When collecting Skunk essence, are you soppused to filter out the mustard or leave it in. If you are to remove it, what method do you use (coffe filter)

If you do it properly, you shouldn't get much if any "mustard". Make sure you stop extracting the essence once you see the first bit of foam. I havn't been docked at all by having just a little of this foam in my essence, and by all means, the last thing I would do is try and filter pure skunk essence! Just go slow with the syringe each time until that little bit of discoloration in the amber starts to enter it. Also, make sure you don't stab the syringe to deeply each time you insert it, or you will get more impurities. Joel

It wont hurt the essence nor do I believe any or many dock for leaving it in the mix.Once you have collected all you can it will settle to the bottom. If you want to extract and separate it just syringe out until you come close to the bottom sediment. Some do separate and others dont.

The mustard helps to identify the real deal essence at times. Some guys get slick and cut the essence to extend their profit margin.I get a couple of guys every year that sell me essence that is cut.They dont realize that most lure makers can distinquish this dilution in a product by color, density change or by the stratification of the elements they have cut with after they set a while.

We just dont buy from these guys any longer.The word gets around since many of us pass this on to the others.

I'm with Bob, I don't concern myself with a little impurity, it all ends up the same in paste type lure formulation. Also, I only buy musk from a few I can totally trust not to cut or dilute the musk. Its hard enough to produce totally consistent lures year after year without having to worry about whether the musk was diluted. Ace