I want to add an ounce of muskrat glands to 3 or 4 gallons of ground meat for a canine bait, but would like to tincture them or at least add them to a liquid so they distribute through the bait easier. I have everclear, glycerine, and propylene glycol. What should I use? I have read a hundred opinions and there is probably no correct answer. I've read alcohol isn't good to add to bait for taste, glycerine doesn't tincture materials, and propylene glycol mutes scents. I realize an ounce of glands isn't much, but it's what I have. I want a natural bait with no essential oils. Someone have any advice?

You are correct, an ounce of rat glands added to that volume of meat bait will not give you much if any presence of the rat glands in your bait. You can help stretch an ingredient in a product a bit with tincturing and it certainly will help give better distribution. However you would be better mixing the ounce of glands into a smaller volume of bait to allow the glands to permeate and to be a more effective ingredient.

Just a suggestion...

Alcohol added to a base should not deter an animal. The alcohol will evaporate away and give the scent some "lift" as Paul says about castor lure. I've added tinctures in alcohol to my homemade canine baits with no ill effects. If the critter is digging for your bait in a dirthole and not caught by the time he's eating it and tasting it you should be changing your trap placement IMO

Thanks for the replies and good point on the animal reaching the bait, Turtledale. Bob with the price of rat glands, is it standard practice to tincture the glands before adding to a bait? Maybe not many baits have rat glands and they are used more in lures?

It is not standard practice to tincture all glands before adding them to a formula. At least it is not a common practice in our formula work.

Certain ingredients can be tinctured if deemed necessary like fixatives etc. or simply worked into a fluid slurry to allow better flow and contact throughout a lure or bait.

For example. A fluid formula ingredient may be used as the active ingredient slurry delivery system for ingredients into a product base.

I am sure rat glands or a man made substitute ( synthethic ) are being used in baits as well as lures. Some are using Musk Ambrette as a good replacement for authentic rat glands. As many gland costs continue to rise many will find or be forced to find alternative ingredients. If not there will be significant price increases in the near future. No way around it.

I use a lot of rat glands in my canine and cat lures. I don't tincture them, but I do grind and let them taint a bit. A typical 3 gallon batch of my lure will contain a pint of ground rat glands. I'm partial to the trinity of rat glands, castor and mink glands added to the lure base. I also use rat glands in my bait solution.

They tincture quit easily in a cold frig i kept a little over a pint three years in my trapping frig with about 1/8 cup of ever clear they had that distinct hubba bubba smell and stayed a light pink color the duration

I use the Bill Nelson ratio of castor, mink and muskrat glands in the bait solution I use in Appleroad Bobcat and Horsemeat predator bait....all full strength....makes a difference

The extra fur you will catch by having plenty of rat glands in your formulation will more than justify spending the $ for a pint of glands to have a real presence. To quote Cletis "it makes (the) a difference"

an ounce will spice up a quart of ground meat pretty good

Thanks guys and I really appreciate the replies with actual ratios. I figured a canine would be attracted to a lower concentration than what is reality. I also have no idea what the Bill Nelson ratio of castor, mink and muskrat glands is. I'm honestly happy with my two favorite commercial baits, but just would like to make and use one I've made.

then 8 tablespoons of ground beaver castor, 20 drops of pure skunk essence,. It helps to add 4 ounces of ground muskrat or mink glands. This is in a gallon of bait solution

Thanks Cletis! Anyone ever mix any ambrette with rat glands, essentially tincture rat gland in ambrette and maybe some glycerine or everclear?

I like combining the two in muskrat lures.

I have several quarts of ambrette-rat gland tincture that are over ten years old. It works well for me. Rat glands and Musk Ketone crystals together has been good also.