Discovered some canine, mink, raccoon, beaver, muskrat, weasel lures and bait.....Okay I knew they were stored in my old refrigerator for 6 years! Some were opened and others are new. The open ones still smell potent without any signs of spoilage. How long will lures and prepared bait last? What is the oldest bottle of lure or bait that you made or bought that you still used and caught the target animal? I have added new lures and bait recently to my collection but they are different brands. Do you ever get to a point where you just pitch all lure and bait past a certain age? Thanks in advance for your replies.

Chris

If they still look and smell ok, use em!

I have some of dad's Backbreaker that's over 25 years old and it's really, really good. I take it out every once in a while and use it. Well made lures shouldn't go bad. Skunky ones will lose their skunkiness after a while, but a drop or two of fresh stuff will bring it right back.

I have unopened bottles of lure that are 10 years old. I buy productive lures several bottles at a time and keep them stored in heavy duty styrofoam shipping coolers that my wife gets at work. Some 4 ounce bottles may last me a couple of years once opened and I see no decrease in my catch rates. I use a lot of lures from Hoosier Trappers Supply and buy them direct at their shop. Not sure but they probably laugh when they see me open every bottle and smell it before I buy it.

Dont worry. 90 percent of their customers do the same. Im as uneducated as they come with lures, but I do it. And I wont buy it unless I think it smells good! Carmens canine call is my favorite yote lure because there is just something different there. Cavens Moonshine is my favorite lure ever-I wanna eat it. Neither smell different to me from older bottles.

We all like to pop the lid and take a wiff, even though our nose can only process a small percent of what a canine can, but it somehow makes us feel better.

I have lures that are 35 years old or maybe a few more than 35 years old I store all my bait and lure in and old refrigerator so it is not exposed to light and the temp is pretty steady from day to day . I have had a very few dry ot but if I add some fox pee they still catch critters .

This.