The Ultimate Guide to Efficient Wildlife Feeding: On Time 71800 Gravity T-Post Feeder

For anyone dedicated to wildlife management, conservation, or successful hunting, providing consistent and controlled nutrition is paramount. The challenges often involve minimizing feed waste, ensuring ease of setup, and maintaining a discreet presence in natural environments. This is where the On Time 71800 Gravity T-Post Feeder emerges as an indispensable tool, specifically engineered to meet these demands with exceptional reliability and performance. This guide delves into how this robust gravity feeder simplifies supplemental feeding programs, ensuring that wildlife, from deer to turkeys, receives the nourishment they need precisely when they need it, all while reducing your workload and optimizing your investment.

Why Choose a Gravity Feeder for Wildlife?

When considering options for supplemental feeding, various feeder types exist, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. Traditional spin-cast feeders, while offering programmable dispersal, require batteries, intricate timers, and often scatter feed over a wide area, leading to waste and potential spoilage. Manual feeding, while simple, demands constant presence and effort, making it impractical for sustained management.

This is why gravity feeders, especially a well-designed unit like the On Time 71800, stand out as an optimal solution. Gravity feeders operate on a simple yet highly effective principle: feed is held in a reservoir and dispensed by gravity as animals consume it from a chute or trough below. This design offers several critical advantages:

• Low Maintenance: No batteries, no timers, no complex mechanisms to fail. Once filled, the On Time 71800 requires minimal attention, freeing up your time for other management tasks.
• Reduced Waste: Feed is dispensed only as it's consumed, preventing spillage due to wind or over-broadcasting. This ensures that every pound of feed you invest in directly benefits the wildlife, rather than becoming lost to the elements or uneaten.
• Consistent Availability: Animals can access feed on demand, establishing a reliable food source that encourages regular visitation and supports consistent nutritional intake, which is vital for antler growth, reproductive success, and overall herd health.
• Natural Feeding Patterns: The on-demand access mimics natural foraging behaviors more closely than scheduled, abrupt dispersal, which can sometimes startle animals.
• Cost-Effectiveness: By minimizing waste and requiring less intervention, a gravity feeder reduces long-term operational costs and maximizes the value of your feed.

Addressing Common Wildlife Feeding Challenges

Many landowners and wildlife enthusiasts ask, "What's the best way to feed deer without attracting unwanted animals?" or "How can I set up a feeder that's discreet and easy to manage?" The On Time 71800 Gravity T-Post Feeder is a direct answer to these questions.

• Problem: Attracting Unwanted Animals: While no feeder can entirely prevent all non-target animals, the gravity design, especially when mounted on a T-post, limits ground scattering. The On Time 71800's design ensures feed is available but not openly broadcast, making it less appealing to pests that scavenge widely.
• Problem: Installation Difficulty: "Is a gravity feeder easy to install?" is a frequent query. The T-post mounting system of the On Time 71800 is incredibly straightforward. It requires minimal tools and can be securely attached to any standard T-post, a common fixture in many rural landscapes. This eliminates the need for complex tripod setups or tree attachments, saving time and effort.
• Problem: Feed Spoilage and Waste: "How can I reduce feed waste and protect it from the elements?" is a major concern. The durable construction and weather-resistant design of the On Time 71800 protect feed from rain, humidity, and even some persistent pests, ensuring the nutritional quality of your expensive feed is maintained. The gravity flow mechanism ensures that only the accessible feed is exposed, minimizing spoilage.

Key Features That Make the On Time 71800 Stand Out

The On Time 71800 Gravity T-Post Feeder is not just another feeder; it’s a thoughtfully designed solution built for durability, efficiency, and ease of use. Let’s explore the features that contribute to its superior performance:

Impressive 80-Pound Capacity

The generous 80-pound feed capacity is one of the feeder's most significant advantages. This large volume means less frequent refilling trips to your feeding sites, which is a major time-saver and reduces human scent disturbance in your managed areas. For many users, this capacity translates to weeks or even months of continuous feeding, depending on the number of animals and consumption rates. This is especially beneficial for remote locations or during periods when regular visits are challenging.

Robust and Durable Construction

Built to withstand the rigors of the outdoors, the On Time 71800 features high-quality, weather-resistant materials. The sturdy plastic housing is designed to endure harsh weather conditions, from intense sunlight and heavy rain to freezing temperatures. This resilience ensures a long lifespan for the feeder, providing years of reliable service without cracking, fading, or deteriorating. Its robust nature means it can stand up to accidental bumps from large animals, maintaining its integrity season after season.

Innovative T-Post Mounting System

The integrated T-post mounting system is a game-changer for simplicity and versatility. T-posts are ubiquitous on properties, making installation as easy as sliding the feeder onto an existing post and securing it. This eliminates the need for cumbersome hanging mechanisms, tripods, or tree straps, which can be unstable or damaging to trees. The secure T-post attachment provides a stable platform, preventing the feeder from being knocked over by larger game or strong winds, ensuring consistent feed delivery.

Adjustable Feed Flow

One of the most valuable features for tailored wildlife management is the adjustable feed flow. This allows you to control the rate at which feed is dispensed, accommodating various feed types (corn, pellets, protein mixes) and managing consumption rates. Whether you’re supplementing for growth, drawing in game for observation, or maintaining a specific dietary regimen, the ability to fine-tune the flow ensures optimal feed utilization and prevents overconsumption or waste. This control empowers you to manage your feed budget more effectively.

Discreet and Low-Profile Design

The On Time 71800's design promotes discretion. Its compact and practical form factor, especially when mounted on a T-post, blends seamlessly into natural environments. Unlike large, conspicuous feeders, its low profile minimizes human impact on the landscape and reduces the likelihood of alarming wildlife. This is particularly beneficial for hunting properties where minimizing disturbance is key to success.

Gravity-Fed Mechanism for Reliability

The core of its reliable operation is the simple gravity-fed mechanism. With no moving parts that can jam or batteries that can die, the feeder operates continuously, providing feed on demand. This inherent simplicity translates to unparalleled reliability, ensuring that your supplemental feeding program never misses a beat, even in challenging conditions.

Who Benefits Most from the On Time 71800 Feeder?

The On Time 71800 Gravity T-Post Feeder is an ideal solution for a diverse range of users:

• Hunters and Land Managers: For those looking to establish consistent feeding patterns for deer, wild hogs, or other game, this feeder provides a reliable food source that can help concentrate animals in desired areas and improve herd health. Its low maintenance design is perfect for remote hunting leases or large properties.
• Wildlife Enthusiasts and Photographers: If your goal is to observe or photograph wildlife, a reliable feeder helps attract animals to specific locations, increasing your chances of a successful viewing or photo opportunity.
• Conservationists and Landowners: Supporting local wildlife populations through supplemental feeding can be a crucial part of habitat improvement and conservation efforts. The On Time 71800 offers an efficient way to provide essential nutrients, especially during periods of scarcity.
• Agricultural and Livestock Owners: While primarily designed for wild game, its robust construction and consistent feed delivery can also be adapted for small-scale livestock feeding or for managing specific areas for domestic animals.

Maximizing Your Feeding Strategy with the On Time 71800

To get the most out of your On Time 71800 Gravity T-Post Feeder, consider these strategic tips:

1. Placement is Key: Choose a location that is easily accessible for wildlife but also offers some natural cover. Avoid open areas that might make animals feel exposed. Consider placing it near water sources or natural travel corridors.
2. Elevate for Success: When installing on a T-post, adjust the height of the feeder to suit the primary target species. For deer, ensuring the feed chute is at a comfortable height for their reach can prevent straining and encourage use. This also helps keep the feed off the ground, reducing moisture absorption and contamination.
3. Monitor Consumption: Regularly check the feed level to understand consumption rates. This helps you determine optimal refill schedules and assess the number of animals using the feeder.
4. Vary Feed Types: Experiment with different types of feed – corn, protein pellets, or a mix – to see what attracts your target species most effectively. The adjustable flow allows you to switch between different feed consistencies easily.
5. Seasonal Adjustment: In colder months, supplemental feeding becomes even more critical as natural forage dwindles. Ensure your feeder is consistently filled during these periods.
6. Regular Cleaning: While low maintenance, occasional cleaning of the feed chute can prevent blockages and ensure fresh feed flow.

The On Time 71800 Gravity T-Post Feeder represents an investment in effective, responsible wildlife management. Its blend of durable construction, ample capacity, easy installation, and hands-free operation makes it a top choice for anyone serious about providing consistent nutrition to wild game. It’s a solution that saves time, reduces waste, and contributes significantly to the health and vitality of your managed wildlife populations. Experience the reliability and efficiency that sets the On Time 71800 apart from other feeding options. This superior feeder, alongside a wide array of other essential outdoor gear, is available at DEGuns.

Product Specifications

Feature	Detail
Product Model	On Time 71800
Feeder Type	Gravity T-Post Feeder
Capacity	80 lbs (approx. 10 gallons)
Mounting System	Integrated T-Post Mount
Feed Compatibility	Corn, protein pellets, various granular feeds
Adjustability	Adjustable feed flow rate
Construction	Durable, weather-resistant plastic
UPC	797539718000
Ideal For	Deer, wild hogs, turkeys, various game animals, wildlife management, hunting land