Hey everyone, I've got some freezer burnt squirrels and a steady supply of mice thanks to the cats and my mom's chicken coop. I'm thinking about making my first k9 or mink bait with them (leaning k9 because I can't even catch a mink with fresh muskrat and fish lol) I'm confused a little about the tainting process, like is it necessary? And can I taint then stop it with salt or do I need glycerine? Will salt kill the scent at all or have negative effects? Also what else do I add? My current plan is ground up squirrel, mice, and cheap sardines with some old castor sacks I have thrown in. What say you? And may God bless you all as always.

Check out Archives Forum. Good luck. Nothing like catching a critter with something you made.

Tainting isn't necessary,.it depends on what kind of response you want. Tainting can make it louder while not tainted can appeal more as a straight food response. You can stop with salt but it will de decrease the attraction if they taste it. Glycerin is used mostly as an antifreeze and conditioner, not a preservative. I personally try not to use it unless I have no other options. If your going to taint it do it before u add the sardines as they are preserved already and will hinder the tainting of thr other products. Also be warned mice taint very quickly.
Good luck

Non-tainted won't work really well in the winter though right? And what can I use as a preservative then? Also maybe I won't taint them and use fresh fish then. I just know my local k9s have tore up my fileting left overs

I'll dig around there now. Thank you.

Sodium benzoate is a very strong preservative

Does anybody add any fruity notes to their k9 bait? I figure it would add a bunch of coons but might peak curiosity as well.

I've tried persimmon oil but I couldn't keep the deer away from my sets.

You need sodium benzoate for a preservative.