Limit Our Waste and Help The Birds

Welcome back readers! I’m going to tell you about deer fat suet feeders and how we make them, tips, warnings and more.

We made these feeders because we are a family who tries to limit their waste. Using deer fat, we make candles and lotion with a byproduct that usually goes to the landfill. But how?

This year we walked many miles in search of deer. Our hard work finally paid off on November 11. On our way back to the truck, we were rewarded with a female doe. It was the fluffiest deer I have ever seen! In my opinion, it looked half rabbit. I was really excited because it was the first time that day a deer hadn’t seen us before we saw it. I didn’t see the deer at first, but Lucy claims to have seen it before Mom shot it. This hunting season we had a new idea. If we see a deer without it seeing us then we get a candy. Since we shot a deer, Lucy and I both ate our ring pops! 

Ok, we got the deer, but now what? Well now we got to get the fat off! To get the fat off, we use a large knife and shave it off piece-by-piece. The other way that we get the fat is saving the fat that rises to the top in the bone broth we make. After we get the fat, we melt it down and cool it so the water goes to the bottom.

The benefit of suet is that only native birds-like black capped chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches and juncos-can eat from it. It can also be very nutritious depending on what’s inside it.

Along with this fun activity, there are also dangers. #1 NEVER leave suet out in the summer. If you do, it will melt and dry all over the bird’s feathers.

At this point, your brain is filled with facts and you still have no idea how to make suet bird feeders. Well, it’s now time!

• 3+ blocks of deer fat
• 1 Bundt pan
• Fruit and nut bird seed
• Peanut butter

Melt three blocks of suet in a large pot over medium heat. Add the peanut butter and stir occasionally. Pour a thin layer of melted fat on the bottom of a bundt pan and add bird seed, about 2” deep. Pour remaining fat evenly over top and refrigerate until solid.

Since moving to this house, I have seen a lot of birds. Of course we get the daily nuthatch, chickadee, house sparrow, house finch, and junco. But there were some outsiders too, like last winter I saw a redpoll and this year I saw a Goldfinch and a flock of evening grosbeaks! Cool, right, but I have something even cooler. A few weeks/months ago, I saw a weird looking house finch that had an all white forehead. A week later, a female house finch showed up at our window feeder that had symptoms of avian pox.