Green ground and stopped fresh vs dried for lure and bait making

Opinions?

Normally dried for me but I do have one predator lure I use green castor put up a special way that gives a very unique odor.

Dried for my formulations.

Some formulas you will get much better product distribution with ground, dried pulverized castor. Other formulas I like ground aged castor in a wet paste form. Especially in Beaver lure formulas.

I found years ago that "castor odor" and color will vary greatly from one batch of wet castor to another. It is very interesting, and it gives me options as to the specific castor odor I prefer for a particular batch of product. Ground, dried/pulverized castor blends together as one final product odor.

It is primarily diet that affects the castors final blended odor for the most part. Handling, age, storage or freezer time can greatly influence the final color/odor also.

So, I keep the castor from different regional areas segregated and noted for my grinding time process.

How long does it need to dry to be able to grind. I have one hanging but have never fooled with them.

That depends on how full the castor is, heat and humidity where they're drying. The castor I buy has been dried for 4 - 7 days. Once I get it, I dry most of it for another couple of months. The shells and those that don't have much in them takes less time. After I grind them, I'll spread the ground castor on flat pans and put a fan on them to let them dry more for 24 hours. Then I put the dried castor in my Ninja food processor and pulverize it. If possible, I like to age this for another 6 months in a bucket. It gets a very nice aroma then. To keep it from molding, I pour a bit of 100 proof vodka over it before snapping on the lid.

I doubt most folks go through all those steps, nor do they dry it to the extent that I do. It all depends on what the lure maker wants to do with it.

Both for me, fresh and dried. different formulations different outcomes and beaver reactions it seems in my opinion.

A very key ingredient that it seems you never can get enough of, as noted many ways to use and different preferences.

I hope this works? I just ground up 2 pounds of slightly dried beaver castors. It was pretty thick so I added some beaver tail oil to make it workable. I'm planning too let this age for a while? Then stop the ageing process with Zinc Valerate powder.
Question! Has anyone ever aged Beaver Castor long term? Like say Fox glands, 1 to 3 years. Like Bruce R. asked you do not hear much about aged beaver glands? Thanks!

When aging any single specific gland material do not add anything to it that will affect the aging process if that is your focus. Only add materials that will compliment the break down process or leave it virgin as a stand alone material. That is one part of the process.

Once you have completed all your ingredients prep you can put them all together then set it aside to age for a few months to a few years.

Learning that length of age time which serves to give the best result is a lesson learned as well.

Fats / Oils can and will retard that breakdown process and will change the odor in the end. Adding some distilled water will provide fluidity to the castor material if you feel you need moisture or are seeking a certain consistency and do not wish to compromise the final product odor result.

Any deemed excess fluid can be poured off at a later matured product date if that is your goal, and saved for another use possibly.

Learning how to age or not to age various glands, meats, fatty oil materials is an art / science in itself. Keep track of the things that you do by dating and writing down what you have done each time you do it. The temperature index when and where you are processing your material all play a big role in such things that you do.

If it doesn't get the results you were wanting you might have wished you would have started with a smaller sample. Just food for thought. Aging can mean a couple different things in lure making. It can mean rotting (letting bacteria breaking down a product) or another way could mean letting the odors blend and mellow together. BTO wont age in the sense of bacteria break down (oils can interfere with the oxygen needed for most bacteria break down) not sure if clean straight semi dry castor will break down from bacteria either. I do have a combination of ingredients were castor is a primary ingredient that takes a year plus to age to my desired point to answer your question.
Sorry Bob I was typing while you posted

Thank You Bob J. and Yes Sir for the good information! It did cross my mind too use some water or even beaver urine too add moisture too the castor. Their was still liquid in the castors before they where ground up. Fortunately I only used a little BTO and the mix is producing some gasses or air bubbles, ageing. Lots to learn, every day is school!!!! I will keep a close eye on this castor project!! I am hoping too end up with a nice mellow castor smell that bobcats will rub their whisker's off trying too get the smell on them. lol.

You will get a first-hand lesson in Chemistry 101 with ingredients that should and should not be blended together along the way. I don't want to take all the fun and anticipation out of your experimenting.

Ok Bob,you are right again!!! Urine and Fat’s do not mix!! My Bad!! I forgot. Thanks for pointing that out.

Just a quick update. I let the castor age for three weeks at 60 degree's before adding Zinc V. dissolved in a cup of hot water. Also added one cup of Glycerin.
Mixed it all up with a food processor. Almost 2 quarts of Beaver castor paste. It looks like peanut butter, but not as thick, close.
At three weeks it just smelled right to me?
What did I learn?
Next time, I will not add any Oil's at the start of any tainting materials!! I think Bob J. and Yes Sir are correct on this!
The castor paste I made is going too work just fine.
But next time, I will just add some water if needed at the start instead of Oil's. 10 more years and I will have this Lure Stuff all figured out???

I mix green castor with grease, I talked to friend who has made a lot of lure, he said to add beaver urine. I added some to my castor. Anyone ever tried this?

It's more like a life long pursuit

Mr Tom, I mix some beaver urine with glycerin, and use it when I grind the castor to make a heavy paste.