5 Ways to Get Rid of Raccoons at Deer Feeders
- 1 – Think about catching the raccoon. When individuals have difficulties like these, one of the first things they think of is trapping the raccoons. ...
- 2 – Raccoon Hunting ...
- 3 – Make the Raccoons Poisonous ...
- 4 – Put Raccoon Deterrents to Work ...
- 5 – Hire someone to control the raccoon population in your neighborhood. ...
Full Answer
How do you keep raccoons away from bird feeders?
The best methods. The best way to keep squirrels and raccoons off feeders is to use a pole or shepherds hook with pole baffles installed or hanging baffles installed above the feeder. We DO NOT recommend adding grease, oil or petroleum jelly to a pole or hanger to make it too slippery for squirrels and raccoons to climb.
Do hanging baffles keep squirrels and raccoons away?
Hanging baffles are installed over a hanging feeder which will deter squirrels and raccoons and protect a feeder from the elements. These are a "dome shaped", usually plastic baffle installed above the feeder (s) preventing squirrels and raccoons from climbing or jumping onto the feeder.
How do I keep squirrels from climbing my bird feeder pole?
Popular cylindrical pole baffles are proven to prevent squirrels and raccoons from climbing up to your feeders. Since the top of the cylindrical baffle is closed off, these pests have nowhere to go when they climb the pole. They can’t grasp the smooth metal sides of the baffle and will slide right off!
Do raccoons drain deer feeders?
However, there are a few tricks you can use to prevent raccoons from draining your deer feeders. We will even share a homemade deer feeder design that can almost completely prevent raccoons and hogs from eating your deer corn . There are several different deer feeder designs on the market.
How do I keep squirrels out of my deer feeder?
1:104:38Two Minute Tuesday Squirrel Proofing Deer Feeder - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey attached to somehow. And when the squirrels jump up there of course it drags them back down.MoreThey attached to somehow. And when the squirrels jump up there of course it drags them back down. Now keep in mind I've tried aluminum foil I've tried Bob wire none of it works.
How do I keep raccoons from climbing my deer feeder?
0:565:31Coon Stoppers Deer Feeder Deterrent for Varmints - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo let's start the instruction installation. And check it out alright. So this is my newest feederMoreSo let's start the instruction installation. And check it out alright. So this is my newest feeder that we put up earlier this year you may have seen the video.
How do you feed a squirrel without attracting raccoons?
Baffle Them! - Adding a steel raccoon baffle to your feeder pole is the most effective way to stop raccoons. Squirrel baffles won't do the job. Raccoon baffles are much larger, a full 10" in diameter and about 2 feet tall, preventing the crafty critters from reaching over or "hugging" their way over it.
What can I feed deer that squirrels won't eat?
If you are more concerned about herd health, plant a food plot of winter forages, such as wheat, oats, ryegrass and clover, or a mixture of these. If you want to supplemental feed, soybeans or a deer ration of some type would be a better choice, but more expensive.
Are deer afraid of raccoons?
Raccoons can cause an immense amount of stress to a deer herd. If you use trail cameras to monitor-survey or on bait sites, you will most likely document raccoons frequently visiting the sites you established for deer. Raccoons are very aggressive towards deer and will even run off mature bucks from bait locations.
How do I keep racoons off my feeder?
Hang 'em high—Hang your bird feeders on poles a half inch or less in diameter, securing the pole firmly so it cannot be knocked over. Raccoons cannot climb such a thin pole and they won't be able to tip it over to access the seed. High-wire act—Suspend your bird feeders from a wire extending between two trees.
What's a good raccoon repellent?
As a general rule, the best raccoon repellents irritate the senses of a raccoon to keep them away. Peppermint essential oil, bright lights, coffee grounds, chili pepper, cayenne pepper, epsom salt, predator urine, ammonia, vinegar, loud noises and fragrant soaps all can repel raccoons.
Will cayenne pepper keep raccoons away from bird feeders?
Raccoons aren't fond of spicy smells, so a cayenne pepper spray can be an easy and effective raccoon repellent. Mix a small bottle of cayenne pepper with a bottle of hot sauce, then add both to a gallon of water and shake well.
What is the best way to repel squirrels?
Natural Squirrel RepellentsSpread predator urine around your garden. ... Try sprinkling cayenne pepper, ground chili peppers, pepper flakes, and/or garlic pepper on and around your plants when they are ready to bloom. ... Birds can't taste capsaicin, so add some cayenne pepper to those bird feeders to deter squirrels.More items...
What do deer love to eat the most?
Deer will primarily eat browse (woody portion of leaves and stems), forbs (broad-leaved plants), mast (acorns, apples, etc), and grass. Although these are the main foods deer like to eat, the quantity of these different foods differ throughout the year and the region you are hunting.
Do raccoons eat deer protein pellets?
They don't like them. They also dont like the record rack sportsmans choice protein pellets. If you use something other than corn make sure to get all the corn out the feeder first. They will empty a feeder for the corn and everything else will be on the ground.
What should you not feed deer?
What Should You Not Feed Deer? Wheat, barley, and corn should not be fed to deer. Unfortunately, deer are not sophisticated enough to know not to eat things that are especially bad for them. The high starch content in those foods can kill a deer because their stomach cannot digest and break down those starches.
How do you permanently get rid of raccoons?
How to Deter Raccoons: 9 DIY Control MethodsAdd a motion-activated sprinkler. ... Use ultrasound deterrent devices. ... Secure trash cans. ... Bag your trash in raccoon-repelling trash bags. ... Make your own raccoon repellent. ... Use ammonia. ... Remove pet and bird food. ... Use fences to protect high-interest areas.More items...•
What is a raccoon baffle?
The raccoon baffle is a cylinder baffle with its 24 inch long and 8 inch wide diameter. The baffle stops the raccoon, squirrel, and chipmunk from climbing up 1 inch diameter poles to the bird feeders and bird houses.
What are Coon cuffs?
These cylinder-shaped traps, called “Coon Cuffs,” are marketed as a humane, safe, species-specific alternative to spring traps. But this marketing is deceptive.
How do you catch a raccoon?
2:364:37How to Catch a Raccoon with a Live Animal Trap - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's important to put the bait at the far end of the trap. Behind the trigger plate. So that whenMoreIt's important to put the bait at the far end of the trap. Behind the trigger plate. So that when the animal comes in to feed on the bait well activate the trigger.
What to use to keep raccoons from climbing deer feeders?
Another option is to use a guard on the legs of the deer feeder to accomplish the same thing. Typically, these guards will be cones that prevent raccoons from being able to climb up the deer feeders.
Why do people put deer feeders on their property?
Some will do this just because they like being able to observe the deer prancing around their yards , but others will do so to keep the deer coming around for hunting purposes when the season is right . No matter what reason you are using deer feeders on your ...
Why grease a deer feeder?
Simply greasing the legs of the deer feeders will make it so that raccoons and other animals won’t be able to climb it properly. This prevents them from being able to access the deer feeder, and the local deer won’t have a problem due to their height.
Why do raccoons give up?
Many raccoons will just give up when they realize that it takes too much time and effort to try to break into the deer feeders. If a raccoon does try to climb up the deer feeders, then it’s going to get cut up by the shark teeth that you have placed on it.
Can you poison raccoons?
Poisoning the raccoons is a possibility , but you’ll need to ensure that it’s legal to do so before you move forward. The basic idea is that you can place food in the deer feeders that the raccoons aren’t going to like.
Can you trap a raccoon?
Trapping a raccoon shouldn’t be overly difficult, and there are quite a few different types of raccoon traps out there that you could explore. Some people will even build their own traps, but you can make it simple on yourself by buying commercial traps meant for small animals such as raccoons.
Do raccoons live in urban areas?
Raccoons are so incredibly common in both rural and urban environments. There is always the chance that you’re going to be dealing with raccoons for a very long time even after hunting three or four of them. Just keep this in mind and understand that hunting won’t always be the simplest answer to your problems.
How to keep squirrels off feeders?
The best way to keep squirrels and raccoons off feeders is to use a pole or shepherds hook with pole baffles installed or hanging baffles installed above the feeder. We DO NOT recommend adding grease, oil or petroleum jelly to a pole or hanger to make it too slippery for squirrels ...
What is the best baffle for squirrels?
Torpedo Pole Baffles. When properly installed these baffles are highly effective in preventing squirrels and raccoons from raiding seed or nectar, damaging feeders and houses, or harming your birds. The Squirrel and Raccoon Defeater Cylinder Pole Baffles are the BEST protection from squirrels and raccoons.
What animals can climb a feeder?
This can be disastrous for hummingbirds when they are coated with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil. Squirrels and raccoons are excellent climbers and easily scale a pole or shepherds hook to reach a feeder.
Can you put petroleum jelly on a hummingbird pole?
We DO NOT recommend adding grease, oil or petroleum jelly to a pole or hanger to make it too slippery for squirrels and raccoons to climb. It can coat the animals’ fur as well as birds’ feathers. This can cause illness and vulnerability to predators. Ornithologists have warned that this is a bad practice because hummingbirds are fantastic flyers ...
Can a torpedo baffle be used on a feeder?
In some instances, a feeder (s) is hung from a shepherds hook and a torpedo baffle cannot be used because there is no way to slide the clamp and baffle onto the pole. In this case we recommend a wrap around baffle which is a cone shaped baffle preventing squirrels and raccoons from climbing past the baffle.
What is the best way to keep raccoons from draining?
Handing spin feeder. Hanging spin feeder. Hanging feeders are great for preventing raccoons from damaging or draining a feeder. However as mentioned earlier in this post, raccoons are persistent critters. If feeders are not hung properly, raccoons can and will damage or drain the feeder.
How far should I space a raccoon feeder?
Be sure to space hanging feeders heigh enough from the ground to where raccoons cannot jump onto them. Also, space hanging feeders far enough away from the pole or tree it is hanging on. I like to space mine at least five to six feet away from the tree I’m hanging it on.
How high should a gravity feeder be for raccoons?
Homemade gravity feeder set heigh enough to discourage raccoons from easily reaching the corn. Based on my experience, 39 to 45 inches works great. Thirty nine inches is typically height enough to prevent raccoons and hogs from feeding yet, low enough for deer to feed with relative ease.
What is a raccoon?
The raccoon is a persistent critter. Raccoons are resourceful wild animals that are constantly on the lookout for their next easy meal. Each year countless hunters spend thousands of dollars on deer feed and corn for deer hunting. Unfortunately, there is a tremendous amount of corn and deer feed consumed by non target species, especially raccoons.
Can a gravity feeder be used for deer?
However, some gravity feeders can make a raccoon’s life extremely easy during deer season. On the other hand, some gravity feeders can be almost completely raccoon proof if placed in the right area at the right height from the ground. The small gravity feed er above is extremely hard to raccoon proof .
Do gravity feeders work?
There are several different types of gravity feeders on the market. For the most part, they all work pretty good. I personally love gravity feeders for their simplicity and effectiveness. Plus, gravity feeders seem to not spook older bucks like the common spinner feeders. However, some gravity feeders can make a raccoon’s life extremely easy during deer season. On the other hand, some gravity feeders can be almost completely raccoon proof if placed in the right area at the right height from the ground.
Can deer feeders raccoon proof?
Each design has its place in the deer woods however, some designs are more easy to raccoon proof than others. Let’s talk about the different designs and how to raccoon proof each.
What happens if squirrels chew up cameras?
If squirrels are chewing up your cameras, obviously you aren't hunting. enough squirrels on a regular basis. If deer are used to your comings and goings, and NOT hunting them, but other critters, they're more likely to ignore you as Normal. As in normal, noisy human, non-threat. If you spot a deer, and.
Do critters ignore you?
but other critters, they're more likely to ignore you as Normal.
Can deer get corn from hog feeders?
if you have deer feeders for the deer, and there are feral or wild hogs, you have to take some steps to fence them off some way or the deer will never get any of the corn or feed from the feeders.
Is a hog feeder hog proof?
The feeder with the new tack strips on is pretty much hog proof. That feeder has 34" hog panels surrounding it. The panels are cut down in three places to 28" so the fawns can get in. i suppose a determined gnarly boar could possibly get in but it will keep most hogs out.
How to keep raccoons from climbing bird feeders?
The easiest way to prevent raccoons from getting access to your bird feeder is by hanging them on high, thin poles. This makes it harder for the raccoons to climb up. If you don’t already have one, you’re looking for a Shepard hook pole like this one.
Why do you need to deter raccoons?
Raccoons are pretty adaptable. They will build a nest in pretty much any safe, warm sheltered place they can find. That may mean your shed, decking, trees, or even your home if they find access.
How do raccoons get food in the yard?
One of the easiest ways for raccoons to access food in your yard is through your garbage can.
Why do raccoons hate spices?
Raccoons hate a lot of spices, as they irritate their noses and interrupt their sense of smell. You can use this tip to sprinkle a few common spices around your, yard where you know the raccoons are lurking.
What attracts racoons to my yard?
The main thing that will attract raccoons to your yard is food .
How to keep trash from getting in garbage can?
The best way to prevent them from getting to your garbage can is to keep it locked away in a secure area until trash collection day.
Why do racoons dip their food?
Raccoons like to dip their food as it gives their paws sensory feedback about what they are eating.
1 – Consider Trapping The Raccoon
2 – Hunting Raccoon
- Hunting raccoons is likely something that will come naturally to you if you’re using deer feeders as a hunting tool. Your first instinct might have been that you should just hunt the raccoons and be done with it. This isn’t a terrible idea, but you do need to keep in mind that the local wildlife control authorities need to be contacted first. You might have laws that will prevent you from hunting sp…
3 – Poison The Raccoons
- Poisoning the raccoons is a possibility, but you’ll need to ensure that it’s legal to do so before you move forward. The basic idea is that you can place food in the deer feeders that the raccoons aren’t going to like. Some people have formulated specific things that will work to eliminate raccoons without harming the deer at all. For example, many people tout a food mixture known …
4 – Make Use of Raccoon Deterrents
- You could choose to make use of raccoon deterrents that will keep the raccoons from being able to eat the deer food easily. There are a few options, but most people wind up using what is referred to as “shark teeth.” Placing “shark teeth” on the sides of the deer feeders will make it painful and difficult for raccoons to climb the deer feeders. Man...
5 – Pay Someone to Manage The Local Raccoon Population
- Paying someone to manage the local raccoon population is another idea to consider. Some areas will have local trappers who will be willing to trap and get rid of raccoons for a cost. This is a good option for those who don’t have a lot of time to deal with issues like this themselves. You might be a busy professional who spends a lot of time at work, and this might appeal to you due to it bein…
Final Thoughts
- Now you should know all that you need to know about getting rid of pesky raccoons near your deer feeders. If you’re able to implement the methods mentioned above, then you should be able to get good results. You don’t have to put up with annoying raccoons messing with your deer feeders all the time. There are a number of things that you can do, but you do have to remembe…