Just kicking this out there for conversation. I have a few different baits that i use for coon and have been successful with. I do find however that these baits are rock solid for a period of time and then taper off. Wondering if anyone has done any in depth note taking and have related the patterns to breeding and living patterns in the animals. From sweet baits to meat and cat/dog food style baits I am curious what you all have found.

Corn or roasted peanuts. When that gets slack, add a small coating of unsweetened grape kool-aid powder. I’ve tried everything else imaginable and nothing beats that down South...or if someone else has something ant proof I’ll give it a shot.

SW WI, i use jack makeral from the dollar store mixed 50/50 with cat food. Works good.

Do you guys find that they are a constant hit or do you see the patterns seasonally on the bait. What use and notice for what it is worth. I use small breed dog food with Hickory or mesquite flavored liquid smoke and sometimes Jello powder. The powder is something that i have added this year part of the way through so i am still experimenting with it. Very start of the season that bait was colder than ice. Coon walked right on by and went to my pocket sets or canine sets near by. Then about the second to third week of Nov and the first cold snap I was not getting rejections. If an animal walked by the tracks stopped and they ate and i caught all but one of those. Then Around the first of december or so that bait went dead cold again.

I have heard some guys say i only use this and it hits and other say that they notice sweet works then hearty then bait needs to be meat based to keep rolling on them. Trying to put the information of others together and develop a plan for testing and trapping next year really. And maybe pick up a few more this year that are not hitting. Note my area of the world is sub zero so bait needs to stay consumable.

Early season shelled corn with maple syrup.
Middle season-end of season shelled corn with a fish oil combination.
When breading season picks up and they start cruising more and not eating I go to blind sets or a set with some gland lure. Had decent luck using fox gland

I use the same baits for coon all year in ADC work and I use those same baits in the fur season out in the back 40 also. But I do bait differently, meaning I use very small portions of 2 or 3 baits/lures at each set. So I am giving them a choice at each set. And to answer the na sayers before they say anything, No I do not use a lot of product, matter fact, I bet I use less than the normal person total at each set. LOL