Trapping 101 -by Toe Catct

Lures and their usage. All wildlife are placed into two categories : Predators or Pray. This will focus on Predators. There are several different reasons to use a lure for trapping. Sexual desire , food , curiosity , calling to name a few. For the purpose of this article I will talk about food , curiosity and calling. Each has their own purpose and when used correctly can help produce great results. First let's discuss food lures. Food lure isn't the same as a food bait. This is exactly what the name implies , it plays on the animals hunger and need for food , through it's nose. A good food lure can target a specific species , yet in many cases will attract multiple species. Of all lures a food grade lure is probably the most used. Lures use the fragrance of food without the actual food. Most use oils and extracts with extenders and fixatives to obtain the fragrance they are after. Oils like Cherry , Anise , Apple , Cheese or extracts like vanilla , peppermint , etc. Are widely used to appeal to species like Raccoon , Bear , Skunk , Etc. Food lures can be used year round with great success , however they will produce different results in the middle of winter than they do in spring and summer. Curiosity lures are used with great success in instances where species are pressured or the typical food lures are not producing the desired results. Curiosity lure contain oils , extracts , glands , extenders and fixatives. They do as the name implies and appeal to the curiosity of the species. Catnip is a good example of a curiosity to predators like Bobcats , Coyote and Grey Fox. Many lure makers use Catnip oil as an ingredient in their curiosity lures that are designed to be used as a "Rub" lure to be used in a rub set causing the animals to want to rub their faces in the lure. Call lures can be broke down into two groups: close range and long distance call (LDC). Many of these use glands , oils , extenders , fixatives and Skunk essence (business end liquid of a skunk) to do exactly as the name implies. The close range call lures can be used year round to appeal to the predatory species with great success. The LDC is best used during winter when the temperature has dropped , predators are on the move looking for a meal and competing for food. LDC are very "Loud and Strong" in fragrance and should be used with care to not be over used , a little goes a very long way and should not be used directly at your set , but used close by to get the predators in the area where the other lures and baits can take over. I personally use them very sparingly and at about head height off the ground on a nearby tree limb. Many LDC lure have a very strong Skunk odor and should not be open indoors , you will regret it and will get very familiar with the dog !!!! When using lures it is best to use them as the manufacturer suggest. They have tested and tried them and know what amount works best. A good rule of thumb is use a "Pea" sized amount. I personally keep Q-tips in with my lures and will dip them in the lure to get the amount of lure desired. I encourage questions about lures and baits and their usage. I will answer them as fast as possible and will do another piece on baits and their usage. Both can be used alone or together along with urine in many sets for trapping. I can't possible put everything into one piece or cover every possible scenario. I will get some photos and videos covering trapping , preperation of equipment , sets , fur handling and the uses of lures and baits as well. Toe Catch