A few years ago there was a lot of hype on here about using silver vine powder for bobcats. Was that a fad or are people still a fan I wonder

https://www.fntpost.com/Products/Trapping+New+Products/Silver+Vine+Powder

I was thinking about that the other day, but couldn't remember the name of it.

If I recall right it was like some sort of super catnip.

Yes, that's what I remember too. Some were putting it in empty tea bags at sets.

If I remember right Lazarus was really talking it up. I think it was supposed to be a lot more efficient than catnip

I have had good success with silver vine, both in trapping and observing cats on trail cameras. However, silver vine hasn't achieved the following among trappers that catnip has for a couple of reasons. To be perfectly blunt, most trappers either refuse to accept the science or they lack the attention span to understand how it works. Wow, that was pretty blunt.

Catnip has a chemical called nepatalactone that when inhaled by the cat, affects it's brain and causes a euphoric effect (sort of like someone tripping out on LSD or other hallucinogenic drug). However, only about half of domestic cats (and bobcats) have this reaction. Silver vine also has nepatalactone, but also has a handful of other hallucinogenic chemicals (such as actinidine and matatabilactone). Studies show about 80% of cats (domestic and bobcats) have the euphoric reaction to silver vine. (see https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-017-0987-6).

If you're still with me, my experience is that most trappers attempt to treat silver vine like any other lure ingredient (just as trappers for decades have been trying to use catnip as another lure ingredient -- and failing miserably, by the way). Silver vine, nor catnip, have an attractive smell for cats. Let me repeat: neither silver vine nor catnip have an odor that is attractive to cats. Said another way, cats are not enticed by the smell of silver vine or catnip. The function of a lure, by its very name, is to lure, appeal to, cause to follow the scent of, etc. an odor. Silver vine and catnip don't work that way.

Think of it like pot. Pot addicts don't go cruising through neighborhoods hoping to get a whiff of someone smoking pot (because it stinks like stale skunk). Rather, addicts desire the euphoric effect they get from inhaling the pot. Same with cats and silver vine. Its only when they get a snoot full of the stuff does it flip their switch and they look like a revival participant. While some may think this is a negative for trapping purposes, it's actually very helpful. If cats could smell silver vine or catnip at great distances, they would have their euphoric experience a great distance from your trap. If you use it effectively, the cat does "its thing" at your set, which includes intense interest in the source of the chemicals, lots of foot shuffling, and good bit of dancing around.

Finally, most trappers tried to add other, traditional lure additives and ingredients to silver vine/catnip which unfortunately have the effect of neutralizing the active chemicals in silver vine and catnip. Any of the alcohol-based additives trappers are fond of (glycerin, glycol, etc.) will neutralize the chemicals that make silver vine and catnip give cats their trip to la la land.

All that said, yes, I put a tiny amount of finely ground powder in an empty tea bag I get at the health food store, tie the bag shut, and then keep all my bags in a pint plastic lure jar. When I get to the set location, I tie a bag about 16" high on my side guiding/blocking material at my exposed trap walk through set. If it rains or we get high winds, I simply drop the bag in my pint jar and roll it around a bit and let it hang some more. What I am looking for is that fine powder that cats can readily inhale.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Lazarus! Great explanation.

Yep, thanks Laz

Thanks.
I'm glad I put some at my bobcat sets

Wait just a minute laz, you saying that stuff contains hallucinogens?
This may just be the money maker the trapping community needs to overcome pour fur prices. Folks would come from near and far to attend the conventions for a shot of the latest and greatest natural LSD substitute. I can see it now, all the people growing out their little finger nail to have a handy place for a good sniff.



Mods if my attempt at humor is beyond the bounds please delete.

I just read the Wikipedia article about nepetalactones, and it says that while they affect lions and jaguars, bobcats and cougars aren't affected. Could it be some other chemical in catnip that causes a reaction in bobcats? Or is the Wikipedia article just junk? Obviously I'd take the word of a trapper with real world experience over a wiki article, just curious if there's more to it.

Can't comment on Wiki. My research says just the opposite (the larger cats like lions, tigers, jaguars, etc. aren't as apt to be affected as the smaller cats). But I'm far from being an expert -- I'm just reading scientific studies.

Well, I'll take your word for it over wikipedia all day long. You're by far the expert.

This is one of my daughters cats that took a whiff Silver Vine. Back when Lazarus first posted I bought some silver vine nodules. I ground one up really fine gave small vile if it to my daughter. She has 3 cats so I told her to treat it like catnip. She said her cats didn't do much with canip so didn't expect much. She put just a little bit on a small piece of paper.Set it out with cat watching her sat back. They got nosey like always and each one check it out. She even knew which one would check first. First one was sniff walk away cared less. Second one acted little weird but was kind of overall indifferent. The third one which was youngest most shy finally took turn. She was laughing when she called. Said acted like was drunk Did some goofy stuff then jumped up on small table kinda passed out.

I didn't get a chance to try the silver vine that year on trapline. I caught my one cat in remake on coyote set where I hadn't even planned to set for cats. I haven't set any cat traps since so my.daughters cat is only one I can say reacted. Thinking my son will draw tag next fall so may have to revisit the Silver Vine with trail cam.



Mac

I picked and dried some catnip a couple years ago. The kids cat goes crazy on the stuff. Her eyes dilate she starts rolling around then for the next 20 she's running around the house acting phycho and u can't even pet her cause she will attack u. We give her some now and again for the fun of it. I tested some liquid catnip I bought from a trapping supply and it had zero effect on the cat. It's fun to watch how it can affect some cats.

Have that cat lick a certs ( center- with retsin

I'm not sure if many lure makers use Silver Vine so I've been putting a little at my sets