Outdoor Empire top pick as automatic deer feeder
From the great hunting minds of Moultrie, they have the 15-Gallon Directional Hanging Deer Feeder. This is perfect for trails right next to water holes or anywhere you wish to place it. It dispenses food in a 30-degree path up to 6 times per day.
Features
At first glance, it seems durable and sleek in black and light weight. This is a great investment for all those who prefer to use an automatic feeder in tight areas.
Setup
When dry, it weighs just over ten pounds which allows one person to hang or place it on a post with ease. Also, being strapped to a tree or on a post gives a lot of options as it comes to terrain. It can be carried some distance to the desired place and setup exactly where it is ideal.
Right out of the box, it comes with a bracket and ratchet strap allowing you to attach it to a tree or a post. The battery is not included.
Feeding
It has a large hopper of 15 gallons which equals to 100 pounds of feed. This capacity puts hunters’ minds at ease knowing that they don’t have to refill it as often and can space out the feeding sessions.
It can be set to feed up to 6 times a day, and the timer allows you to program it up to 20 seconds each session. This control is great for hunters to pattern the time that the deer is anticipated to approach the feeder.
The 30-degree angled path that the feed is dispensed onto gives even more control to where the deer will be standing to eat it. It also opens the option to even more terrain such as trails, next to water holes or thick brush. It is run by a 6-volt battery.
Comparison with Similar Products
| Product: |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Type | Hanging | Tripod | Hanging |
| Capacity | 100 lbs | 270 lbs | 40 lbs |
| Feeding | up to 6x a day | up to 8x per day | up to 2x per day |
| Cost | $ | $$ | $ |
Wildgame Innovations
Understandably, Moultrie doesn’t have a monopoly when it comes to directional feeders.
Paying a little more, you can get a Wildgame Innovations 40-Gallon Direct Shot Deer Feeder.
It is a touch different than Moultrie’s feeder as it is a tripod feeder, allowing the user to not only place it on the trees but also in an open area where there is no place to hang it.
It has a hopper capacity of 270 pounds with 8 start times throughout the day. However, it is bigger and a lot bulkier when it comes to setup and for transporting.
It seems that the simplicity effect is always lost with tripod feeders versus hanging feeders.
American Hunter
The American Hunter Directional 40-lb Hanging Feeder is just like Moultrie’s except that it is a bit smaller.
With only a capacity of 40 lbs, it allows the user to adjust the programmable timer to feed 2 times per day, with 1 to 30 seconds per feeding.
It allows the user to even setup the feedings for different days of the week. It is easy to set it up and to relocate since it’s small.
The American Hunter also comes prewired for solar. Considering the price, it is worth purchasing the Moultrie so you only have to fill your feeder less often.
Rating The Moultrie 15-Gallon Feeder
The following is based on a one to five stars rating.
Setup
Because the setup for this feeder is so simple, one person can do it by himself. Five stars are given for its setup.
Ease of Use
Depending on how high or low the user hangs this feeder, refilling it seems just as easy as setting it up. Five stars are given for its ease of use.
User-friendliness
Based on how everything is included in the box for setting up the feeder, five stars for its user-friendliness.
Varmint Proof
This feeder lost points in the varmint proof section because it must be hang on a tree. Squirrels and raccoons can easily get to the feeder. One star is given for it being varmint proof as the squirrels are easily able to chew through the lid.
Summary
Overall, this feeder receives a totaling vote of 4 out of 5 stars. If a hunter wants to feed only a certain strip of area and if they don’t mind doing their pest control, then this feeder is a great setup that can also help them save money on feed.
