I allways find it interesting this concern on here about bait being "too" tainted. I have NEVER heard someone up here say something along those lines. (Well, too tainted for our taste, but not for the animals! lol) Up here it is generally considered "the riper the better". Now part of that is due to the fact that in cold temperatures the more smell the better. BUT, what I don't understand is why critters down there would be that much pickier than ones up here. I mean, just comparing same species you would think that if our fox and coyote like rotten bait then so would the ones down there. Heck, I caught quite a few mink on VERY nasty bait before I ever read that was such a no-no. I still have no problem with throwing a chunk of green beaver in the back of a mink cubby if I am making marten sets and that is what I have on hand.

Now, the one thing is, it seems to me that some people dislike strong baits because of a belief that it attracts more trash animals (skunks and possums mostly from what I read). We don't have that up here, so it is not a concern.

Do trappers in other areas actually think that fox/coyotes "shy away from" or "are less attracted to" tainted bait?

It is actually widely believed by many trappers I know up here that one of the reasons canines PREFER heavily tainted baits is that they are easier to digest. But I have never heard that on trapperman?

i am no bait expert by no means but in the other bait post i said that the cat bait i made was too strong. how i came to this conclusion was from setting it side by side with the beaver meat that was milder and the critters went to the beaver baited sets and i have yet to have anything work the cat bait. both were treated with dobbins bait solution.

i am not saying this is a hard rule. for some southern trappers that bait might work for them but it didn't work for me. in fact i will send anyone that wants the rest of what i have if they will pay shipping.

Bottomline.

I should make a note that almost no-one up here uses "prepared baits" either. Which I know is also very different. It is all either chunk bait, and for me chunk bait is fist sized. And often for canines it is big bait. Big bait varies from anything from a couple of boned out quarters or ribcage to a moose head and on up to a whole moose or horse.

So a huge difference is that in most cases, we actually intend (or at least expect) for the critters to eat the "bait", rather than just attract them to the set. I know this makes a huge difference in methodology and it is very possible that this is primarily responsible for the different approach. I was just curious if animals in different areas tend to show an aversion to tainted bait.

When I say tainted, I mean anything up to and including VERY ROTTEN. One time a few years back, we had a whole bait moose that never made it out on the line sitting in our yard come the end of the season. We wrapped it in visqueen and tied it good, and my dad BURIED this moose in the sideyard with the backhoe. The next fall we dug it up. It was essentially this huge 800 pound coagulated jello or pudding with some bones in it. EXTREMELY NASTY. But got it out on the line and critters hit and ATE this repulsive mess. Regardless, that experiment was NOT deemed a success and was not repeated.

i have found myself using the strong smelling baits and lure less and less. i have had a lot of success in using gland and castor based lures. maybe that's just because they are what i have built up confidence in. i heard paul say one time that he couldn't catch fox on the same lure his dad used.

the big dogs will chime in in the morn to set us straight lol

My father in law was a goverment trapper in Montana, and he use to make all his own bait. He always told me to never let it get to tainted. He would make it by putting it in a glass jar and digging a hole to put it in, and would not let it set in the direct sunlight, he would let it set for a week or two, depending on the temp, and then dig it up and add all the other stuff to it then. He used a lot of horse meat he would get from the goverment, they would buy them killer horses and then give them to the goverment trappers, and some would make bait out of some of it and most would use it to mix the old 1080 into it.

I think that everyone has a good point here. Personally, I have found better results with taint to any degree than from freshly preserved bait. I trapped for 25 years during the hot Summer months during the Michigan bounty era so my experiments weren't just cold weather events. Anyway, I think one might expect a different reaction to the bait depending upon the amount of taint, not no reaction at all from one or the other. I suppose that the first thing a canine thinks about is something to eat with the odor of fresh bait but a rolling response would be the main calling for totally rotten smelling bait. Maybe this is why I found the best and most proper responses from meat chunks tainted half way through with the inner portion of a meat cub still pink. Ace

as long as it aint maggoty rotted, it cant be to tainted.

i dont reccon vasry many critters survive very long if they are that picky with thier food.

I have found in my experience I have caught, or should I say I have attracted animals to every type of odor I have ever worked with.

These odors have ranged from fresh bloody meats to down right maggot filled bait that the flies got into due to not having a good closure on a bucket.Not wanting to discard the bait I figured I would just use it at some sets to get rid of it. Much to my surprise I connected on most of those sets.This occurance took place over 30 years ago.

Obviously from these findings I dont believe that there is a firm correct answer to this topic.Other then that they all work in to some degree, just some better than others possibly.


In making good sense of this we must first understand animals and what motivates them. An animal on the prowl hunting for dinner he is focused on site location of his prey while others may focus on scent trailing a species to run it down.Or both. In this case fresh is good and most likely desirable and it works very well.

On the other hand you have a predator out on the hunt and he catches wind of a decaying carcass or aged kill from another predator or an animal that died from other causes.Dont think for one minute it wont investigate its source.

If it finds the bait acceptable and the nite hasnt been very successful he may indulge in the food opportunity. That is if another is not already feeding and he must wait his turn. Or he must return at another time to avoid an incident. Or yet if he is really hungry it may attempt to run the other animal off in order to feed itself.

Point being, animals being the opportunists that they are will in most cases if not all cases investigate odor factions at least to some degree in their range as this is their nature.

Fresh, tainted or rotten odors it doesnt seem to matter they will investigate.

The facts and experiences I have had supports my findings.I do see some animals having a preference for fresh kills and bait offerings as this is what they know and like. But I dont think for a minute if they fell on hard times or food opportunties were extremely competetive that they would pass up an opportunity if presented.

Many of us try to assume the acceptance rate of an animal with respects to tainted baits or rank lures etc. But in the grand scheme of things they will all work for someone somewhere.

It basically depends on the numerous variables associated with that animal species at the time of its encounter with the bait or odor presentation. Then whether it will find great enough interest in the odor to make an effort to recover the bait or lure presentation.Or will he just mark it and leave only to return another time.

I believe canines in general will readily approach just about anything initially. They may not be compelled to work a particular bait due to the specific odor push but they know it's there. But if they are in a curious mood or it is attractive enough you will get him most likely. If the odor is too strong and the time of year is warm he may only rollor shoulder rub the spot and mark the odor area with urine.

Cats prefer mild to slight taint bait in my experience. But add cat urine, droppings and some gland he is on it in a flash. Tainted or rotten I have found.

Its basically dependent on the animals mood,hunting success, time of year, temperature, competition for food in that region and if the food base is adequate or scarce.

Like Asa I agree a slight taint in a bait promotes a signal response in animals.The aging of meats for predators seem to entice a more aggressive response from predators.

Cats, marten, fisher,weasel and mink all like fresh bloody meats. But I have caught them on well tainted meat baits laced with skunk also.

i can't figure it out why they don't like that catmeat bait but i have tried three different times of the year and no response where the beaver bait gets attention every time.

My experience over the years has been that when using beaver carcasses, bobcats prefer the fresher carcasses.
So perhaps preference for fresh or taint depends somewhat on the animal being targeted.
Later,
45/70,

Great post Bob!

If you can't take the lid off without puking it might be too tainted