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Manage Your Deer Feeders Remotely with Moultrie’s Feed Hub
There is nothing quite like checking your game cameras, seeing a feeder and immediately wondering “did it throw corn?”. Not knowing if the feeder is empty until you can get back out into the woods and manually check it, possibly ruining all the time it took to pattern deer with timed feeding. Now with Moultrie’s new Feed Hub, just like modern cell connected trail cams, you can check feed levels, change feed times, manage how much is dispersed on each feed and check battery levels. If you are familiar with Moultrie products, it won’t come as a shock, but assembly and setup of the Feed Hub kit couldn’t be easier. You’ll be up and running in no time.
Manage Your Deer Feeders Remotely with Moultrie’s Feed Hub
The standard Feed Hub kit comes with a Pro Hunter II Feeder Kit, nearly identical to the standard Pro Hunter Feeder that comes bundled with the non-connected feeders, but has the integrated cellular time that replaces the LCD screen and button controller. Also paired is the feed level detector that attaches to the lid of the hopper and uses a sensor to measure the level of feed remaining in the hopper. The feed level detector wirelessly communicates with the Pro Hunter II and is powered by four AA batteries that are not included. The Pro Hunter II, just like the non-connected models, is powered by a 6V battery and can be supplemented with Moultrie’s 6V solar panel, if you use a solar panel you have to also pair it with a rechargeable 6V battery. You can purchase a Feed Hub Kit to upgrade your existing Moultrie feeder, or you can purchase a feeder bundled with the new kit.
Introducing FEED HUB KIT, the revolutionary feeder kit that turns your feeder into a cellular feeder. With FEED HUB KIT, you have complete control over your feeder, no matter where you are, through the Moultrie Mobile app.
The FEED HUB KIT’s pre-installed cellular timer makes it easy to swap your feeder kit for a connected solution, allowing for remote control and management directly from your smartphone:
- Check remaining feed levels and battery status, eliminating unnecessary trips to your feeder.
- Set your feed schedule with up to 10 feed times per day, and remotely adjust your schedules based on the season.
- Have peace of mind that your feeder is running smoothly with Health Checks and notifications for low levels, or when a clog or jam is detected.
- With Feed on Demand, you can run your feeder when you are on the way or in the stand.
Moultrie Feed Hub Kit and 30 Gal Feeder Assembly and Setup
Assembly, like with any other Moultrie feeder, is incredibly easy. Moultrie’s use of toolless designs is phenomenal. The top lid has molded pockets for the bolt heads, thread on a wing nut and move in a circle until the two halves are bolted together. The entire process only takes a few minutes.
Once the hopper is together, install the feed level detector. This simply fits into the circle of the lid and has strong adhesive to stay in place. Select the height you want your feeder by using more or less leg sections, I chose the medium height which is believe is right around 6.5ft. Having the feeder on its lowest height is convenient for filling, allows animals easy access to the Pro Hunter II feeder mechanism.
If you opted for the solar panel, now is when you would want to mount it, and I highly recommend you pick one up. Battery use on the Feed Hub seems to be a good bit higher than a non-connected model, which makes sense. The Feed Hub does have to ping cell towers on a set schedule for configuration changes to feed times and if you sent a “feed now” command. If you do choose to use a solar panel, here is a zip tie hack to make sure that curious deer and other animals don’t disconnect your panel from the Pro Hunter II feeder. This is an area Moultrie should look into for improvements in future models, adding a locking feature for this plug would be nice.
Choosing your feed is next, and I have some bad news for anyone wanting to add pellets to your feed. The design of the funnel is prone to clogs when anything but clean corn is used. Below, you will see what happens when a mix of corn and protein pellets is used through the funnel. Moultrie does sell an upgraded metal funnel and spin plate that may feed this style more efficiently, but for now it is probably best to stick with what Moultrie recommends. That said, a mix of clean corn and roasted soybeans shouldn’t cause any issues.
Setting up the Moultrie Mobile app is also a breeze. The app will also have step-by-step directions for assembling your need feeder when you scan the included card. With all nice things in today’s connected world, there is no free lunch. The Feed Hub paired with Moultrie Mobile is a subscription based service. Each Feed Hub is $6.99 a month, or available at a heavily discounted rate for a yearly plan. If you also plan to add Moultrie Mobile trail cameras, they are also managed in this app, with their own subscription service. Thankfully, with the app being backed by a large company on a pay for use basis, it is quite nice. Changing feed times, adding a pin on a map for your feeder, tracking feed level, battery life, and viewing your gallery for connected Moultrie Mobile trail cameras is all laid out well, quick to manipulate and easy to learn.
Moultrie Feed Hub Kit Final Thoughts
I have been a fan of Moultrie products for a long time. Their feeders, cameras, and accessories are constantly evolving to meet the needs of their customers. The Feed Hub is no different and is packed with features that are useful and well-designed. There are some updates I would like to see in the future beyond what I mentioned above with the solar panel connection and the inability to reliably dispense mixed feed. I would like to see a Feed Hub model that retains some in person customization to feed times and settings. For the price, the Feed Hub kit is packed with useful features as it is available now and is a bargain, especially if your feeder is out of way. Being able to instantly check feed levels and plan a trip to fill your feeder is a feature I don’t want to give up.
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