Smart Timer Game Feeder

Our second and third feeders were Smart Timer Game Feeders from Kenco. This game feeder is housed in aluminum and has proved to be very sturdy. The key operational feature is that this feeder automatically programs itself to feed at sunrise and one hour before sunset. There are no settings other then choosing the length of time you want the feeder to run, which is varies between 2 and 17 seconds. There is a button enclosed within the case that you can push to set the time.

Similar to our original San Angelo feeder Smart Timer game feeder is rather simple to use. There is a hinged door in the bottom that is held closed with two brass screws that opens to change the battery and gain access to plastic box that holds the electronics. The button to set the feed time is in this plastic case. The brass screws in aluminum have resisted rust but the hinge has rusted and should have been lubricated more over the years.

To set the feed time you simply hold the button for the number of seconds that you want the feeder to spin. This has worked relatively well but I’ve noticed that as the years have gone by it sometimes has a mind of its own. You can also push this button to make the feeder run to either check the battery, check the feed time or just to give the deer a little extra to eat.

The funnel for the Smart Timer is a cylinder that has a small lip so that you can cut a hole in your can/barrel and push the cylinder down through the hole. We thought that this was a poor design. It was difficult to cut the hole exactly the right diameter to start with and then we found that raccoons soon found that they could just push up on the cylinder and get all of the corn to pour out that they wanted. We had to put hose clamps around the cylinder against the bottom of the can to keep them from pushing it up. We much prefer a cone shaped funnel that bolts onto the bottom of the can.

The Smart Timer game feeder uses one 6 volt lantern battery that lasts for about one year. We’ve been pleased with the battery life we get with the Smart Timer.

The indestructibility of the Smart Timer was revealed to us a few years ago when the tree limb it was hanging on broke bringing the feeder and about 200 pounds of corn about 8 feet to the ground. One of the bolt posts broke off but this feeder is still operating today.

The other feeder, which was the first Smart Timer that we purchased, finally broke this year when the spinner plate broke off. This happened when the feeder was empty and we assume that the wind blew it over, tripod and all.

Our Smart Timer game feeders have performed well for us over the years with few complaints, but we’ve have grown to like the ability to choose exactly when the feeder spins instead of just at dawn and an hour before dark.

For some reason the Smart Timer Self Programming Game Feeder is no longer available at the larger outlets but an internet search did reveal a couple of locations where you can still find them. Rather than try to keep up on places that still offer them and compare prices myself I’ll leave that to you.

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This is a picture of our Smart Timer game feeder on a galvanized can inside of our homemade varmint cage.

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