Few tips: cover all edges including lid in plasterers bead and then wrap full feeder with wire mesh (can staple it on). Stops them chewing up your feeder which they will. Hinge & weighted lid on your electrical backbox feed hopper or you’ll lose a ton of nuts to corvids etc. would recommend also hang a bird feeder up next to main feeder and helps draw the greys in. Birds are their indicator of food source aswell as early warning radar to say “it’s safe” as they watch on from high in tree canopy. Defo put a little water drain hole in bottom of feed hopper or it’s all going to mush together then block they will get at it with their gnashers. Also put a bit weather seal rubber strip across hinge area to stop rain getting in down rear and spoiling your feed. Would recommend a little trail cam up to ascertain activity levels and visit times. Usually VERY early mornings are key feed times as they awake right at 1st light and want to eat having had 12-14hours in their dreys. Late afternoon is a good time too as they stock up ahead of their drey time. If you’re on that hill ensure you are not silhouetted against the sky as at 15yds they will see all your movement & flee. If no hide as such then sitting in front of a tree with a bit camo net screen in front of you will suffice (take a wet proof cushion). If you make a batten for rear of feeder you can strap to a tree not drive screws into tree. Plus when you move it it’s easy to do and doesn’t leave any holes in tree as that’s what the greys do! My mark4 even has a little yoghurt pot holder in lid to allow rainwater to collect. Water source is a great attractant too, especially in hot weather conditions. Sometimes I fling a table spoon of cheap peanut butter in there and it’s like McDonalds to them. Lol. Regards kill shots… if you are using .177 then at 15-20yds your pellet is passing through the head everytime. I have tons do the same with my Pulsar and using QYS 9.56grain. If you can be patient then they will settle and eventually get into a hunched pattern where they sit back on their hind legs and present their top of head facing you. The middle of that is cranium brain and lights out. They will still show disinhibition where their neurons are still firing so they can fling themselves all over at times but it is actually clinically brain dead. If shooting side on then behind its eye towards top of eye is straight through to its brain. Those QYS 9.56’s hit very hard indeed and gives it a .22-like dump of thumping energy into the pests. My latest feeder design holds about 16kg so lasts me 3.5weeks approx. Got a few feeders up but perm is 80miles away! If newly sited it takes a good week-10days for scent trails to be put down, markers of a food source. Other greys find it too and they too put down scent trail markers and so on. This is where trail cam is a godsend telling you what’s occurring etc. you may get mice and badgers even deer and woodpeckers nicking your nuts so the weighted hinged lid puts them off but greys work it out instantly. Can get away with maize and wheat in summer months but come end summer you’ll need peanuts to get them preferring your food to natural food sources. Once leaves drop it’s easy to track them coming on their approach. I use a HikVision 15mm Lynx pro thermal spotter and it’s a gamechanger for seeing things I’d otherwise miss. Good shooting and best of luck. Come look up our group on FB. UK & Ireland The Grey Area, 11,500 members. Cheers and hope info helps you a bit 👍
Keith this is brilliant advice and thank you for taking the time to write this never knew there were so much to know about squirrel feeders this is a wealth of knowledge 👍, I've screwed the lid down and I have a trail cam so il be putting that up too , I don't have Facebook buddy never been a fan of it but I do have Instagram if you have an Instagram page 😉
I think you are doing brilliantly. The commentary makes it for me. We all hit them in the wrong place sum times , you don’t do it on purpose, some people don’t show it, well done 👍🤠
Another great video. Just built 2 feeders myself as someone has asked me to control the numbers of squirrels on their farm as they have started to plant some saplings.
Looks like you enjoy fine bits of 'handbuilt furniture'........Your boxes resemble Chippendale!!! .......................MUCH TOO MUCH fine detail pal, a few rough strewn 15mm boards cut up would suffice, these little grey sods dont appreciate fine furniture & will destroy it very quickly. You definately require some kind of lock on the lid to stop them lifting it & getting into storage. They WILL chew any loose edges including the wood frame, so bits of thin tin plate would be useful. Good luck !
