I have a couple of ground hogs living in under a big rock behind my house, and another in under my shed. I’m considering turning them into varmint bait soon. Best way to prepare the meat for the trap line advice needed! What say you ?
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Steve, I gut and chop head and tail off and chunk it up hide and all in bait sized pieces. Throw it in a jar buried or enclosed so flies can get in until it turns a little grey and then throw in a good spoonful or two of castor and preservative.
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I assume you are using pickle bologna jars, or gallon size mason jars . Do you punch a hole in the lid for gas escape, or just leave it real loose if buried in the ground? Also, about how many days at this time of year before it starts getting grey do you think? Thanks for the advice!
I leave the lids a little loose. I’ve used gallon jars and I put about ten or twelve in a five gallon bucket with a lid once that did fine. A few days and it gets a grey frothy look and smell. You dont want to go too long because it takes a few more days for the sodium benzoate to grab it fully. I’ve come to like those real heavy black industrial bags tied shut, if your dog doesn’t chew the corner off. Something about the meat, hair and castor gives it a good smell, to me. But, I bet if you just caught and froze and used fresh it’d be fine too. When I was a kid I buried jars of them for months. They were usually overdone especially for early season. Oh how I miss those days of groundhogs in mamaw’s coffee jars.
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Would non -iodized salt work okay, or do you think S.B. is a better preservative ?
I always used SB but I’ve heard of using borax and methyl paraben. I’ve never tried salt on red meat, maybe someone reading has.
Okay, Thanks! I’m curious to see how this will work on the line.
I would debone it and run it through a hand grinder. I prefer fresh untainted bait for coyotes, but I’m probably in the minority here.
You could add a little castor, beaver sacs, or fermented eggs. I find the fermented eggs to be very attractive to most furbears.
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I may try that, along with Kytrappers recipe, and do an experiment by using the two baits every other set to see if there is a pattern of preference by the critters. Thanks for the idea!
I have used salt it works but it’s not a one hundred percent preservation type deal it’s slows it considerably, sb stops it fully but I don’t like the texter and smell it takes on after awhile methyl parabine is my favorite so far doesn’t take much it keeps a good texture and does not take on a chemical smell
That’s just me
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Sounds good! That’s one of the things I was wanting to know about. Thanks! Where do you get the chemical at?
Many trap supply places have paraben. Mine came from PCS in Michigan.
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Thanks for the info! I had never heard of this chemical before.
It not only preserves but prevents mold. Some things get a white mold on top if just using sodium benzoate.
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Sounds like the way to go! … If I get enough on me , do you reckon it will stop the break down of my body, and clear up any mold or fungus within a week or so? If so, I’m going to order a 5 gallon bucket of it! LOL! …Thanks again guys for all the advice and tips! Most of my baiting over the years has just been deer scraps, squirrel, and rabbit scraps, and whatever brand of mackeral or cat food that’s on sale. I appreciate your advice, and willingness to share your experience!
Colt, how much Methly paraben do you use per pint/gallon of meat?
I can’t remember for sure I thank on fish I used like 1 or 2 tablespoons per gallon. I thank,I know it’s not as much as sb
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There is a place called
Josh Frogs you can buy it by the
Pound
Guy on Trapperman put me on to it
Way cheaper
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Thanks!
Yeah I forgot to say that,that where mine comes from.
Colt
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