Ok, first of all I’m a sucker for baits and lures. I could probably supply my entire State for the season. I like helping out lure makers and generally order a little something from all. Herein lies my problem, I have a ton of natural baits I use also...eggs, quail from dog training, quail remains, dove remains, duck remains, turkey parts, etc.
I use all of them during the cold months and will smear a dab of bait on them before going down a dirt hole. I might use 5-6 different baits on one property. I’ll always set a pipe dream set as my second set at a location (just to be safe for weather changes). During the cold weather (means no ants) the dirtholes shine. When multiple critters traveling together or just a real good location I’ll double, one on the pipe and one at the hole. But, I believe the dirthole connects first.
Does anyone use “natural baits”? And if so do you just use that natural bait and nothing else? I’ve been doing a lot of reading and watching videos this summer and experimenting with dogs. I finally realized I use WAY TOO MUCH bait/lure. And to be honest it’s probably worked against me more than it helped. I have half a freezer worth of natural baits. Sorta thinking of just experimenting on my first property this year and seeing what “really” produces.
Any advice or criticism appreciated. I’m always up for learning.

I have in the past used natural bait, but I don’t usually. I find it far more convenient to scoop a little paste out of the jar and smear it in the hole. As with most things in trapping, I believe bait is often overthought. Which brand, what flavor, how much, etc. I firmly believe in the KISS method with all things trapping. Sure, you might have to get creative to kill a particular coyote if there’s a problem animal, but probably 99% of coyotes in most situations can be caught with just about any bait and/or a squirt of quality urine and a dirt hole or a flat set.

most trappers I know say to set on location and bed the traps properly, and they do well

I have had my best success with deer liver and deer lung followed by deer meat down a hole then covered with deer hair. Tried the commercial baits...Hiawatha Valley was the best performer.

Got a bucket of fresh rat carcasses that will be used for bait on Saturday. Will let you know how It works out.

I used to use lots of natural bait. Still do use some deer products for coyote. Mostly just lure and urine though. When I stopped using bait at every set my oppossum catch rate dropped a lot, along with other undesirables.

Going to try things a little different this season. Trying to do better every year as far as catch numbers go. Believe it or not I haven’t tried deer yet, but I’ll start saving some parts to try out this year. I’m only able to use anything like natural baits when it gets COLD ants will have a dirthole filled in if it’s not.

And thanks Beav, I had completely forgot about the rats I saved from my DP’s. I have a bag of them somewhere in the back freezer. The wife won’t even open that freezer, lol.

Mainly use beaver liver

And thanks Beav, I had completely forgot about the rats I saved from my DP’s. I have a bag of them somewhere in the back freezer. The wife won’t even open that freezer, lol. [/quote]

From your post, rats saved from DP's, sounds like your talking about barn rats. I believe the beav is referring to muskrat for bait, which works well for canines around my area as well as a lot of others.

my cat has been bringing me 2-4 mice a day.i just thank her, put them in a plastic bag and freeze.

Actually referring to cotton rats which love corn in a DP no matter where it’s set.

I'm going to try some prairie dogs this year. Always a few in my pasture that need 'culled', so I think I will try to use some of them and see what happens. Can't hurt anything I don't think.

Took a very old almost toothless female yote last in a trench set that was right on location with a piece of rabbit way down a deep hole. No lure or urine. I’ll use natural baits when it’s easy to do so and I’m right on a track.

I believe I was reading in posts from that 1,000 coyote quest guy on here last year was using chopped pieces of muskrat carcasses and a little coyote urine at his sets. Said something about if your dog won't eat it neither will a coyote. He didn't seem to use lure either.
Jim

According to Robert he uses NO LURE. But he does use a bob cat meat based bait that might be considered a lure/bait.
And the muskrat bait Is straight skinny. He buys rats for bait.

I wonder sometimes if some of the advantage of natural bait is the amount used at a set. I assume most people use more than a spoonful when using a natural bait.ltest all my bait bases by themselves and add one ingredient at a time and test. With that said its pretty easy to make a simple meat base significantly more attractive with a few ingredients. I've often wondered if coyotes can smell in a way that helps them determine how much volume of bait is down a hole and sometimes a larger amount of bait makes them more intrested in working a set.

You have a point there. I do use whole quail (tame used in dog training), generally a couple of dove parts, even quarter parts of rabbits and feral critters. Maybe there is something to more bait equals longer hang time which leads to more chances at a catch.

I feed them puppies. Not a big fan of lure myself although I agree the prepared baits have lure qualities. Also why I’m not a real big fan of the poke hole dirt holes.

If they visit a set I want them to think they’re getting fed and dig to China to get it. By that time it’s all over. I’ve had really good success with straight mice here but I have trouble keeping badger out.

I plan to run some deer scraps just after deer season this year. Every coyote in our country knows what deer is after the second week of November. I’m sure a number of them live off carcass piles for a majority of the winter.

My top natural bait is mice. catch in summer & freeze. as good as it gets

I mixed up some Deer burger with Muskrat and Beaver.I let it sit in a hole for 2 weeks then added Dobbins Bait sol and some extra castor.I stabilized it and it saat for 5 yrs except the bit I gave a friend.He said he loved it killed the Fisher on it so I gave him the rest.