In attracting your target animals. How many of you purchase the "BEST" bait and lure out there? Then the following year find yourself purchasing another brand that is also the "BEST" bait or lure, but yet you aren't seeing any results?

You're told to age your brew for years at a time, and to add all these ingredients, to achieve a certain odor. So many variables go into that statement it isn't funny. So you live to try this supah dupah elite brew that you just concocted up and you go to use it and boom nada.....

Its suppost to work because trappers said so.... RESEARCH RESEARCH AND MORE RESEARCH ON THE TARGET ANIMAL. What does it eat during the four seasons, whats in the area for food. What does it need to survive, protien, carbs etc.

It's ok you don't have to answer, the posts say it all. Ijmo but the biggest mistake being made is most don't test their materials individually long enough, then maximize as needed or shoot for an odor. Here are the "secret supah dupah elite ingredients to "yield" you the best results.

First you need to make your supah elite "BEST" bait or lure.





Then let them loose.


You may want to document your testing area.


Then you need to bait or lure your "testing site".


Set a cam up.




Then check the cam, leave it for a night or several, up to you




Then you check your site area for the results you are looking for.







Testing should be done year round and in many locations or your particular area you are trapping. Rain, snow etc. This is our secret "ingredient" its time, trial and error. Just because a b c are using one of the million recipes out there doesn't necessarily mean it will produce the same results. You will also cut costs on bait and lure as well. I apologize, its been a long week of in-service, need a little laugh:)

cool post and spot on

Everyone knows someone who traps the heck out of canines and uses a certain bait and lure. Then again someone knows folks who go out and purchase the same bait and lure and cant trap a skunk with it, let a lone attract a canine.

Canines are easy to get to an area if they are around. Your bait&lure need to offer a lot more than just a bunch of oils and musks that sound good on paper.

If you're making your own bait and wondering what will attract your target animal, it pays to test. Little bit of a PITA to punch hundreds of holes but if you want it, you'll get after it. Abracadabra recipes aren't needed. Remember animals are curious by nature, you don't need to purchase $80 to a $100 an ounce on ingredients to put an animals nose or paw in a hole. Knowing what you're adding and why is key. Doesn't take much either. Oh and they punch holes wearing bug spray, and kneel down around the test sites. They've been studying canine habits for a while now. When I gave them a mission to come up with an effective formula based off of the information they've been studying their list had almost 30 ingredients. When I asked them to simplify that list by using what they thought were key attractants, they made it to 4 ingredients. I like it!

Sounds like the secret ingredient is bug spray.

Russ Carmen wrote a trapper who is not real good at it can not evaluate bait and lure. I think he is right.




Some lure makers claim some scents work better for some than others. I believe its trapping ability and nothing else.

Maybe, but then again it isn't rocket science. I'm aware of the spin in this industry. This side of the forum was due for a good convo.

I kind of think he's right too. You can put a good bait somewhere there is no target animals and you have to know why you have no results. Then again, if you're on location, an old boot can get attention. Does that make it a good bait? Well...sometimes! lol Especially if you know why it worked.

I think TDHP is right in that, when it comes to bait, knowing what the targets are eating at any time of the year, is paramount. That along with making sure the bait is palatable.

Like real estate
Location location location

Amen!!!

Some of the most consistent are the most simple formulas, even the best is only as good as where ya put the set..

There is a big difference in catching 1 animal or 100's of animals. Little wobble holes mean nothing in testing stuff like those shallow holes. Location is the key to big catches but your bait and lure better hold them. Try the bug spray in 10 below 0 see how many animals you get.

X2 Marty!
=0+0=0-0=(0)!LOL

Place a trap at under earth = maybe -1 maybe +1 -1 = (0)!
Traps have NO Attraction, fresh earth has some attraction, holes = eye attraction, without odor you have about (0) +1 - -1 = (0)! LOL, chemistry!

At -0 Bug spray would be working just fine at attraction = -(0)!

Its never a zero you will most always have a grinner come along and brighten your day ! I try to eliminate unneeded steps and time. My first preliminary test is on my hunting dogs if it passes that test then it time for boots to the ground testing. I feel a bird dog has as good or better of a nose than a yote. Maybe not on certain smells but they don't miss much! I've saw them wind holes at over 100 yards! On mild baits none the less.IMHO if I can smell my attractant standing at a set ive wasted product

I must be missing something here, where did TDHP talk about using bug spray as an attractant. Unless I missed the point, I believe he was saying the bug spray on his kids wasn't affecting the outcome. I think his point about testing products is spot on, whether it's your own or somebody else's.

Apparently I am not the only one confused, lureintheanimal is calling math chemistry..

I need to learn to make bait from you!

By any chance were you reading this thread outdoors? Screen have a little glare to it? Sir, correct me if I'm wrong but bait & lure is supposed to attract the animal right? Hence the words BAIT...LURE.....? I believe it is up to the trapper to bed their traps to the best of their ability to give them the best chance of success. That would give the trapper (numbers)... right Sir? SO These little shallow holes...as you kindly stated really doesn't matter because the bait did its job and got the animals to the holes and kept their attention. I never seen a bait or lure that could attract animals that aren't there, but then again I'm sure yours could. FYI, the kids enjoy it and that is what matters. Unless all that trapper talk on youth involvement is bs?

TDHP i'm with you on that a 3/8 hole with plain bacon grease will be a bomb site in a few days if your on sign! Or even remotely close! I call it simple easy critter conditioning! But I use a tire plug tool to make my holes! By week two you can put a front lawn mower tire in it! Now I have their attention! Time to start testing . Summer yotes are to sporadic so im 100 % certain they are their before I test

Folks can put their (MAGIC HATS) on and type philosophically on this matter, I get it. The only thing that makes someones bait or lure a (MAGICAL CONCOCTION) is the fact only you know whats in it and it has some effect on an animal..jmo. But at the end of the day the objective is to get an animal to walk up to a hole and place that purdy paw on ya trap pan, if I'm wrong I stand corrected. JMO but that is (trap placement) nothing to do with bait and lure after the animal is there. (Guiding) to the hole? The bait and lure got them there right? How's that animal going to approach the hole? Most can trap before they get a paw in the hole.

As far as (tire plug) holes turning into (bomb) sites is FANTASTIC! But realistically all it takes is an animal to walk up and take a whiff or peek in a hole and if the trap is bedded properly and the stars align, there would be an animal in the trap on your next trap check. The (mine is better than yours) runs deep in the trapping and hunting world. A lot of people I've spoken with don't take animal population into consideration. JMO, you will only get out, what you put in when it comes to being successful on catches, bait and lure is a small fraction of the process.

For testing its a simple concept, punch holes and go, use a cam or not, I'd recommend it at first. Once you get the (CONSISTENT) results you're looking for, form your own opinion and then send out for testing. I don't use those magical incubators or bury my bait, and canines have no problem digging for it, all (PREFERENCE).

!you missed it, sure, braveheart had a good imbed to the bug spray inclusion in attraction in relation to a previous post relation, re-read and think!
In fact, math is chemistry vice versa! every time you go to the restroom you are using math creating chemistry vice-versa. don't forget to Wash your hands!

location is just fine just place a good trap underground covered or for Cats exposed and, just wait for the alarm to wake you when the animal shows up Wiley-Coyote or Tommy 'Cat may be smiling at you after your yawn is over and you drop the shell for dispatch! have fun and get there early before twilight!