I recently ordered some of Bob Jameson's Max Force bait solution. I am looking to use slightly-tainted chunk deer meat as a bait base.

My question is this. If I am looking to slightly taint the meat before preserving with SB, how long at 60-degree temps with about 80% humidity will the meat need to take? What coloring, etc. do I need to look for if I chunk the meat up in 1" cubes and keep it constantly stirred? I've had some other trappers tell me about 2 weeks should be right but I didn't know if I needed to add the SB after a few days since it will still be aging?

Any input or suggestions welcome...

Why not contact Bob?

Indoor aging at room temp 7-10 days will give you a mild taint and help to keep the flies out. Stir the batch 2-3 times during that period. That will help to balance the age and not to develop hot and flat spots.

Age is really up to the individual as to what they want. Go by smell. The look doesn't always represent the readiness of a meat when aging. That will come with experience.

At those temps 60 degrees or so the flies are active, so if aging outdoors watch for them to attempt to invade your container and lay eggs once it starts to gas a bit.

In this situation where flies are active is it safe to, to avoid fly contamination, put the bucket into a garbage bag and seal the bag well ? I'm concerned with the seal on the lids of my 5 gallon buckets i obtained from the hardware store.

Thanks Mr. Bob!

if you invest in Gamma Lids, that screw on/off, not only is life TONS easier, but their gasket seals well, BUT ya need to still spray bug spray around the edge cuz they'll lay eggs there. They are bout $6 ea.
Lowes or Walmart or Home Depot are who has them in our hood.
Great to keep tools in too or what have you around the place.

I've used trash bags around buckets as insurance. It works, I just put the opening of the bag under the bucket so the bucket holds it closed. I kind of like the cheap lids because I've learned I dont have to vent them, they vent themselves as pressure builts up but flies will lay eggs around the edges and when you open them the eggs can fall in. I keep a close eye on the buckets and will freeze the product for 2 days if I see any signs of larvae in them. The freezing will kill the eggs also if you have to grind while the flies are out. I may be over the top but I'd be hesitant to spray any bug spray on my bait buckets, but that's just me.

When storing large volumes of preserved baits, aging glands and bases we always spray the bucket rims and lid O rings with a commercial fly bait that we use in work. We are storing indoors. Dinotefuran is the active ingredient and it is some hi tech insecticide as to its mode of action.. PT Alpine fly bait is its name.

It is extremely effective. The flies die within a few seconds of sponging it to taste it. It is a liquid aerosol and doesn't require much. No odor to humans. Good insurance for commercial operators when you cant really check so many stacked stored materials for possible maggot/fly larvae breaches regularly. Get them before they lay.

Small bait batches I don't see a problem with using trash bags or vented buckets as they would not be labor intensive to check to maintain their protection from maggots.

Perfect, thanks for the responses, it's -26C with a -39C windchill here so i'm a ways off from starting but i'm stockpiling different bait idea's in the bait freezer and accumulating the needed materials so i can make a few different styles this spring/summer/fall.

I appreciate you guys taking the time to respond very much, again ... thanks.