So I have a client that loves gardening, and has a backyard full of flowers and plants. It's turned out to be quite the wildlife sanctuary, lol. So they've had problem animals before, but this year they decided to use bone and blood meal as a deterrent for planting and potting of plants. I was not familiar with it, so I researched it, and it is sold as a critter deterrent, but this has had quite the opposite effect. Something is digging feverishly through her gardens, turning over pots, and even toppled every potted plant on a ladder type display. I went by there this morning, and there's a lot of uprooted plants, as well as golf ball sized holes. I was thinking skunk or raccoon, and then I found the scat pictured below. I guess it makes sense that a carnivore would be attracted to a slaughter house by-product. Anyone have any experience with bone or blood meal? I went ahead and set a couple traps with sweet bait for skunk/raccoon this afternoon.

Try a trail camera and let us know how it works out.

I still need to get one. Just trying to spread out my spending. Sure would make it easier though. Any recommendations for one that won't die within a year?

Yes we use it on our straw bale garden. The dogs love it, and are yelled at daily. It adds a shot of nitrogen to the straw and helps the decaying process of the bales. I can't imagine blood meal being a deterrent to any animal.

Kurt Temple

Yeah, I should have clarified. You're right, it's primary purpose is as a fertilizer, but there's evidently a lot of bogus information regarding it scaring away deer, squirrels, etc. I'm with you though, sounds more like an attractant. Any thoughts on the scat?

I am going with coon scat. Looks like lots of seeds in the scat and the color suggests fruit content if the color is right.

Yes there is no question as to the attraction that blood and bone meal has to animals both domestic and wild predators. We use it in lure formulation for additional attraction and as a binder in predator lures.

Consumers are for a large part quite ignorant to believe about anything that gives them the suggestion that those materials will act as a repellent of sorts. There has been quite a loss in consumer intelligence to some facts and many will believe some of the most far fetched notions out there with regards to advertising.

Anyone seen the Ivory soap?

Thanks Mr. Jameson, your input is always appreciated.

I know growing up the Wardens gave it out to gardeners as a deterrent for Deer but that's the only species it had any effect on as far as I know.

Fletch, I use the bushnell trophy cams they are great take quality pictures don't eat through batteries. A little pricey but work really well and they are small and green or brown so they blend in well. Don't have any input on the bone meal but the scat definitely looks like coon! Good luck

That's why I saw Clint Locklear throwing out a line of blood meal at a canine set!

Somebody read it on the interweb so it's gotta be true!

Thanks for the info, I'll check those out. I've used Coverts, Moultrie, and Wild Game Innovations trail cams at this point. They all took great pics... just didn't hold up long.

So, I caught a raccoon at the ladder/flower pot site this morning. I reset, and told my clients to go ahead and repair their flowers, without the bone/blood meal this time, and we'll see if this was the one causing all the damage.

good trap choice.
never thought about blood and bone meal as an attractant but will be buying a bit of it to try before I start going full bore after the coyotes come October.

Yep, I own several Comstocks, and will be ordering more soon. They are hard to beat!

Where can I buy Bone meal or blood meal
For my baits .
And which would be the best of the two.
Thanks

Try any gardening or flower shops. I get mine at my local farm supply store.

Can u send me a picture of bag u use and which one bone or blood.
Thanks

Clint Locklear teaches blood/bone meal use on his forum.
Slings a handful each direction from a set.
FB bait makers group tells bout using it too
Walmart has it in their garden section or lge bags are at So States or Tractor Supply