Let me preface this by saying i don't have experience in tincturing, lure or bait making. What i do have is time(i'm semi-retired), a healthy interest in making some decent bait and lure for personal use and a good source of White Sucker and Beaver meat. I also have quite a bit of Common Valerian growing in the area and would like to add it to a bait as it is natural to the area. How do i gather and prepare the plant for this use? Any personal insight or experience using Valerian is greatly appreciated.

So far as I know valerian is native to europe. Did you plant some? I don't tincture it I buy finely powdered root. Canines sniff at it and cats want to rub on it

It is here where I am in northern Manitoba also. It was brought to my attention that the strong smell I was referring to one day in early summer was Common Valerian. I have a book called Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada (Lone Pine) and it definitely is that as the pictures and description are a match as well as it stating that the plant is found here also. According to the book, the Alaskan Tlingit have a name for the plant which means ‘medicine that stinks’. In addition to Common Valerian, there is also a Sitka Valerian, a Marsh Valerian, and the Edible Valerian all found within Canada.

What I am wondering about is how to use it in with my bait or lure. I thought maybe dehydrated to save it and then rehydrate it for use but I really have no clue. I’ve done dehydrated and rehydrated Dill for my own personal use so I thought maybe something along those lines, but honestly, I have no clue. I definitely want to try to introduce some of it’s smell to a bait as I do feel that it does attract Lynx.

The book I got my information from.

I would think that digging up the root and drying it. Dry the leaves and buds if possible as well. Once they are dry grind them up and try each separately to see which has the most attraction.