DIY Trough Feeder Ideas vs Hand Corn

[TXhoghunter94]

I have a lease in San Jacinto and Hardin county. Traditional spin cast feeders have been hit or miss for mature bucks so I want to try some trough feeders similar to the one pictured below.

I have large feeder pens in place already but I mainly wanted to do a trough feeder to keep the rice bran dry. Have yall noticed a difference in bucks eating out of a trough feeder vs just corn dumped on the ground? Also any cheap and easy trough feeder ideas I would love to see them, Thanks!

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[AntlerCollector]

I’ve got one similar to yours for rice bran. Drill drain holes in it.

[BubRay]

Use wire mesh for the bottom for drainage to keep mold down.

[Chase4556]

My dad and his buddy have a few trough feeders like that. Instead of an open trough they built a V frame in the middle that holds the corn and a gap at the bottom that allows the corn to flow out some. Not the best description, but hopefully you get the idea. A trough feeder like you pictured would have 20 raccoons laying in it at our place just getting fat and sassy. A solid roof that extends enough to keep blowing rain off helps tremendously.

We also have many pipe feeders. Not 100% sure how they build it, but it’s 4” PVC at the top that goes into a Y. One side of the Y goes into a short 18” or so trough that they made by cutting the top of the PVC out. Drill holes for drainage. They block off the straight portion of the Y and it’s 4” pvc coming down that they dig a hole and set it in.

[dirtybay]

I run spin feeders and protein year round in newton. Once it get close to season I hand corn or use sxs to spread corn all down my lanes. I try to this consistently all season. Has really helped. I rarely see the mature bucks at my spin feeders. Usually night only.

[Huggybear]

East Texas bucks don't like any kind of feeder in the daylight in my experience.

[stickemhard3]

Used trough feeders in Trinity for a few years and the big bucks loved them March through September.

[jerp]

We built one similar to the one in the picture. Instead of wood we used 1/8 hardware cloth for the bottom so rainwater would drain. Works well for corn, sweet feed, rice bran, etc.

[manwitaplan]

The only problem we had in Liberty county was the raccoons sitting there eating everything and pooping in the trough on top of protein. we do have major raccoon problems on our place.

[BCoop27]

Hm to the bucks like the troughs? We bought some large timed feeders that go into troughs and the deer don't seem to like it quite as much.

[ByronB]

I do not hunt in East TX but I throw everything on the ground and walk away. I have a trough and drilled a bunch of holes in the bottom. The rice bran would still cake the holes up and mold. When I throw it on the ground the deer will eat it all up.

[TXhoghunter94]

I ended up making a trough for rice bran this evening out of mainly free scrap pallet lumber behind Lowes.

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[ElfEyes]

Looks good. Do you get any bucks eating out of the little gravity feeder? I might be the only person in east Texas that hasn't had success with them it seems.

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[elhefe]

Here is mine. Coons have been a problem but I’m dealing with them one at a time. Deer have been hammering it

[TXhoghunter94]

Looks good. Do you get any bucks eating out of the little gravity feeder? I might be the only person in east Texas that hasn't had success with them it seems.

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This place in shepherd I can barely get the deer to eat anything lol. I got new neighbors 2 years ago and it's made a huge difference though in the deer I'm seeing now and I've had some bucks out out it last year, mainly does though.

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