I had some chopped up muskrat bait that I made several years ago. I added to much skunk essence and left it in a gallon jug with an aquarium hose and stone set up to mellow out as I thought it might be to loud and scare off predators instead of attracting them. I had already used SB on the bait, but wanted to make sure it didn't build up any gases. Over time the meat broke down into a dark brown sludge with little pieces of fat still in the bait. The skunk essence has finally mellowed out enough that I think I can use it for mid to late season smear bait. Unfortunately it has watery fluid in it and I'm worried it might freeze and break the glass jars I put it in. Aside from salt is there anything I can use to either get rid of the fluid or add something to freeze proof? I have tried to drain the fluid off, but can't seem to get it all.

try taking some of it and putting it into the freezer (make sure its closed in a bag or two or three to keep the smell in) see how badly it freezes then you can add more to it if needed

Mike, I'd put a bit in a plastic jar then in the freezer, to test.
If you can save the liquidity it makes a nice liquid bait out of a squirt bottle...I made some by accident yrs ago and a few guys loved it.
Quick squirt into dirthole and roll.
If it freezes...some will say add Glycerin and others Salt.
Personally, I don't know since I live down in hades where there is no winter.

Pure grain alcohol is another antifreeze. Two things ive had good success thickening a bait up with is hard boiled egg yolks and horse meat (it is pretty dry after using SB). Dont know if this stuff will work for you but it will give you something to think on. The freezer thing I kind of question because I use to store my commercial lures in the freeze in the off season. I assume they had enough antifreeze for most climates but they all would freeze solid in a freezer. Even a few that came from an area were it does get bitterly cold.

I don't want to add salt because it will draw unwanted/non-target animals. Won't the alcohoI evaporate? I suppose I can mix in some glycerin, but its really at a good sticky consistency. Every time I think I have got most of the fluid off, I come back to find more puddled on top and along the sides of the jar. I've saved all the fluid and planned on pouring it over fish pellets for extra bait. Wonder if bone meal would soak up the excess fluid?

Or blood meal

Powdered mashed potatoes, oatmeal etc. will absorb moisture and will add some flavor to the bait as well. It also wont change the over all odor of the material significantly either since the thickening materials are relatively neutral submissive in odor and can only add attraction to the meat or product.

Most any dehydrated product that is in powder form will help thicken a product. Commercial thickeners will work and hold the product indefinitely with the correct volume of material.

Appreciate it.

I've heard mice love the smell of potatoes though, I've never tried it but I know people exterminate mice by putting out dry potato flakes with water so it swell up inside them. Just my .02

Nothing more interesting then mouse odor going into a dirthole to investigate. They will have to make a lot of trips to eat all of a meat bait before a capture is made.

I will give it a try, the potatoe flakes that is. I have 4 pints so I can do a little experimenting. Like I said before, I really like the consistency its at now as it is very sticky and stays wherever you put it.

sometimes you can just stir the liquid back in

Tried that Danny, didn't work. The meat has rendered down to a very thick, sticky mass and the fluid does not mix in.