Sick and tired of rebuilding feeders every year, who makes the best timer?

[Huntindad]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'm going to go with the HCR timer, because of good reviews from you guys and the fact that they are only about 5 mimes from the lease, if I have a problem, I'll just carry it in.

I have a HCR timer from longs ways back... It developed issues and I took to the the HCR folks one day. They fixed it on the spot.(probly just swapped out another unit)

It is running at the lease still.

[Tx_Wader]

The one I have had the best luck with is the All Seasons unit that comes in a galvanized housing, has a The Timer and an Eliminator plate. Rigged with an All Seasons solar panel they have been pretty much bulletproof for me. The price isn't terrible either.

That's what we run...no need for a cage with the Eliminator spin plate. Might have to replace the conduit for the solar panel wiring every couple of years but other than that...no problems.

[bowhunter01]

I had a couple of hcr's but I like the timers better.

I'd forget to turn the dial on the hcr and it would never start throwing. the timer defaults to the throw times you've set.

I have them on 6 feeders and many of them are years old.

Good to know. I've never forgot to turn the dial back but good to know.

[Limbwalker]

Ya lost me at "hunting deer seriously" and "fixing feeders..."

[denowt]

Ya lost me at "hunting deer seriously" and "fixing feeders..."

Smh.

I'm guessing you make your own bows, strings, arrows, and broad heads like the Indians used to.

How does the world look from that high horse?

[txfireguy2003]

Smh.

I'm guessing you make your own bows, strings, arrows, and broad heads like the Indians used to.

How does the world look from that high horse?

It's cool, he can think and say what he wants, I'm fine with it. I don't hunt the feeders much anymore anyway, but in my neck of the woods, if you don't feed, you don't have deer at all. At least the feeders keep them on the property or at least traveling through regularly. The reality is that these deer only hit feeders in the dark, so you have to set up a few hundred yards away to catch them coming and going. It is what it is, I'm fine with it, and really couldn't care less what anyone else thinks of my tactics. If I decide I want to hunt over bait, in a high fence, with an overpopulated herd that's starving to death, I'll do it, and don't care what anybody else thinks about it. If I decide I want to shoot one at 500 yards with a rifle, and feel confident I can make the shot with the conditions at the time, I'll do it. On the property I'm hunting right now, I'm taking every single advantage I can get legally, if I don't, I'll go home empty handed every season, these deer ate HARD to hunt. I've been to a lot of places where all you had to do was sit still and you would have a good chance at killing a deer, even some places where the deer know you're there and come in anyway. That's not the case here. These deer will blow and stomp from 100 yards upwind for no apparent reason. These deer scent check everything, every time. My deer are ninjas, you have to work very hard to catch them making a mistake. I'll do anything I can to facilitate them making those few mistakes.

[denowt]

It's cool, he can think and say what he wants, I'm fine with it. I don't hunt the feeders much anymore anyway, but in my neck of the woods, if you don't feed, you don't have deer at all. At least the feeders keep them on the property or at least traveling through regularly. The reality is that these deer only hit feeders in the dark, so you have to set up a few hundred yards away to catch them coming and going. It is what it is, I'm fine with it, and really couldn't care less what anyone else thinks of my tactics. If I decide I want to hunt over bait, in a high fence, with an overpopulated herd that's starving to death, I'll do it, and don't care what anybody else thinks about it. If I decide I want to shoot one at 500 yards with a rifle, and feel confident I can make the shot with the conditions at the time, I'll do it. On the property I'm hunting right now, I'm taking every single advantage I can get legally, if I don't, I'll go home empty handed every season, these deer ate HARD to hunt. I've been to a lot of places where all you had to do was sit still and you would have a good chance at killing a deer, even some places where the deer know you're there and come in anyway. That's not the case here. These deer will blow and stomp from 100 yards upwind for no apparent reason. These deer scent check everything, every time. My deer are ninjas, you have to work very hard to catch them making a mistake. I'll do anything I can to facilitate them making those few mistakes.

I hear you and am definitely on your "side".

His comment sounds similar to the northern hunters who always talk crap about Texas feeder hunters. All the while, they're sitting in a tree on the only trail leading into a 500 acre corn/wheat field.

I always say, hunt how you want to, as long as it's legal, and don't talk crap about someone else that doesn't meet your standards.

[sotx]

I have a couple Texas Hunter Products feeder motors that have been running 365 days a year for over 5 years now. 1 of them closer to 10.

You can not beat the 600lb Texas Hunter feeder. They just work, no problems. I also have some sweeny feeders that I hjave been running for 15 years or longer. Same motor and a couple of timers. I also like the new Allseasons stand and fill. The coon cage is outstanding and best of all no ladder required.

[basschsr]

I've had really good luck with the Spin-Cast feeders. No failures

http://www.spincastdeerfeeders.com/

[Sparkles]

Sick and tired of rebuilding feeders every year, who makes the best timer?

We run two or three motors and timers from Texas hunting products.
Never a problem. They run all year for 5-6 yrs now

[290WEST]

HCR is hard to beat and easy to program

[Horitexan]

It's annoying seeing all the raves about "The Timer" because I just tried one on a new feeder at my place and guess what.......it broke after 2 weeks! LOL! We've always relied on the OnTime Lifetime unit at the ranch because they're so easy to fix in the field. Well, I decided to give the electronic timers another try. I looked at all the reviews and bought a complete unit from some company that has the spring loaded spinner plate and came with "The Timer!" So much for reliability, lol! The grain store swapped it for me (they put it in a box of other returned "The Timers" they're sending back) and I'm giving it another shot. So far, I've gone about a month and it's still working - amazing!

Definitely not ready to replace 50+ units at the ranch. I've gotta say, those OnTime units have been great for 20 years. Not sure why I keep wanting to re-invent the wheel but I just can't help myself when I see all the reviews! Lol!

I was thinking something along the lines of a miniature garage door opener, chain drive, dual direction motor etc. Where i get lost is how to control that motor, I'm not real savvy with electronics.

Get away from the idea of a wireless button for a tailgate feeder and direct wire your tailgate feeder to your vehicle's 12v system - either by connecting directly to the battery or by using a cigarette lighter plug. For one, if your system goes out while you're at the ranch you're stuck, because a new remote will be hard to find; and for another, a garage remote is not designed to be pushed as often as a tailgate feeder will be activated. I can show you a very inexpensive system that you can make with parts from any hardware or automotive parts store for less than $20. We use them on all the tailgate feeders at the ranch, which get used every day of the year and only break every 3-4 years, at most - that's reliability! Sure, you have a cord running from the feeder to the cab of the truck but they're easy to route in ways that don't get in your way.

I'll PM you my number and I can talk you through building one, if you want. I can even show you a whole tailgate feeder system we build for the ranch - all you need is a welder.....or a buddy with a welder. It's EASY to build one that's as tough or tougher than any of the ones on the market - for a lot less money!