Running a hunting lease or managing a small property means the work never really stops. You need deer to show up on a reliable schedule, and hand-slinging corn every evening burns time you don’t have. A solid automatic feeder does the work between visits, dropping feed on the timer you set so the herd learns your land is worth the walk.
The seven picks below cover the main paths you can take: full app-controlled kits for hands-off management, programmable timers to retrofit an existing barrel, gravity-style units for low-maintenance feeding, and DIY motor kits for the tinkerer with a bucket and a dream. Each one is matched to a different type of property manager, so the right choice usually comes down to how involved you want to be.
The Essentials At A Glance
Moultrie Pro Hunter III Feeder Kit
Highwild 6V/12V Universal Game Feeder Digital Timer
ASF All Seasons Feeders Digital Deer Feeder Automatic Timer
ASF Deer Spin Feeder Control Unit 12V
Relvek 6V Deer Feeder Motor Kit with Digital Timer
Banks Outdoors Feedbank 300 lb. Feeder
Moultrie All-in-One II Feeder Kit
What Each Pick Brings To The Table
The Pro Hunter III is the answer for land managers who want every feeding event dialed in from a phone rather than a ladder. Bluetooth app control removes the usual scramble to climb up and punch buttons on a tiny LCD at dusk, and that convenience alone tends to pay for itself across a season of weekly check-ins.
Where this kit earns its place over the All-in-One II is scheduling depth. The expanded daily event count gives you room to run dawn, midday, and dusk drop patterns, useful when you’re patterning a herd that’s locked into a particular movement window. Compared to the bare timers below, you get a coordinated motor, plate, and housing rather than piecing parts together yourself.
Key Advantages
- App-based scheduling lets you tweak feed times without climbing the feeder, a real time-saver on tall setups.
- Higher daily event capacity supports layered feeding patterns across dawn, midday, and dusk windows.
- Adjustable run durations let you fine-tune the spin window for everything from a small snack to a full broadcast.
- Spin plate speed control helps match the throw pattern to your local terrain, tight in a clearing, wider in a food plot.
- Coordinated kit removes the guesswork of matching motor, plate, and housing voltages that DIY builds demand.
Points To Note
- You’ll need a charged 6V or 12V battery on hand; the kit doesn’t include one, and a dead battery in the field means no feedings until you swap it.
- Bluetooth range is realistic at close walking distance, so adjustments still mean a short hike from the truck.
- App-dependent setup may frustrate anyone who prefers a tactile button-and-screen interface.
Quick Facts
Who Should Grab It
Land managers who run multiple feeders across a property and want to adjust schedules from one central phone without climbing a ladder each visit.
Skip It When
The Moultrie All-in-One II Feeder Kit is a better match for first-timers who want a complete starter package without committing to a higher event count upfront.
The Highwild timer is the part you buy when the original controller on your existing barrel finally gave up, or when you’re building a feeder from scratch and want proven scheduling without the app. It drops into a wide range of 6V and 12V control units, which makes it a versatile swap rather than a brand-locked replacement.
Eight daily feedings cover nearly every realistic deer movement pattern, and the three motor speed settings give you real control over how far the corn flies. For property owners running more than one feeder brand, this is the kind of universal part that simplifies your spare-parts drawer.
What It Does Well
- Works with both 6V and 12V setups, so it slots into most existing feeder builds without rewiring.
- Up to 8 daily events support layered feeding patterns across morning, midday, and evening windows.
- Three motor speed options let you tune throw distance to plot size and feed type.
- Adjustable feed duration from 1 to 30 seconds covers both small snack drops and full broadcasts.
Trade-Offs To Consider
- The control unit it pairs with is not included, so you need an existing motor box to make this functional.
- Eight events per day is generous, but less than the Moultrie Pro Hunter III’s ten, so high-frequency feeders may want more.
Feature Snapshot
Whose Shelf It Belongs On
DIYers who already have a feeder barrel and motor and just need a flexible, brand-agnostic replacement timer.
Another Choice May Suit
The ASF All Seasons Feeders Digital Deer Feeder Automatic Timer is a better match for anyone wanting a long-running workhorse with battery-level indication built in.
The ASF digital timer has been a quiet workhorse in deer country for years, and there’s a reason you still see it on stands across multiple states. It runs on either 6V or 12V power, accepts up to six daily feedings, and the adjustable run window from zero to 30 seconds covers most feeding programs without overcomplicating the menu.
It also includes a test button and a battery level indicator, two small touches that save you from guessing whether the unit is still firing on schedule. Compared to the Highwild above, you trade the three motor speed settings for a simpler, more direct interface that veteran users tend to trust.
What Pays Off
- Six daily feedings with adjustable duration covers the common dawn and dusk program most managers run.
- Battery level indicator removes the guesswork from field checks, a quiet but real convenience.
- Test button lets you verify the spin and throw pattern before leaving the property.
- Compatible with both 6V and 12V power sources, which means most existing battery setups will plug in directly.
Honest Caveats
- Six events per day is fewer than the Highwild or Moultrie Pro Hunter III, so high-frequency programs are limited.
- No Bluetooth or app control means schedule changes still require hands-on access at the unit.
Feature Rundown
Made For
Property managers running multiple feeder locations who want a simple, dependable timer they can set, walk away from, and trust through hunting season.
Look Elsewhere When
The Moultrie Pro Hunter III Feeder Kit is the better pick for hunters who want app-based control and a higher daily event count from a single integrated kit.
When your feeder rig runs a heavy spin plate on a 200-plus pound drum, you want a 12V control box that doesn’t bog down under load. The ASF spin feeder control unit is built for that larger-scale work, the kind of setup where a smaller 6V system would struggle to throw a clean pattern through a full hopper.
Used alongside an ASF timer, this unit forms the heart of a robust big-drum feeder. The 12V platform also means longer runtime between charges for properties where swapping batteries is a chore you want to minimize.
A Few Strong Suits
- 12V power delivery handles heavier spin plate loads that strain smaller 6V systems.
- Pair-friendly design works seamlessly with ASF timers for a coordinated control package.
- Suited to large-drum builds where consistent throw distance matters more than compact size.
Less Ideal Details
- You’ll need a separate 12V battery and a compatible timer, so this isn’t a stand-alone drop-in unit.
- Best suited to bigger rigs; smaller bucket builds may find the power delivery overkill.
Right Fit For
Property managers running large-capacity drum feeders who need reliable 12V muscle to keep the spin plate turning through a full hopper.
Reach For A Different Pick When
The Relvek 6V Deer Feeder Motor Kit is a better match for anyone building a smaller bucket or drum rig and wanting a single kit that bundles motor, timer, and mounting hardware together.
The Relvek kit is the tinkerer’s shortcut: motor, timer, and two mounting styles in one box, so you can build a feeder out of whatever drum, bucket, or flat-bottom container happens to be sitting in the barn. Ten daily feedings sit at the high end of this list, and the dual mount option means you don’t have to commit to a single feeder shape before you know which one your property actually needs.
A 3-year limited warranty backs the kit, which signals confidence in the components. The catch is the battery, sold separately, and you want a sealed lead-acid 6V with F1 tab terminals to match. Owners commonly report that sourcing the right battery upfront saves a trip back to the hardware store.
A Favorable Mix
- Up to 10 daily feedings matches the Moultrie Pro Hunter III for scheduling depth in a DIY package.
- Two mounting options (DIY and adapter) let you swap between drums, buckets, and flat-bottom containers.
- Digital timer bundled with the motor removes the need to match a separate timer to a motor box.
- 3-year limited warranty offers reassurance on the motor and timer components.
Things To Weigh
- Battery not included, and only a 6V 5Ah or 4.5Ah sealed lead-acid with F1 terminals will work, not a 12V.
- DIY mounting requires basic hand tools and some patience to align the spin plate properly.
Technical Sheet
Best Suited To
Hands-on DIYers who already have a container picked out and want a flexible motor-and-timer bundle with warranty support.
Swap It Out When
The Moultrie All-in-One II Feeder Kit is a better match for first-timers who would rather skip the assembly and start with a complete, ready-to-hang package.
The Feedbank takes a different approach from the rest of this list. There’s no timer, no motor, no app. It’s a gravity-fed 300 lb. capacity feeder that drops feed through adjustable ports as deer work the trough, simple by design and built to last through seasons of weather.
That simplicity is the point. You mount it on a single 8-foot 4×4 set 3 feet into the ground, fill the watertight cover, and walk away. The 42-inch port height matches what most bow and rifle hunters prefer for shot placement, and the single-post design means antlered bucks don’t catch a tine on a crossbar.
What Makes Sense
- 300 lb. capacity means fewer refill trips, a major convenience for remote or hard-to-reach stands.
- No electronics, no batteries, no timer to fail, so the only real maintenance is keeping the ports clear.
- Single-post mounting keeps the trough clear of antler-catching crossbars during the rut.
- Adjustable feed ports let you dial flow rate to whatever feed you’re pouring in.
Practical Considerations
- No automated feeding schedule means feed is available continuously rather than timed to specific windows.
- Requires a separate 4×4 post and digging tools to install properly, and you’ll need to source those yourself.
Spec Overview
Who Will Love This
Property owners who want a low-maintenance, set-and-forget feeder that doesn’t depend on batteries, timers, or app connectivity.
Consider Something Else When
The Moultrie Pro Hunter III Feeder Kit is the better match for hunters who want timed, app-controlled feedings that train deer to show up at specific windows.
The All-in-One II is the kit you’d hand a first-time feeder owner who’s more interested in hunting than hardware. Everything is bundled, motor, plate, housing, app control, so the only decisions left are where to hang it and what to fill it with. That ease-of-entry is the entire reason this kit exists.
Compared to the Pro Hunter III above, you trade some scheduling depth for a more approachable price and a gentler learning curve. For someone running a single feeder on a small lease, the difference in daily event count rarely matters. The 360-degree feed pattern helps deer find the corn no matter which direction they approach from, which is a quiet but useful feature in low-pressure areas.
Real-World Strengths
- Complete kit removes the need to match motor, plate, and housing yourself.
- Bluetooth app control simplifies schedule changes without climbing the feeder.
- 360-degree feed pattern helps deer find the corn from any approach angle.
- Beginner-friendly setup shortens the time between unboxing and first feed drop.
Where It May Fall Short
- Daily event count is lower than the Moultrie Pro Hunter III, so advanced layered programs are limited.
- Battery sold separately, so factor that into the total build cost before you commit.
Perfect Match For
First-time feeder owners who want a single complete package that gets them from box to feeding in a single afternoon.
Where A Sibling Pick Shines
The Moultrie Pro Hunter III Feeder Kit is a better fit once you start managing multiple feeders or want deeper scheduling flexibility across dawn, midday, and dusk windows.
What Matters Most Before You Pick An Auto Deer Feeder
The right feeder choice depends on how you plan to use it. Power source sits at the top of the list for most shoppers. A 6V system is lighter and cheaper, fine for small bucket builds, while 12V handles heavier spin plates and bigger drums without bogging down. Matching the voltage to the motor and the timer saves you from buying parts that don’t talk to each other.
Daily feed event count is the second decision point. Most whitetail programs run well on four to six feedings per day, but if you’re patterning a herd with multiple movement windows or training deer onto a new plot, eight to ten events gives you room to experiment. Feed duration, the seconds the spin plate runs, controls how much corn goes out per drop, and pairing duration with motor speed lets you tune throw distance to plot size.
Mounting and installation round out the practical side. Drum, bucket, and flat-bottom containers all take different hardware, and the Banks Outdoors Feedbank shows the third path entirely: a gravity-fed post-mounted unit with no timer at all. For low-maintenance properties, that approach can be the smarter long-term play, even if you give up scheduling control.
Key Considerations Across These Picks
Common Slip Ups To Avoid
The most common mistake is buying a motor and timer from different ecosystems without checking voltage and connector compatibility. A 6V timer paired with a 12V motor either doesn’t fire or burns out quickly. Equally common is underestimating battery runtime: a heavy spin plate with frequent feedings drains a battery much faster than the label suggests, so plan extra capacity for the back half of the season.
Where The Extra Money Goes
Higher-tier feeders like the Moultrie Pro Hunter III earn their keep through app control, deeper scheduling, and adjustable spin plate RPM, features that genuinely save time and broaden your pattern options. A beginner kit like the All-in-One II is cheaper because it bundles a more basic scheduling profile. For someone running a single feeder on a small property, the gap rarely matters. For someone managing multiple locations, the time savings on ladder climbs alone can justify the upgrade.