My own test have told me it's difficult to pull them more than a few feet when they are "making the rounds".

"In my neck of the woods" food has pulled them farther than any lure I have tested and I have tested some good ones.

I have used just skunk musk to see what was drawn to it . I just followed the tracks through partly cleared land through woods and right of way that were over grown it pulled them within 20-30 yards of a busy highway where the front end of the business is. I did,nt have a set made, just a place up against the railroad tracks try one thing move away 50-100 yards try something els see what comes and how much it takes to draw them . location is king .

Where could the coyote actually be going? In search of food I would think most of the time. So maybe a very strong food odor might draw him in after thinking about it. Like a dead deer. That would give off alot of smell and they wouldn't be waisting their time knowing it would be there.Maybe a very loud food lure might draw them.

I thought most lures was the same if set on location. Please tell more Asa.

I think they travel their territory. This territory claimed would certainly include a food source. Once they realize their route is safe I'd say they pretty much "stick to the plan" everyday unless there is serious cause to pause. JMO.

This is where pre baiting would pay off before season then. Would lure do the same thing then as pre baiting you think? Change their route.

Canines and coon are a sucker for sweet, edible stuff. They will return again and again for something like cracklin's with molasses or honey on them. It just takes a lot of time to prebait and most serious trappers don't have/take that time, IMO...

I think everyone should do it at least once!

A couple times a summer I throw away fish scraps , when you clean sweet corn I save the parts you cut off, eat crabs and throw away the leftover trash it all adds up, the critters are still around opening day

Making homemade lures adds to the whole trapping experience if done right. But you need a good place to do it, like an outbuilding. And you need to learn how to do it by reading books on the subject and following directions.

Best advice is to keep to simple formulas such as fish oil, or a bait made of jack mackeral and honey, or urine collected from trapped animals. As you gain confidence can try something more challenging like a gland lure or a call lure.

Until you are really sure of what your are doing, supplement your home grown with name brand lures and keep records of what is catching what.

Its fun to catch fur with you own lures. And it can save money.

Kind of like cathcing fish with flies tied yourself, just adds a little something.

Your right, as long as one has some basis to start with like a Wyshinski lure making book and uses some common sense they can likely produce some decent lures and add to or subtract from the formula as they do some testing and gain some experience. Asa

very well said John

on a side note ... I must admit, it rubs me wrong and frets me when I see it suggested that one should not tread into doing so for one reason or another ... that mentality is just plain silly ... expanding your knowledge of such can only better yourself as a trapper and a potential bait/lure maker

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I agree ... if nothing else it will give you a new found respect for those who do so as their livelihood

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check ULINE for your new one gallon glass jars ... they run about three bucks a piece (if you buy 10) ... and they have better shipping rates than most of the so called online wholesale glass/bucket/bottle companies

most places want upwards of a $100 shipping on a couple dozen ... ULINE is only around mid $20's (reckon it really depends on how close you are to one of their 6 warehouses)

If you're gonna go the the expense of buying high quality ingredients, don't skimp and go cheap on the containers. Buy ALL NEW. A half gallon mason( or similar) jar bought new doesn't cost as much as four ounces of castor and other ingredients at four or more dollars an ounce ruined in a salvaged jar that reeks of some kind of food odor. Kinda like buying a new Hummer H3, and putting junkyard baloney skin tires on it, ya know? New containers aren't that expensive, as Possumskinner has pointed out.

If you are going to make your own lure to save a few bucks don't do it, because you will spend more on ingredients than what you could buy a lure for. With that said you should try and blend what ever you feel like together and at least make 1 lure, who knows it may be the ticket you need. One thing for sure you will have a great feeling when you connect with an animal using your own lure. I myself do not use any commercial lure, I have used several commercial lures out there on the market but have not found one I really like. Most all will catch a animal but they are just not what I like as far as smell. Also if you get to making lures always try and make a couple of new ones each year you will have a lot of bad ones but that is were the fun is trying to figure out what works.

Were're talkin' "lure" right, and not baits?

With fur prices once again down why not try all those exeriments you've been considering? There wont be much if any profit trapping fur this year. The stuff that doesn't work or is only marginal won't upset your finances this season. It's a bit late to formulate anything that needs aging so trap your own glands with stuff you know works. Prepare stuff for next year. Probably won't be able to make much on fur next year either.

I stick with beaver lure, and various concoctions for coon and grey fox. It's hard to screw either of those up.

I agree totally with what Poss. said and what would it hurt for a man or lady to try there hand at making a few lures / I do agree he should buy a book and get some kind of reading knowledge of lure making by a respected lure maker like Wyshinski a well renounded lure maker.......and as long as he isn't going to sell it his own testing would service for now...but thats just an ole hillbilly speakin

It probably varies by species but I know for a fact that I have pulled critters from 300 yards into a set just because of the lure. It's a lot easier to judge performance when you have snow to tell the story.

Ken,

Do you make your lure, buy it, or a combinatin of the two?

Surely, like many other things, you must have to do some of it on your own.

I like to make my own lures sure, do I sell any, I really don't think what I make is worthy YET! to be sold but, never the less I like making lures and catching animals from my own stuff. I think it builds ones confidence in his ability as a trapper which in turn builds his overall character as a person...Do I buy lures sure, becuase some things just can't be reproduced correctly without the the original formula.....I would encourage anyone wanting to make lures for himself to GO FOR IT! its fun and interesting. you won't hurt anyone by using your own stuff or giving some to a buddy to try. Heck you may just turn out to be the next Hawbaker or Wyshinski. It may not happen tomarrow but who knows unless you try...HB Ken