I ground up about 6 mice on 6/4/22,I looked inside today MAGGOTS! I didn't put any SB in.

You can't age mice more then a few days depending upon the temps and conditions. Preferably use them fresh for the best effect. There is a learning curve processing lure and bait to protect each phase of the process. SB won't stop flies. It will reduce the odor output if done properly. The odor draws the flies once that material reaches the level of taint that is good for egg laying conditions.

I keep all my bait in a old freezer that doesn't work.

Doesn't work for keeping out the flies either it would seem
I used a unplugged freezer for aging some products this year. Still got some maggots in a couple of things put with regular observations I caught it before any damage was done and resolved. Lesson learned.

So how do you avoid getting maggots in your meat. I did some deer last year and added a bait solution and had no problem. I then did some beaver later on and omg.I was down on one knee. I am fixing to pick up some hard to come by gator meat and don't want to ruin it.

Best thing is too taint in cooler weather when flies aren't out if possible. Next best is but the container in something that is fly proof. For me if its gallon or smaller they go in and old cooler. If it's a bucket or 2 I've put them in a big trash bag and twisted shut and put opening under the bucket. Seems to me if they lay eggs on the container that the product is in the eggs either fall in when inspecting it or those litte tiny magggets can crawl though some pretty tight spots to get in when they first hatch. I'm sure there's other ways than that what I've mentioned. Careful monitoring is always beneficial.

Can't opine on the condition of your respective inoperable freezers, but I use the same thing and have never had a maggot issue. However, I freeze any bait or lure ingredients before they go in the freezer. Your products MAY HAVE had fly eggs on them when you put them in your freezer, which developed into maggots. Freezing the material beforehand kills the larvae and eggs. As Yes Sir said, if flies can get to your containers, they will lay eggs all over the lid/seal and when you open the lid to inspect the contents, it's impossible to prevent some of the eggs from falling in. If you can catch the process before the maggots get too far along, you can freeze the container and kill all the maggots and start over.

Good info.Thanks.

Laz is right. I have been buying muskrat meat in 2 gallon and 5 gallon buckets for years from = MB. Great value. Got 2 gallons about 2 years ago. Went out used on coyote job. Next day. Opened. Full of maggots. Took. Put in deep freeze. Killed maggots. Went back to catching coyotes

I use the tire valve method Mr. Jameson has mentioned on here. Rare when I get maggots in the jar.

Chest freezers I have used many and have many used for storage outdoors along my building. Most all can bleed enough odor to allow flies to lay eggs that will hatch and maggots may get in. Or the flies themselves will get in.

I keep a commercial fly treatment ( Alpine Pressurized Fly Bait is its commercial name ) applied around the seal of the lid and I treat each bucket that is in the freezer. I will find hundreds of dead flies lying dead. This is usually considered a commercial operators insecticide. But I am sure they sell to just about anyone these days.

It is deadly on flies of all kinds. It is my line of defense on things of a critical nature that I must protect. They die in a few seconds of sponging the material. Dinotefuran is the active ingredient.

As far as protecting your material a good 5 gal bucket with a good O ring seal is step one. Step two is drilling and mounting a tire valve stem into the top side of the bucket.

This placed where the valve stem does not interfere with removing or closing the lid securely. I use a 1/2" paddle bit to drill the hole.This gives a very secure fit.

Just pull the plug stem from the interior thru the wall of the bucket until it seats over the bucket wall.

Remove the valve core stem. Replace the cap loosely.

I remove the buckets O rings and coat them with a good smear of Vaseline then re install the O ring into the bucket lid.

Here is my aging / venting and product storage system.

I have hundreds of buckets sealed, but breathing, some aged and stopped others still being monitored occasionally for progress.








This was my original bucket venting system I used many years ago. Then I figured out the tire valve stem idea. Never went back.

I use to put a piece of cotton or sponge into the vent hole during the gas off period.

Once age was completed and the material was preserved I put a golf tee up into the tube to prevent fly or insect entry.






Venting your buckets in this or a similar manner preserves your lids integrity and allows stacking buckets.We go 4-5 high to consolidate space. The old ways ruined your lids and prevented stacking.

This is how I keep Flys out of my bait

^^^^^this
I have a frig/freezer that houses my preserved lure and bait. I check it regularly, and Invariably I find dead flies in the bottom. If you catch it early enough, and are careful, you can stop or prevent the damage of maggots. Everything else is sealed tight in my 25 cubic foot freezer.

Think of your lure making operation as a sterile operating room and you'll be able to sleep at night. Sleep is good. Maggots are bad.

I age my meat in a five gallon pail. I get a lid with a grommet and drill a hole in the top the size for a wine air lock. You need to also put a grommet for the air lock. I fill the airlock with vegetable oil so I don't have to worry about evaporation. Never had maggots this way

I make a little bait, for my own use, in very small batches. I have very good luck using 2.5 gallon ziplock bags. They allow mixing without opening the bag, keep flys out, and also allow room for expansion.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Unique-B...r-Air-Bubble-Stone-for-Aquarium/46139813

glued in the lid of a five gallon bucket. do like Lazarus. after you put the base material in freeze it for a couple days. then taint.

I like the yellow buckets.