While I’m sure many of you here are probably thinking not another recipe question, I assure you that’s not the case.
I have a couple gallons of beaver meat that I want to make into a bait that is rather mellow and almost sweet smelling. I’ve purchase some of Paul’s bait solution to use on it after tainting. As I understand it from reading the forums and one of Carmen’s books the process of tainting should get me started in that direction. What I’m most curious about is could you add something sweet to the mix like maple syrup to build that into the bait as well.
My goal with this is a bait that encourages a “come over here and smell, hmmm that smells like something to dig up” response rather than a real strong pungent smell that may not be tasty but may get their attention.
I’m probably not expressing this that well but I know what I’m looking for but since I’ve never done this before I’m a little bit at a loss.
Any help in finding my way would be appreciated.
Rick

Out in west NE one year trapping coyotes I found purple coon scat every where. Wasn't catching coons just coyotes. Had some of that purple coon scat plop out of a coyotes but while skinning. Prickly pear was having a banner year and those purple fruits were everywhere. This was in late Oct.

I never have messed with them as a bait or bait additive. Mostly because they are not common here. If you can gather a bunch, and refrain from making candy jelly or eating all of them, I think some experimentation may pan out.

honey is a good sweetener in coyote bait

Thank you Danny. You were one of the people I hoped would respond. I follow your posts a lot because you seem to know your stuff.
I may have to look into that. Raspberry and other berries crossed my mind as well.
Rick

If I was wanting to add something sweet I would add honey instead of maple syrup. I believe most baits can be enhanced with honey. Maple syrup is for waffles and pancakes, too expensive for coyote bait.

Black strap molasses or powder molasses will add taste flavor and sweetness to any bait in the right amounts. Canines are exposed to it as well in the field and pastures as many ranchers use it as a supplement in feed and it is contained in the mineral tubs placed in pastures and field lots.

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. Bob, I hadn’t thought of of the molasses but definitely think that might be the ticket.
Thanks
Rick

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Its mulberries around here. When they are falling off trees the coyotes scat is full of the seeds. Every tree has coyote sign under it.

Persimmon when ripe is a coyote favorite. I think everything likes ripe persimmons.

Odor and flavor is very good with the molasses. I have used it for years in formulations to add taste palatability to some aged products. You do need to find the balance of its use as sugars can and will cause fermentation in some things so don't get carried away with its use.

If you decide to use molasses, buy it from a feed store, not the grocery store, it's much cheaper.

They like raspberries that's for sure

This was last week or the week before



Also consider mulberries, they are very sweet

Raspberries and mulberries are a staple in the diets of many coyotes in my area and I did consider them as well. But I think I’m going to go with the molasses because it is easier to work into the formula as I go forward today. I am curious though everyone’s thoughts on when to add it, before tainting, after tainting, while I add the bait solution, or when it’s bottled in smaller batches. I’m planning on putting this bait up in jars that hold about a pint. If I get positive responses I’d like to try the berries next year to see how that works as well.
Rick

ive had moderate success adding fruit jellies into a rank bait, it tones down the sharp smell into a sweet sharp smell. I add it after both products have been completely preserved. Nice use for mulberrys! Cant speak for the raspberrys that would go on toast and in my belly!!

Here its wild cherries, scat is full of the seeds. Danny's spot on. Iv'e used honey as an add for years. They love the taste added to fresh meat.. Caro syrip works well too.

persimmon oil or honey

I got a test bait from a friend and he uses some apple butter as the base. Not sure if it taste sweet hut it sure smells it

Well the progress thus far is this. I tainted the meat for 9 days and now have a nice gravy like consistency with some lumps in it. When I pulled it yesterday to add sodium benzoate and my Dobbins bait solution it was a bit thinner than I would like but we will see in 2 weeks what the consistency is. At that time I’m going to split the batch and and about 1/2 cup of karo syrup to one batch and 1/2 cup molasses to the other batch. Based on the consistency at that time, I’m going to add some corn starch filler to thicken it and then start testing it in the sand pit to see what kind of reaction I get from the coyotes.
I gotta tell you guys that are “regular make a living from bait making people”. That is one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever done and you don’t have to worry about losing any of MY business.
Rick

Tainted meat, skunk, mink glands, dont phase me a bit but ten minutes into cleaning and grinding coyote glands I start having symptoms of nausea.

I wouldn't use the corn starch. I know we use it to thicken gravy but were cooking it, and only use it in place of flour because of the lumps, In Lure maybe it'd be Ok, but it has a nasty taste if used heavily. There's lots of other things around the house if your making "home concoctions". I'd be more apt to use a cream cheese as a thickener, or crushed up gram crackers or instant potatoes to thicken a bait.

why does bait need to be thick? smear some on the roof of a dirthole or on a bone or on a corn stob or on a rock or on a stump. if its good bait stuff will sniff or dig no matter how thick it is.

The wife mentioned the same thing about the corn starch and after discussing it with her and the comments here, I think I may go with a food thickener that doesn’t have a flavor.
Danny, I agree that lure or bait doesn’t need to be thick but in this case, if you saw the consistency I think you would agree that it needs tightened up a bit. I want something that I can slap on a piece of wool and poke down a dirt hole not pour in and that’s what I got.
I’m not saying they don’t work, but I have not had much success with liquid baits.
Rick

Rick when thewild plums are ripe here the thickets have tons of little seed piles from droppings. Coon, coyotes, everything hits the plums when they are ripe.
Jim

When I trapped in Arizona 35 years ago prickly pear was a staple in grey fox diet. I picked a lot of cactus needles out of their necks. I don't know how it would be for coyote. Forum member wayne52 (Wayne Derrick in New Mexico) probably would know the answer. I assume prickly pear syrup could be purchased.

Im quite fond of liquid baits they saturate into the soil.Making them impossible to remove! They will dig forever and never get to the source! The more they dig the stronger it gets! Try it as a liquid you might be pleasingly surprised.

I have used arrowroot to thicken successfully

the small leaved type of prickly pear in west ne is different than the big leaf common in the desert. the stickers fall off the fruit when its ripe. then everything eats them. deer cattle and coyotes. animals don't usually get thorns in them. no big leaves to dodge or even clumps of leaves

Well the deed has been done.i ended up with 3 separate baits that each have a unique smell. I strained the chunks off and added a bit of skunk (3-4drops) to a quart that will really mellow by the time I’m ready to use it in December. The liquid I thinkened up with thickit which adds no flavor to the base. Before doing that though I split it into two buckets of about a quart and a half each and added 3 oz of Karo syrup to one and molasses to the other which gave me two different smells. I’ve been checking them daily since getting them bottled and I really like the one with molasses. Next weekend will begin the trials tho as I am going to put some in the ground and set some cameras up.

Anyone ever use pawpaws as a bait for critters? Always find the seeds in scats of coon, fox and coyote when the pawpaws are dropping. And no one mentioned adding castor to bait to give it a slightly sweet smell to a bait. I wouldn't have let the bait go that long of a taint myself, but then again I don't know what conditions he has in place either.

I’m not any sort of bait or lure maker. I have on occasion ground up beaver and scrap and mixed it with Dobbins Bait Solution. I added not-for-human-consumption honey to a gallon of it and have done well.

Well I wouldn’t call it a verdict but the first batch of results indicates that the mix with the molasses definitely interests them. I had three different coyotes working the set even after having a ton of rain. I went back in yesterday and put in another dirt hole and we will pull the card next week and see if we can get similar results.
Rick