Deer liver for canine trapping?

My brother shot a buck last night and I saved the liver cause I’ve seen on some T-man threads where people have used it for dirt holes with success. My question is do you do anything with it before you chunk it up and put it down the dirt hole? I placed the liver along with the heart in the freezer last night. Thanks for any help!

Chunked or ground, it works
Next time grab the fat ( tallow) around the kidneys it works as well or better than liver

Good stuff!

chicken liver in dirt hole w/lure works great for fox & coon. Weasel lure w/blood base works great also as an alternative at dirt holes.

how about deer lung?

I like it tainted a bit. I chunk it up and let it taint in a bucket. It helps to elevate it, as it will release quite a bit of water as it ages. If you’re planning on just using it as it is, that might not be a concern, but if you want to add it to another meat base, it will get runny if you don’t let it water off a bit. Liver also molds pretty easily without methylparaben.

I’ve used it chunked ( 2x2 ) in a cache set or dirt hole fresh , it will taint some in the hole . I did not have any luck using it ground up .

Deer liver, lungs and meat scraps are all I use because they've produced better than anything else I've ever used. Liver produces a lot of blood/liquid that I drain off and use in squirt bottles. I own an archery shop and many of my customers save livers for me so I never seem to have a shortage. I also will sometimes mix in deer hair or tarsal glands or use deer hair at the lip of the hole as an attractor. (Yes, legal in my state). A 2nd flat set nearby will produce too.

Caught this young female this morning using fresh deer liver.

Thanks for the input, I think I’ll try the 2x2 chunks mixed with some deer hair. Might even get some of Dobbins bait solution #2 to mix with half the liver for now. Season starts November 10th so hopefully I’ll get more liver by then and will keep you posted on my success!! Thanks again!

If your gonna use bait solution, I would recommend chunking it up smaller 1/4+1/4 “ . Not knocking bait solution but deer liver is a natural thing that could be found in any cachet set. I would save back some strait liver and do a comparison.

Let us know what you find !

Another one this morning using fresh deer liver and fox urine.

This one fell for deer liver in a dirthole.

Love the pictures! Thanks guys for the input, maybe I’ll just stick to the 2x2 chunks of liver 😂. Nice job on the catches too!!

That’s some pretty white sand y’all got up there. Must not be too far from the beach.

Yup, just under 1700 miles or so....

Just thought I’d give you guys an update. Put 21 coyote sets out yesterday even though I knew we were gonna have heavy rain and 20+ mph winds. Caught this female in a dirt hole set baited with fresh deer liver. Thanks again T-man family!

Thanks for update BadDog; was hoping you would follow up with some results, as I was following your thread and interested in the deer liver response as well.

I’ll keep you posted on the results, I have the next 2 weeks off for trapping and Illinois firearm season. I remade this set trying the deep “V” set that I read on one of the trapperman forums. I’ll get more sets out tomorrow, didn’t feel like mudding any new traps in today.

Still checking traps but this is the second dog on deer liver. 18 more traps to check, will keep you posted!

These 2 came off of deer liver as well...I’ll stop keeping you posted cause proof is in all your pictures and mine. Deer liver works and I’ve even caught some beaver and have started using beaver liver in the dirt holes. Good luck everyone and thanks again for all the positive feedback!

I’ve been using it on the waterline also

Keep keeping us posted - love the pics

Caught this male yesterday(11/19/20), today starts our Illinois firearm season so needless to say everyone in our hunting group knows to save the deer liver for me. Good luck!

I used some fat I carved off a deers rump the other night. Put it in a dirt hole and caught a nice red on the first night. It’s a natural food source for them.

So far 12 coyotes and 2 fox on the deer liver. It’s the only thing I’m using right now, haven’t felt a need to change things up lol. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Seems like it's working out well for you! Nice pictures! I'm going to try some deer meat on a farm I am setting tomorrow. Main reason I'll be there is they've watched 5-6 coyotes attacking yearling does out of the tree stand. I figure if deer is on the menu that's what I'll give em down the hole. I didn't get on top of things fast enough to get the livers off any deer but I did get about 15 carcasses when people were done processing.

Keep us posted on your success please and thank you!

Talked to our local processor and was told I could dig out whatever I wanted. He told me I could take the entire barrels if I brought them back when empty, lol. Guess it’ll be liver and lure/urine this year if it gets cold enough to keep the ants at bay!!!

Couple more to add to the collection!

Baddog your really putting a dent in them good job love the pictures.
J

Thanks Sir, I really enjoy the deer hunting and raising Quail and Pheasants. Hate seeing pictures like this on my trail camera...

BadDog, what are your catch numbers usually like? It seems like you are killing it! Is this a normal season for you or are you way ahead of where you normally are? Either way, keep it up!

I’ve only been trapping coyotes for about 5 years now and I would say on average I get 8 coyotes a year. Never have I caught a fox they are rare to see around here. I’m currently at 14 coyotes and 4 fox. The last fox I did release just got soft hearted I guess lol. This is definitely a good season for me. In the past I’ve used O’Gormans powder river, Andy Weiser horse meat and Appleroad baits. These have all been excellent baits and maybe I’m getting a little more experience but the deer liver is a bait these critters are use to and is definitely working for me! Good luck everyone!

We ate some of our deer liver and hearts this year. We also slice then 1/8" and dehydrate them for dog treats. Yet another use on the trap line sweet.

This is the 5th fox of the season, let this one and the last one go. Haven’t had any luck with the coyotes for a week now. Might have to change things up! I’m at 14 coyotes and 5 fox, just thought I’d post this picture cause I thought it was a neat one.

Great picture!

To answer an earlier question, deer know exactly what the smell of deer lung is. They know what gut piles are and will investigate the smell of lung matter.

I won't be tapping for a couple weeks. Is it okay to freeze the liver for a couple weeks.?

Ya you’ll be fine freezing it, mine was froze for about 3 weeks before using it on the line. Good luck and keep us posted, thanks!

Most of the liver I use has been frozen almost a year and works fine.

Yes!

Thanks guys..

BadDog, how much liver have you been using at each set? Are you using lure or urine as well?

I cut mine into 2" cubes and use one per set. A little blood poured around the rim of the hole doesn't hurt any either.

Most of the dirt hole had a fresh chunk of 2”x2” liver. Once I started catching I might take some of the scat from that catch and put it at a dirt hole on another property with a shot of coyote urine. I haven’t caught anything for a week now and will have to try changing things up by adding a lure or maybe even a different bait. I’ll keep you posted, I’m back to work so checking traps after work hours and that doesn’t give me much time to change things up till the weekend. We just ended our 7 days of firearm season in Illinois so I’m hoping it’s slow due to the extra gut piles and crippled deer.

Bad dog what part of Illinois are you in ? That pic with the corn crib looks like you could be in my back yard.

Bureau county

Lol I guess most of Illinois is built about the same , I bet there is a grain elevator in your home town also .

Finally...this trap has been in the ground since November 14! That makes 15 coyotes and 5 fox

So that’s since Nov 14 and the same cube of liver?

Yes same cube of liver, only thing I have done to this set was about a week ago I drilled the hole out again. I normally check from a distance but pulled up and noticed dirt on top of the bait. Still had my wad of grass covering the hole but assuming mice covered it with dirt. I used the auger and cleaned the hole and the chunk came out so I tossed it back in. No lures and no urine, just been playing with some different things and this is the only one that never got urine, coyote scat or a lure. Never had any sign of activity around the trap or dirt hole, almost wish I had set a trail camera on this set just to see if we had any visitors.

Hey BadDog,
I'm still catching stuff in Henry county, but before I'm done will be out by Yorktown.

caught 4 coyotes (1 single and 1 triple), 1 gray fox, and 1 bobcat on deer liver this week.