TAINTING AND ROTTING DOWN
Particularly for prepared baits and lures for fox and coyote, you will see recipes calling for "tainted" or "rotted down" materials. What is the difference, and how is it done? the following two recipes for fox and coyote bait should illustrate the difference, and demonstrate the steps involved.
TAINTED WILD ANIMAL FLESH BAIT
This is composed of the meats from any two or more of the following animals: Muskrat, beaver, groundhog, and red fox. The meats should be rinsed in cold water and be free of all hair, intestines, and skin. They should then be frozen, then chopped into roughly 3/4" cubes.
Into large glass jars, place about 1/2 oz. of finely ground beaver castor, 1/4 oz. of ambrette musk, and about 1/2 oz. of muskrat musk. Shake the jars so that these ingredients are along the sides of the jars as well as along the bottom, then add the chunks of flesh so that the jars are about 1/2 full. On top of the meats add the same ingredients as before, allowing them to seep down into the chunks. Put the lids on loosely, to allow gas to escape.
Now, bury the jars in a well-drained spot, with about six inches of loose dirt over them. Be sure to put a large rock or a sheet of plywood over them, or dogs will dig them up.
After about a week or so, the meats will begin to break down, absorbing the odors of the added ingredients. Allow this process to continue for roughly six to ten weeks, digging them up and shaking them about every two weeks. We want the chunks of meat to taint as uniformly as possible, by replacing on the bottom with those on top.
When it is done, the outer surface of the chunks should be sort of a grayish-brown, while the core remains a rich red.
When you feel the process is complete, make a basket from 1/4" or 1/2" hardware wire and hang it inside a clean plastic bucket. Dump the chunks of tainted meat into the basket, allowing the liquids to seep into the bucket, after which the chunks are returned to a clean jar. The liquids are returned to another clean, dry jar.
In the jar of flesh chunks, add about five large tablespoons of Bait Maker's Compound and shake briskly, so that the powder covers all of the chunks. In the jar with the liquid, add about half as much Bait Maker's Compound and again shake briskly.
Place the caps on loosely, to allow for any remaining gas to escape, and store in a cool, dark place, until ready for use. At the set, place about two or three chunks, or a large tablespoon full, or both in combination. At a dirt hole set, I will typically put a couple chunks inside the hole, and about half a spoonfull on the back edge of the hole.
ROTTED MOUSE, MOLE, SHREW BAIT
These little critters are the main diet of both fox and coyote. They can be found around grain fields, grain elevators, grassy and brushy fields, and streams. They can be caught in a variety of traps, the Katchall probably being the most practical for our purposes. Moles can be caught with plunger-type traps, with many homeowners more than happy to pay you a couple bucks to rid them from their lawns.
The most practical time to collect these critters is from about midsummer to early fall. Place them into glass jars as they are collected, along with a little collected rainwater. The jars can be kept in a shed, barn, or other outbuilding until cold weather sets in, after which they should be moved to some heated location, though not too close to a heating unit. As always, allow for gas to escape.
When the contents have broken down into liquid or semi-liquid, add a few drops of cumin or some other strong fixative, and about half a pint of glycerine oil. Stir the contents well before use.
This bait, like the one above, can be used at any fox or coyote set that calls for a strong food attractor, but is mainly used for dirt hole sets. When used alone, about a teaspoon is enough for a set. When used with some other food attractor or lure, use about half as much.
The first time you use this type of bait, the rankness will likely take you by surprise. You may even think you must have done something wrong, and think about throwing it away. Don't. It's supposed to smell that bad. You can alleviate some of the rankness by adding a little beaver castor or tinctured skunk essence (yes, you read that right, skunk essence improves the smell), which seems to add to the calling power.
As always, question and comments are welcome. Anyone having second thoughts about trapping?
Onward and upward,
airforce
