This year, I plan on placing all my bait and lure in a hole beneath the cage. This eliminates the baits eye appeal. I was using marshmallows but when they get wet then dry, they are a lot of work to clean off. I'm curious if a clump of grass in the back of the cage would serve as eye appeal? I thought about using fur but for me, it's hard to come by. Any suggestions?

white craft feathers would be great for eye appeal, so would a clump of polyfil. If you really want to get cheap you could use a piece of white paper crumpled up too.

I do alot of cage trapping here in CO. What I do is dig a small hole and then place my cage over the bait and hole half way between the pan and the end of the cage. I then take a wing from a dove or chucker and hang it from the top of the cage torwards the back. It does alot for eye appeal and you dont have to spend an hour combing the goop and junk out of your pelt.

i always figured if i can get him to the cage,i pretty much had him.i use fish oil for a trail to the cage,a little bait outside the door going in,a little bait behind the pan,to show him,then the majority of my bait in the hole behind the pan.sometimes i hang feathers in front of and over the door.i cover my cages with branches and also cover the bottom.sometimes i use eggshells in the back for a visual,i have also used birds nest,fur,feathers,etc for a visual.

Nice. In CO it is illegal to use any other bait other then animal parts. You can use lures and sents but cant use paper..cotton balls...things like that.
I just stick to some red meat..usually jack rabbit, with the wing hanging.

I was just going to suggest saving egg shells. My boy caught a coon with hot dog pieces and cheap maple syrup on a piece of cardboard.

i don't think we can use game animal/bird parts for that purpose in CA so the wing is out. where do i get feathers?

I used to get my feathers at any fishing tackle shop...kinda spendy but they work well..and they are flashy. The feathers that people use to tie flies for fishing.
(Unless I have some left over from any duck goose..dove or quail season.

maybe i'll go buy a chicken or two at the auction. feathers for trapping and chicken for frying.

You most always can find an assortment of feathers at larger craft shops.
Or use feathers from an old, worn out, feather filled sleeping bag.
Feathers are everywhere.
Later,
45/70,

I have used rabbit pellets from my nephews tame rabbit with good results.also add a shot of fox pee

i prefer to hang faux fur in the back of the cage to move in the wind also give it a squirt of lure. bait under the cage pan below the trap.
in the past we had restictions on the use of bait while trapping.
although i believe we have no current bait restrictions.

ok just call me stinky! when i leave the truck i trap in rubber
boots with a squirt of deluted rabbit pee on the soles. no idea of how long it lasts but it is just the way i was taught.

Different thing used for various species of animals........

Getting down to animal level and looking to see were they will see it

Painting the pans white

Hanging your marshmallow or bait in a "Bait Hanger"

Putting lure high in tree by cage using the wind to your advantage

CD's on a thin wire swivel

Whited out Bones

A white plastic bag

surveyors tape

small stuffed animal toy with "Good" eyes hung in the back of the trap

Scratching a "trail" to the cage

a `mirror

a rubber duck

fur with "Good" eyes on it

If you want feathers why not just buy a cheap feather pillow from somewhere?

$9.00 feather pillow from Wal-mart and you have enough feathers for a couple of seasons.

I agree with the pillow. I lean torwards using wings off of birds that I shot during different seasons just for the fact that you have that added gamey smell with eye appeal,(given that you bag and freeze the wings after you clean your birds.)

OOPS! Did you just give away you secret otter trick?!?!?! lol. You ought to come all the way down this weekend Dave. CTA get together. Heck, bring your "lucky hats". I'll buy a couple.

don`t think you can use feathers in cal

Hmmm...the replies here have got me thinking. I bet I could really "up" my coon catches with a moving object like a cd or x-mas tree tinsel hung IN the cage. Get them curious until they smell the bait. All I have to do is hang on on the correct side of the pan and WHAM!

Thanks everyone. As usual, you guys have helped me out A LOT. Keep 'em coming.

red tinsel
cattail heads after being broken up (FLUFF) looks like fur OR feathers!!