I tried using borax as a preservative last year and I had some terrible results. I found that the borax effected the edible qualities of the bait, and unfortunately by the time I found out about it I had already wasted alot of money and product by using the borax in it. Yes it does preserve the bait very well and it also is an anti-fungal agent so your bait won't mold but the animals will actually go an extent to not eat it if the bait was, say smeared on a piece of fruit. They would eat all parts of the fruit except any part the borax-preserved bait had been placed. I just wanted to share my findings to others who might be able to learn from my mistake. Borax works good for fishing baits but not trapping baits.

As stated borax has many uses. Preserving hides,glands, washing clothes,dusting tissue to prevent spoilage etc. It is however not a preferred material for anything that may be eaten or used in baits that could be eaten. Many used it for gland and bait work back in the fur boom years I am aware due to its economical costs and easy availability.

Even some well known lure makers back in those days used it regularly. Blackie and I spoke of this many times. Later years as more information was shared to a degree most went to S.B and M.P. for preserving lures and baits. Back in those days there was no internet so any methods or routines in formulation was generally only shared in person or on the phone.

Refusals or video cam footage to determine such behavior or traits was only interpreted by visual sign that was left at a set location or test site. It definitely has taste averse effects on most that would try to consume the material. Not a new finding, that fact has been known by many for years now that are in the trade.

It is a good point to remind some that don't understand that cheap or convienent is not always the better way to go as some would say.