Photo and Feeding Booth for Squirrels

Feel a little squirrelly from sticking indoors for so long? Here's a great project to satisfy your boredom! Using just wood, some paint, a hook, and some screws, you'll have a fun way to watch your backyard animals scour about!

Supplies

-Reclaimed wood
-Paint
-A small hook
-Weather-coated screws
-Clear-coat paint

-Hole saw for a power drill

-Saw

-Tape measure

Step 1: Cut Out the Circle

Draw a small circle that is large enough to fit a squirrel's head. Cut the circle out using a hole cutter on a power drill.

Step 2: Draw the Squirrel's Tail

Draw a large wave-shaped squirrel tail on the right side of the hole that was cut out in the last step.

Step 3: Draw the Squirrel's Vest and Bandana

Now, draw the squirrel's vest and bandana. The two different sides of the vest should look like slices of pizza.

Step 4: Finish the Vest and the Stomach

Draw from the bottom of the left side of the vest to the right side of the vest. Add a little oval belt buckle in the middle. Then, draw another line from the pointed end of the bandanna to the top of the belt buckle.

Step 5: Draw the Legs and Boots

Now, to the legs and boots. Draw a similar shape as a telephone underneath the bottom of the squirrel's stomach. Then, give this character some boots with spurs.

Step 6: Draw the Design of the Vest and Rope

On the vest, draw little splotches and strings hanging off of the bottom. Then, draw the right arm holding the rope in its hand and going up to the left side of the hole.

Step 7: Finish Drawing the Rope

Now, draw the left arm swinging a rope lasso in the air.

Step 8: Finish the Whole Drawing

For the last drawing step, draw a couple cactuses with buds in the background.

Thanks to Mark Rober for giving this drawing idea!

Step 9: Paint the Rope

Using brownish yellowish paint, paint the whole lasso rope.

Step 10: Paint the Cactuses

Paint the two cactuses with green paint, and the flower buds pink.

Step 11: Paint the Boots and the Strings of the Vest

Next, paint the strings hanging off of the bottom of the vest dark brown. Paint the boots brown as well.

Step 12: Paint the Hat and Bandana

Paint the hat and bandana red.

Step 13: Paint the Shirt

Now, paint the long sleeved shirt orange.

Step 14: Paint the Vest

Paint the vest white, while being careful to not paint over the spot designs on the vest.

Step 15: Paint the Legs and Tail

Next, paint the larger part of the tail light brown, and the smaller part dark brown. Then, paint the telephone shaped part of the body light brown.

Step 16: Paint the Stomach

Paint the squirrel's stomach a very pale brown.

Step 17: Paint the Vest Design, Belt, and Shirt Line

Paint the design of the vest, belt, and the line from the tip of the bandanna to the top of the belt buckle black.

Step 18: Finish Painting

Now, paint the strap, which is attached to the spurs, black. Paint the spurs, belt buckle, and the star pin gold. Now, you're done painting!!

Step 19: Add a Hook for Peanut Butter

Screw a small hook into the board 1/4-1/2 of an inch below the cut out circle. This item will hold peanut butter for the squirrels.

Step 20: Cut Two Same Sized Boards

Now cut two small pieces of 2x4 wood (preferably treated since it's outdoors) roughly 12 inches long each.

Note: If you are under the age of 18, be sure to get help from an experienced adult while using power tools.

Step 21: Add an Angled Dimension (optional)

Using a tool that allows you to find angles, find a 45 degree angle, and draw it onto both sides of only one of the boards. But, don't directly draw it to the corner.

Step 22: Cut the Dimension (optional)

Now, cut down the lines that were just drawn in the last step. The piece of wood should look like the second picture above.

Step 23: Find the Middle of the Angle-Cut Board

Using a measuring tape, find the center of the angle-cut piece of wood, and then place the other piece of wood over the center.

Step 24: Screw the Boards Together

Once you've found the center, start screwing two screws in enough so that they can stand up by themselves. Next, begin screwing one screw all the way in. Before tightening the second screw, make sure the pieces of wood are not crooked. After making sure they aren't crooked, screw the second screw through and into the other board.

Step 25: Find the Center of the Bottom Edge of the Painted Board

Now, find the center of the bottom edge of the painted board, and mark it with a pencil. Roughly 1 inch from the center on both sides, mark another two small lines (these will be used in the next step to determine the placement of your screws).

Step 26: Find the Correct Placing for the Screws

Assuming you are using 2x4 wood, measure 3/4 of an inch up from the bottom on each of the two lines drawn in the last step. Draw an X where your screws will be.

Step 27: Start the Screws on the Front Side of the Painted Board

As you did with the two other boards, start your screws by screwing them into the front side of the painted board until they are able to stand up by themselves.

Step 28: Screw the Painted Board to the Other Boards

First, thread one of the screws through the painted board into the 2x4 (using the X's drawn in the last step). After making sure that the board isn't crooked, screw the second screw into the board.

Step 29: Clear Coat the Wood

After screwing everything together, spray paint the whole object over with a quality clear-coat paint. This will help your painting endure through weather.

Note: Be sure to do this where there is good ventilation, preferably outdoors. Be careful to not breath in the mist, or accidentally paint your parent's or your own car with the paint drift.🙂

Step 30: Screw the Photo Booth to a Tree

After clear coating the whole object, screw the photo booth to a tree. Consider a place that is visually appealing, and not where it stands out like a sore thumb.😉

Step 31: Add Snacks for the Animals

Now, put some peanut butter on the hook, and some nuts and/or peanut butter on the table.

Step 32: Finishing and Taking Funny Photos

In the end, you will be able to get some great pictures! In time, you will be able to see squirrels jump around and find their way to the nuts and peanut butter! Although the squirrels may not poke their heads through right away, with patience, and by experimenting with the peanut butter and nuts, you'll see it sooner or later!

Hope you will enjoy creating and watching squirrels scurry around the photo and food booth! If you want to catch the squirrels sticky handed, then consider mounting a deer camera nearby.