Attaching a Winch to a Tree for a Hanging Feeder

[Fargus]

For you guys that have installed crank up feeders directly onto trees, how did you secure the winch to the tree so the handle will clear the trunk?

[Hogman7290]

U bolts or lag bolts

[Fargus]

U bolts or lag bolts

Yes, but can it be bolted directly to a larger tree without it interfering with the handle or do I need to make some sort of mount to move it out from the tree.

[hogslayer78]

The one time I did it, I bolted the winch to a 4x4 and ratchet strapped it on top and bottom to the tree.

[careybirdwell]

I took a metal mending plate with all the teeth on it and screwed it onto a 2x6. I then mounted the winch on the 2x6 and installed to 2 eye bolts and used a ratchet strap to snug the teeth in the tree. Worked Great

[Plan B]

I attached mine 20' up! A little over kill but has been going strong for 6 years.

[haztech3]

I just used lag bolts and a smaller tree that was still big enough to his the weight. Just off set it alittle to the handle side so you don't whack you knuckles.
Pre drill your holes in the tree and use a long extension on your socket, it'll help alot

[DRT]

Use lag bolts to secure a short chunk of 2"x6" to the tree near one side of the trunk then use lag bolts to secure the winch to the tree like we did these for game hoists.

[Killer]

Made a bracket out of a piece of flat metal. That kind of looked like an upside down "U" with legs and lag screwed that to the tree with the winch mounted on it. It got it far enough off the tree were you could turn the crank.

[Tree Phantom]

I used a bracket and welded the winch, with a chain attached, that wraps around a tree. Hung a long cable up about 10' between two trees.

[DRT]

I attached mine 20' up! A little over kill but has been going strong for 6 years.

I have two barrels welded like that. Used to have a platform on legs that held it. It got too unstable for me to trust it. That 700lbs of feed it would hold sure made it easy not to mess with very often though.