<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nFeeder guards are basically just a wire bucket designed to fit over the feeder spreader. The wire guard is large enough and strong enough to stop squirrels from being able to stick their paws into the feeder area and open enough to allow the feed to pass through as it comes out of the feeder.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPersonally, I’ve had so-so results with varmint guards. They are certainly better than no guard at all, but I’ve seen somewhere the squirrels had no trouble forcing a paw into the feeder to turn the broadcaster to have more corn thrown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My biggest issue with varmint guards has been the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThe attachment points where the guard attaches to the feeder are not strong enough to support a larger animal’s weight like a big raccoon and ends up coming disconnected from the feeder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n The guards are built so that the feed cannot properly exit with enough force to through it more than a foot or two from the feeder. Once this happens, all the feed piles up under the feeder, and the squirrels go to town.<\/li>\n\n\n\n Most guards are built by a specific feeder brand and will only work with that particular feeder brand. For example, Moultrie makes a decent feeder guard, but it only works with Moultrie feeders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Coat the Feeder Legs in Something Slick<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThis idea has been around forever, and it’s a pretty straightforward solution. Coat each of the feeder legs in a thick coat of something thick and greasy that will impede the squirrel’s ability to climb the feeder leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two most popular materials seem to be Vaseline or Crisco shortening. Both are waterproof and stay on the legs for a decent amount of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’ve only had so-so success with this approach. I’ve found both materials work about 50% of the time, but it does make for some trail cam humor watching them try to climb a slick pole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’ve found that you have to keep the legs absolutely slathered in the stuff to see any effects. Each time a squirrel tries to climb the legs, it removes some of the material. Depending on how many squirrels you have trying to climb the feeder, you may find that you have to reapply the stuff so often that it ends up being ineffective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personally, I find it to be more trouble than it’s worth and not a long-term solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Alternative Ways to Deal with Squirrels<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAs I mentioned before, squirrels pose an issue in eating feed from the feeder and eating feed on the ground meant for the deer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While it sounds like more of an aggravation than a real problem, here’s something to consider: A state biologist once told me that research indicates that a healthy squirrel in the wild eats about 1 pound of food per week. Imagine ten squirrels visiting a feeder daily for a month: that’s potentially 40 pounds of deer feed being consumed by squirrels per month!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The suggestions and tips I shared above are geared towards keeping the squirrels off the feeder, but here are some more long term suggestions that could be considered for reducing the population of squirrels in the area around the feeder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n