Raccoons are highly intelligent and opportunistic mammals that view a deer feeder as a stationary, reliable, and easily accessible food source. Their nimble paws and problem-solving abilities mean that a single defense mechanism will likely fail over time. Protecting your feed requires a multi-layered approach combining physical barriers, strategic management, and sensory aversion techniques. These methods focus on non-lethal exclusion to ensure the feed remains available for deer.
Modifying the Feeder Structure
The most immediate and effective way to deter raccoons is to make the physical structure of the feeder impossible to climb. This is best accomplished by installing a circular barrier, known as a baffle, around the feeder legs. A baffle should be cone-shaped or a loose-fitting barrel, often constructed from materials like 6-inch diameter PVC pipe or sheet metal.
These barriers must be installed loosely around the legs, suspended at least 30 inches above the ground, and should not be fastened at the bottom. The loose, spinning nature of the baffle prevents the raccoon from gaining the necessary traction to climb past it. For feeders with three or four legs, install a section of pipe on each leg, ensuring they can spin freely when touched.
Beyond the legs, the feed dispersal mechanism is vulnerable and should be protected with a varmint cage or skirt. This cylindrical metal mesh surrounds the spinner plate and motor, preventing raccoons from reaching in to rake out feed. The lid of the feeder barrel also requires attention, as raccoons are adept at opening simple latches. A locking mechanism, such as a sturdy metal bolt or carabiner, should be used to secure the lid and deny access to the main storage area.
Strategic Placement and Schedule Adjustments
Altering the feeder’s environment and operational timing can significantly reduce its appeal to nocturnal scavengers. The height of the feeder’s dispersal unit is a major factor in raccoon access. The feed port should be elevated high enough so that raccoons cannot reach the mechanism from the ground, even when standing on their hind legs.
Feeder height must also prevent raccoons from jumping onto the main barrel from any nearby structure. The feeder should be placed at least 10 to 15 feet away from all natural climbing aids, including trees, fences, large rocks, or sheds. Raccoons are excellent climbers and can easily use these objects to bypass ground-level defenses and access the feed from above.
Adjusting the automatic feeder’s schedule is a low-cost, high-impact strategy. Since raccoons are primarily nocturnal and deer are most active during daylight hours, the feeder should dispense feed only between sunrise and sunset. Eliminating the food source during the night removes the primary incentive for raccoons to visit the area, managing their behavior without physical conflict.
Sensory Deterrents to Discourage Raccoons
Sensory deterrents rely on aversion to taste, smell, or sudden visual changes to discourage raccoons from lingering near the feeder. Taste aversion is highly effective and involves applying a product containing capsaicin, the active compound in chili peppers, to the exterior of the feeder legs and housing. Capsaicin-based sprays, often formulated as a wax, create an irritating sensation upon contact that conditions the raccoon to avoid the treated surface.
These non-toxic repellents are widely available and must be reapplied every two to four weeks, or immediately after heavy rain, to maintain potency. The compound is an irritant to mammals, but when applied only to the exterior, it safely deters the raccoon without affecting the deer. Another effective approach uses motion-activated lights, which startle nocturnal animals with a sudden burst of illumination.
Motion-sensor LED lights, particularly bright ones, can interrupt a raccoon’s foraging behavior by making it feel exposed to potential predators. While raccoons may eventually acclimate to predictable light patterns, the initial shock can send them to easier food sources elsewhere. Scent deterrents, such as rags soaked in ammonia or predator urine, can also be tied to the feeder legs to signal danger, but these require frequent rotation and replenishment to remain effective.