Just how long do you think a lure at the set is good for? Do you think a paste type lure holds it scent longer than a thin lure does? Just for arguments sake we will say the weather is 25* and fairly dry. Whats your thoughts? How long will that lured set optimally attract an animal?

I reckon that may have too many variables to come up with a difinitive answer.

Different ingredients in different lure formulations will endure longer than others.

I believe an oil base for a lure formulation will hold the odors at the set longer because it doesn't evaporate the same as a water base lure.

I believe the lure holder has a lot to do with it. If a liquid lure is placed on an absorbant material, the odor will wick off for a long time, however, if put on the ground, it will not last as long.

Holy cow Kyboy, the variables are endless on that one. The ingredients will make a huge difference. Some ingredients naturally hold their odor longer, others dissapate quickly. It would only make sense that a paste would hold odor longer. I know Asa's beaver lure(paste) holds odor longer than others that are thinner.

Paste type's work better in dry cold conditions. Liquid type's work better in warm/wet conditions.

There, that should get me a good thrashing by the forum experts, lol.

Nah, if that's what works for J, then its right.

That's a very generalized statement though, lol. Didn't say what type lure, what lure holder, etc. was used, lol.


As you posted above, theres no way to answer this question!

I have had canines digging at both my paste lures and liquid formulas way into the next Summer. Generally speaking, I would have to say paste lures last longer but if the liquid is soaked into a holder I believe it could last equally as long. Ace

are you targeting coyote, cats, beaver?

i can tell you, this year, i caught several coyotes in sets during a rain/snow/freeze/thaw event that lasted almost three weeks, and i never toucjed the sets. i put my lure on a peice of sheeps wool 90% of the time ;). The odor, IMO, can be picked up by a K9 for quite a while.

i dont doubt a bit what Asa said.

I agree with Asa, I have had them digging thru summer. Paste seems to last longer for me and a good smear in the cold weather seems to be better than liquid. Yet the liquid that seeps into the dirt during periods of warm weather are the lures that they dig all summer. I really think it's what's in the ingredients and what the makeup of the base is.

All I can tell you about is WET...LOL. Mr Lenons lures really stand up to the rain!! I had a couple Lil Grizz I forgot to rinse out at end of the season baited with Racoon all call and at the start of the season it still had more than enough smell left to pull in a coon IMO.

I have had this question asked to me many times over the years. The one factor that influences and may affect this longevity beyond the actual lures effect alone one must consider this:

Animal visitations most certainly affects the assumed active life of a lure.Meaning,if we are talking canines particularly that find the scent. They most likely will visit a residual sets odor, and mark a location with urine or droppings.Then who is to say the reason the set appears to be working so long into the spring and summer isnt a direct result of several other animals or the same animal continually or frequently marking and refreshing the set.

Therefore encourageing and resulting in other visitations being marked by other traveling canines finding the marked area and so on........ Possibly this set location is located within the home range of a spring den site. So there might be many such visitations made to a set location under those circumstances. Thus constantly being re marked.

Ultimately in essence the animals influence on refreshing a set and causing more interest in that location is what can be referred to as massaging the data. These are some of my theories as I have thought about this for many years. Who is to really know.

This being said and understanding an animals keen sense of smell and its instinctual urination and marking urges it may possibly be a combination of both and may likely be the explanation.

It is true residual ingredient lure odors and base odor particulate odors can be maintained for a considerable period of time in a well built product. This long term effect as stated can be influenced by several factors. Lure holders, ingredients used, base material of product, heat, rain exposure, humidity, temperature to name a few.

I dont believe there will ever be a definitive answer to this question. I do know as Asa pointed out as to what appears to be months later visitations to sets when checked later in the spring or summer.That is a statement of fact.

Bait odors can be long lasting if the bait is not taken away or eaten.Lures can penetrate and attach better due to their composition.

ahhhhhhhhh, an answer ive never heard before, very good bob, i doff my hat.

They say black bear will revisit previous bait sites from memory for about 5 years in hopes of finding a fresh supply of food there. So, I wondered if the digging out dirt holes way into the next Summer was perhaps re-visits from memory rather than actually detecting the lure's odor all that time later. Then one May or June while picking mushrooms I noticed where a red fox had dug out a dirthole set from the previous Fall. I went a little farther and had made a flat set at a small rock with urine on the rock and a dab of paste lure on a stick tucked underneath the rock on the trap side to ensure the animal come around to the trap side of the rock. I was really amazed when the fox went straight to that set and dug the stick out from underneath the rock. This couldn't have been a memory thing or a fresher marking on the rock from later visits by other animals as the fox had to smell the lure on the stick to even know it was there. That incident convinced me that the canine truly smell those lures many months later. Ace

bob,
based on your findings would it then make sense to use 2 or 3 different urines at a set to make it more appealing and give the impression to animals that it is a hotspot and they should also mark it?
thanks
km

no secret, blackie offers it for sale mixed.

I have used urine blending and applying single applications of different urines at different set positions with good success. Multiple applications of different lures work very well also at times.I believe the curosity and time spent attempting to identify the differing odors is a plus for the trapper. Many times a simple one lure or single urine application will suffice. I have done them all over the years. I dont recommend pouring it on when discussing stacking odors.I am suggesting just merely applying small trace amounts of different scents to compliment a more dominant odor.

I have found strong evidence supporting the positive effects on coyotes and cats useing multi attractants with good set eye appeal. Versus other types of presentations.

Lots of good responses. I left the question kinda open because I wanted responses like this. I frequently have dirtholes dug out months after season, espically so it seems if they have had bait in them. Though the bait I make is almost a thick lure rather than a bait by most trappers standards. I was never a big bait user until I started making formulated baits. Then I started to see the benifits.