahoma. The current owner has told me that he doesn't put out deer feeders because black bears keep destroying them. All the owner has been doing is putting some gravity feeders on various trees. I'd like to find a large solar powered (or just solar recharged) deer feeder that can throw corn for several months at a time, but that bears won't get into and destroy or empty out. Recommendations? |
"B" of B&T Ammolabs
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I don’t believe such a thing exists. If the bear wants it, the bear is going to get it. |
ProTip: Never pick a fight with a tree planter. He swings a hoedad for 9 hours a day, carries 30-40 pounds of seedlings on his back, and has 12-14 friends just like him hiding out on the other side of the junk butt pile. They will fuck your shit up.
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Don't think any are made that a bear can't get into. Seen vids of people putting bird feeders on cables high off ground a ol'briar bear climbed tree & zip lined down to feeder. Guess if you put it on a single line pulley 40' off ground on a small branch you might have a chance to keep them off feeder until they break the branch. 
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Here in Florida Black Bears can be a problem... the only thing I've found that works is suspending the feeder via a cable just high enough that s standing bear can't reach it. Of course this requires two trees reasonably distanced apart, a nice stout tree limb, or two poles anchored in the ground from which to suspend a cable and pully. I've used all three methods with 100% success. A cheap trailer wench or a simple pully system allows for lowering and raising to facilitate filling with corn and avoids having to haul a ladder to and from. The pic below is from a feeder hanging from a limb via a pully and wire cable anchored to the tree. I made two loops in the cable that simply slip over a large bolt in the tree. Unhook and lower then slip loop over bolt to hold feeder to fill, pull back up and anchor with second loop when done. As you can see I had to raise this one another foot. I've never had a bear try to climb the tree or pole to get to the feeder.  |
We started using 55 gal. Drums suspended on 2 and 7/8” drill pipe. It’s set so the drums can be accessed from the back of a SxS and lowered for refilling with the boat winch. Drill pipe is available in approx. 30’ lengths so make them as high as required. The same drill pipe is also available in 3.5” diameter. It’s just pretty heavy to install. With our soils an auger hole about 8” diameter x 3’ deep held them just fine. We just started making these last year and didn’t lose any to bears last season. Don’t mess with concrete to set the pipe. Use Sika foam available from Home Depot and save your back.  |
No trees were destroyed in the preparation and delivery of this message. However, billions of electrons were seriously perturbed.
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Get you some ideas Acrobatic Bear Looks for Birdseed Treat || ViralHog  She Made it! Acrobatic Bear Reaches the "Bear Proof" Deer Feeder  Black Bear Attempts Walking Across a Rope For A Bite Of This Tasty Beaver Treat  Bear-Proof Deer Feeder  Bear-Proof Feeder Foils Black Bear''s Attempt  BUILDING BEAR-PROOF DEER FEEDERS |
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Attached File This guy tore my feeder motor off and spilled my corn. |
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Originally Posted By FredMan: I don't believe such a thing exists. If the bear wants it, the bear is going to get it. We screwed a hand winch( think boat trailer style). To a tree. Bout 15 to 20ft up with put in an eye bolt. Another tree bout 20ft away we placed another eye bolt. The feeder was made from a 55gallon barrel. 3 or 4 chains were seconded to it at top( think 3,6 and 9( few inches down from the lid. Those chains were then bolted together at the point. Crank out you slack cable. Attach chains with a screw closing carbine to the cable. Winch up..make sure it sits pretty much 10ft out from the trees. Lock winch in place..paint the handle and the nut that holds it blaze orange Strap that to the tree or keep it in your truck . We learned the hard way by leaving the handle on. They will hit it and down comes the feeder. Only once did the trip tge lock by climbing the tree ...ymmv But that's how we got around it. Some details I may have forgotten but it's pretty basic . |
i dont want my final jig in the belly of a squid.