Night Raiders: Been having problems with feeder damages during the night so I set up the field camera. I suspected it was them. The peanut feeder is missing and I wasn't able to find...

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Been having problems with feeder damages during the night so I set up the field camera. I suspected it was them.

The peanut feeder is missing and I wasn't able to find after walking yard. I'm at a loss at how to discourage them.

gsmith051 Loc: Fairfield Glade, TN

Now you know. I take my feeder in every night because of bears and deer in the area. Neighbor across street even recorded a bobcat on his camera.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

I've been fighting squirrels for years w/o success until this summer. I basically use the method on the right you have. I stole a cheap old 13" stainless steel mixing bowl from my wife. I cut the rim off and drilled a hole in the middle, and attached to to pole as you did. Took the squirrels a week to figure out if they took a run up the pole, and somehow jumped out and ran right up over the bowl. I then put a larger hole in the bowl and made sure it would easily tilt completely sideways if you put any weight on it. This stopped them cold, and after several months, no squirrels. Raccoons never have been able to get past the bowl, but squirrels are rather amazing trapeze artists. I note you have no pics of the coons getting past the bowls? Could it be something else is getting them, like deer or bears? If not, do your bowls tilt with ease, and at an acute angle?

diclam Loc: Red Lake Falls, MN

I have been having a lot of trouble with raccoons in recent years. Of course, they like the sunflower seeds, but they also like to tip the hummingbird feeders and drink the juice as it runs out. They also love the suet. I also had a bear visit several times again this year. It broke the sunflower feeder and the stand it sits on. Now we have deer visiting the feeder. Makes life interesting doesn't it, joer?

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

BigDaddy wrote:

I've been fighting squirrels for years w/o success... (show quote)

Thanks for the comments.

The baffle diameters are about 18" and pivot easily. We have no bears and I doubt a deer would walk away with a metal peanut feeder. Also the ground was soft enough that deer would have left tracks.

In areas not covered by the camera a Shepard's Crook was leaning over suggesting something climbed up on it. Some suit remained in the log type feeder holes, which I failed to clean out.

Also I had taken a full metal peanut feeder and laid it on the outside AC compressor and put a steel mesh cover from a small fire pit over it. In the morning the cover was on the ground and the feeder was gone. The feeder was closed and would have taken some effort to open, and that may be why they carried it off.

I can't explain why no pics of raccoons beyond the baffles. Tonight I'll set up the camera again focused on a feeder containing peanuts. I'm sure they won't be able to resist.

Edit: Baffles 15" not 18" also Batteries were low caused camera to shut off after just a few shots.

tramsey Loc: Texas

A nice Winchester .223 will take care of the problem.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

tramsey wrote:

A nice Winchester .223 will take care of the problem.

Sold my Ruger mini 14...gave up the fantasy several years ago.

tcthome Loc: NJ

joer wrote:

Sold my Ruger mini 14...gave up the fantasy several years ago.

I get a little ticked off at the squirrels because I feed them too but they are greedy. They chase all the birds away. Morning doves , Blue Jays & the Cardinals like feeding on the ground also. Yesterday I walk past my balcony sliders & its quiet. Usually you here all chirping & singing when not in site. A walk out to look, a hawk was down the end with one of the wabblers or sparrows. Now I view the squirrels with a little less hostility.

Good luck with the coons, bears , deer. Taking the feeders at night seems to be the best option.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

joer wrote:

Been having problems with feeder damages during the night so I set up the field camera. I suspected it was them.

The peanut feeder is missing and I wasn't able to find after walking yard. I'm at a loss at how to discourage them.

Had the camera out last night again. This provides how they get around the baffles.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

tramsey wrote:

A nice Winchester .223 will take care of the problem.

I hear ya. About two years ago some red squirrels found a way to get into the attic. Between the exterminator and then a contractor to find and seal up where they came in it was close to 1500 hundred. A $100.00 pellet rifle solved future problems. I had the perfect spot from one of the bedrooms on the second floor. Every morning the bodies were gone.

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

joer wrote:

Been having problems with feeder damages during the night so I set up the field camera. I suspected it was them.

The peanut feeder is missing and I wasn't able to find after walking yard. I'm at a loss at how to discourage them.

That's a big Coon and they have great strength and many teeth. They can remove a trash can lid quite easily and can really make a mess of things. A baited-live-animal trap is what I used to capture and safely remove them from my spot to a distant lake area where hopefully they still survive.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

tramsey wrote:

A nice Winchester .223 will take care of the problem.

.223? a little over kill, don't you think?

wmontgomery Loc: Louisiana

I use traps. Once caught I give them a 5 minute drive to a public dump area and let them out. I have had them ride steel shepherd hooks all the way to the ground. They can be very destructive and smart. Good luck.

317tman Loc: Indianapolis, In

I used what you have for a while but had same problem. I now use a cylinder and the critters have never been able to get around it. I purchased locally at "Wild Birds Unlimited", but assume you can get other places. It works well. My pole is also taller making it more difficult to climb.

captivecookie Loc: Washington state

joer wrote:

Been having problems with feeder damages during the night so I set up the field camera. I suspected it was them.

The peanut feeder is missing and I wasn't able to find after walking yard. I'm at a loss at how to discourage them.

Just sit them down with a pint of butter beer. I'm sure they'll listen to reason.