Stop the climb
Brome Raccoon Buster Baffle
A wide baffle that swings as a raccoon reaches for it; it fits Brome’s own poles.
Raccoons and bears at the feeder
Raccoons feed at night, so the surest fix is to bring feeders in each evening; a wide raccoon baffle on the pole helps too. Bears are different: no feeder stops them, and wildlife agencies ask you to take feeders down while bears are out, in Vermont from mid-March to December.
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A pole with the baffle
Brome Raccoon Buster Guardian 1.5 in Pole System
An 8 ft, 1.5 in pole with four 25 in arms and a raccoon baffle; it screws into the ground without digging.
Less seed on the ground
Brome BirdsUP Seed Catcher Tray
An extra-large tray on a BirdsUP pole that catches what falls from the feeder above.
A commission never decides the picks. How we choose.
3 more feeders
Aspects · Baffle
Super Dome 18 in. #182
- 18 in baffle
Hangs above a feeder to keep rain off and stop squirrels climbing down the hanger.
Keep in mind: It guards from above only: keep the feeder out of jumping range from the side.
Kiwibit · Baffle
19 in Squirrel Baffle
- Fits 0.67–1.38 in poles
- 19 in baffle
Wraps around a pole you already have, 0.67 to 1.38 in, without taking the feeder down.
Keep in mind: Kiwibit advises at least 6 ft above the ground and away from trees or platforms squirrels can jump from.
Brome · Pole and mounting
Arm Kit for 1.5 in Brome Poles
Doubles a Guardian or Harvester pole to eight arms.
Keep in mind: Fits Brome’s Guardian and Harvester 1.5 in poles only.
Raccoons feed at night
The simplest fix is to take the feeders in each evening and put them out again in the morning, or to fill them with only what the birds eat in a day, so nothing is left after dark. Raccoons climb and jump less well than squirrels: a feeder on a wire strung between two trees, or on a pole less than half an inch thick, is hard for them to reach, the Forest Preserve District of Will County advises.
Baffles, poles and spilled seed
On a thicker pole, a wide baffle stops a raccoon climbing. Brome’s Raccoon Buster baffle swings as a raccoon reaches for it, though it fits Brome’s own poles only; its Guardian pole system comes with one. Spilled seed draws raccoons even to feeders they cannot reach, so clean up under the feeder or use a tray that catches the seed. Never grease the pole: grease that gets on a bird’s feathers ruins their waterproofing and warmth.
Bears: take the feeders down
No feeder stops a bear, and makers such as Brome leave bears out of their guarantees. Wildlife agencies ask you to take feeders down while bears are active: Vermont Fish and Wildlife says from mid-March to December, because bears have been leaving their dens in mid-March; Colorado Parks and Wildlife advises feeding birds only in winter. MassWildlife notes that bears visit feeders at any time of day or year, and that hummingbird feeders cause less trouble than seed.
After a visit
Bring every feeder in, clear spilled seed from the ground and keep stored seed where no animal can reach it. Leave the feeders down until your state agency’s season allows them again; Vermont asks residents to report bears that target feeders.