Droll Yankees Shepherd's Envy Pole Freestanding Hook Stand, 68-Inch, Black

Although my backyard is mostly woods, believe it or not I did not have any suitable branches to hand my bird feeders! I was debating on a yard pole versus a deck system. My husband reminded me that birds can be quite messy and we should perhaps place a yard pole near the woods, where we can easily see it from our window and patio door. Good idea - as much as I like the birds, the mess belongs in the yard (droppings, shells, feathers, etc). I went to literally 5 garden stores and 3 hardware stores and couldn't find anything suitable. Most were too flimsy, too short, did not anchor well into the ground, etc. I researched this pole and it looked like a good one, although no reviews were available. I took a chance.This pole is pefect! THick, well made. I have a Droll Yankees Flipper Droll Yankees YF Flipper Bird Feeder and Whipper Droll Yankees YCPW180 Whipper Bird Feeder, Dark Blue. Both are very large, heavy feeders that hold 5 pounds of seed apiece. They are 21 inches long and 4 1/2 inches in diameter, so no flimsy pole was going to do the job! This pole has a corkscrew spike that anchors it into the ground. There are four tripod-like legs that lie flat on the ground for further stability. I purchased an add on double arm mount Droll Yankees, Inc Double Arm Mount and Hanger - Adds 16 Inch Arm to DCH, so I could put two large feeders on the pole. The locking mechanism on the arm really keeps the bird feeder well secured hanging on the pole. The arm is angles outward, giving the larger feeders distance from the pole while hanging. I also ordered a Droll Yankees squirrel dome which works well with this pole Droll Yankees SQPM Pole Mount Squirrel Guard. That is also very thick and well made. Secures well on the pole. No squirrels have yet to get passed it. I also ordered a triple arm hanger Droll Yankees, Inc Triple Hook Assembly, which allows me to hang three other smaller items onto the pole. I have a small peanut feeder, a hummingbird feeder and a suit holder. All is well made and encompases a complete bird feeding station! I liked this pole so much I ordered another one. If you are looking for a pole for your bird feeders, look no further - just order it!I will try to take a photo and submit it so you can see.

I bought this for our new house. We just put it in a few days ago. My girlfriend was able to install it without any problem. We did place a rock on the leg at the opposite side of the bird feeder, just to have that extra comfort that the heavy bird feeder doesn't put too much stress on the auger in the ground.It's a nice height, but it would be hard to reach for someone not too tall. The locking mechanism is easy to use. It just rotates around so you can slip off the bird feeder, or rotates back down to sort of lock it in place. It's not a true lock, but it should be sufficient to keep the bird feeder attached.We just had a torrential rain and the pole stayed up fine. Birds came back to the feeder right after the hard rain finished. Some were sitting on the top curved part and some were on the feeder itself.

This pole is very sturdy and is made of high quality materials. It supports the Droll Yankee Flipper bird feeder perfectly. The only trouble was in installing the bottom corkscrew base into the ground. The corkscrew on the base is quite long and it requires you to screw it into the ground full depth before assembling the rest of the pole. I have dense clay soil in my yard and it was no easy task. Even after watering the ground to get it good and soft, it was still physically exerting to get the corkscrew fully implanted into the ground. Buyer should be aware that it will take some serious physical effort to install this pole. It is also a bit of a trick to make sure you get the corkscrew into the ground and plumb. The first time I got into the ground it went in at an angle and I had to pull it out and start over. By the time I got it in I was absolutely exhausted. Once installed, the pole is very sturdy and the squirrels in my yard are unable to climb it - they just slide down. Therefore, I have not yet seen any squirrels going for a ride on the bird feeder.

This is a high quality pole and well worth the money. The raccoons and squirrels have tried to knock it over, but are not successful after a couple of months. Other poles succumbed quickly. The tripod pole design is ingenious and keeps the pole upright and in place. It also has a very well made hook at the end of it that swivels open and closed, and does not unlock to remove the feeder unless all of the parts align.I highly recommend this pole. It is so well made that I will have this for many years, I'm sure! You do get what you pay for.

Easy to put together, well made and met my expectations.

The Droll Yankees Shepherds Envy Pole is easy to assemble. For the price, it is quite sturdy. The best feature is that the pole mounting system is customizable. I use the hanging arm for a suet feeder and bought the mounting arm for a nyjer feeder. The options are endless. I am so happy with this product that I have just purchased a second one.