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Thread: Your favorite (primitive/naturally occuring) trap baits:

  1. #1

    Default Your favorite (primitive/naturally occuring) trap baits:

    Hiya fella's,

    I searched on the board here for "trap baits" and didn't really come up with much. I'm researching NATURAL trap baits you can find if/when lost in the wilds. I have never seen P-Nut butter jars sprouting off the side of Tulip Poplars so PB is out.

    If you know of commonly occurring stuff in the woods that is sure-fire for drawing game to a trap/snare I'd love to hear more. Sure everybody knows deer come to White Oak acorns, but I'm looking more for "Deer flock to ripe persimmons."

    Might be a fun thread if everyone contributes. Thanks!

    Edit: or if you know a way to process naturally occurring stuff while in a primitive camp to make good bait let's here about it too. Example: add three hang-nails, a navel full of lint, 16 dead human skin cells and a dirty look to a bit of creek water and simmer for three fingers on the horizon = best bait ever for the dreaded Copper Headed Water Rattler.
    Last edited by TresMon; 11-22-2011 at 07:04 PM.
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    Thanks,
    Tres
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    NOTE: I'm a machinist, gunsmith, writer, and instructor of many outdoor topics looking for gainful employment in any geographical cool place to live. Resumes posted on website.

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  2. #2
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    great topic. I find that with natural occurring baits that if it's easy for me to acquire, it's easy for my target to acquire it. So instead I go with blind sets. A exception would be using rotted meat or fish as a bait. The animals attracted to those baits are not the type of animal that makes good eating. My location is northern michigan.

    On the other hand I've used beaver castor as a lure but in my mind I have to trap a beaver before I get the castor. I have used fresh aspen cuttings for beaver bait especially a under ice set. Beaver is good meat.

  3. #3

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    Great Randy Thanks. Not being a modern trapper myself, care to share with us how we'd get the castor from the beaver if we managed to come up with one when the chips are down?
    ---------------------------------------------
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    Tres
    Website has been updated for 2012!! http://wildernessmeans.com/

    NOTE: I'm a machinist, gunsmith, writer, and instructor of many outdoor topics looking for gainful employment in any geographical cool place to live. Resumes posted on website.

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    The castor is located by the vent one on each side. a beaver is skinned in the round which is a cut from tail to chin. when the skin is peeled back the castor is found by the vent. see photo down below.

    I got to thinking if you're talking natural baits you're probably talking primitive traps. The best I can think of is probably a blind set dead fall with a long horizontal trigger. No bait. I've caught animals in a pit but the labour to dig is excessive in my opinion. What are your thoughts on purely primitive traps?

    here's a photo of some castor drying in my shop.
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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    The memory is kicking in again. The northern indians, probably cree or montagais made a beaver trap very similar to a willow fish trap. It was set in the runs under water. the beaver would get stuck in it and drown. Cordage of some sort would be needed though.

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Why not just set a snare or bird trap? Pict, one of our members that lives in Brazil part time put together a youtube on building an Arapuca bird trap that's pretty easy to build. Either trap would net food with little work. You could gather some wild seeds for the bird trap.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iR_3zWd0hA
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  7. #7

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    Fish head, tail,and guts?...
    Last edited by socom2173; 11-22-2011 at 11:47 PM.

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Gotta have bait to catch the fish. Now what? (this is gonna be a chicken or the egg story, you know that, right?)
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  9. #9

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    You start with worms or insects, gotta work your way up the food chain.
    Last edited by socom2173; 11-22-2011 at 11:51 PM.

  10. #10

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    I tend to start real close to home. First- I bite my nails.
    ---------------------------------------------
    Thanks,
    Tres
    Website has been updated for 2012!! http://wildernessmeans.com/

    NOTE: I'm a machinist, gunsmith, writer, and instructor of many outdoor topics looking for gainful employment in any geographical cool place to live. Resumes posted on website.

    John 14:6
    Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TresMon View Post
    ..........

    Edit: or if you know a way to process naturally occurring stuff while in a primitive camp to make good bait let's here about it too. Example: add three hang-nails, a navel full of lint, 16 dead human skin cells and a dirty look to a bit of creek water and simmer for three fingers on the horizon = best bait ever for the dreaded Copper Headed Water Rattler.
    Really? Does that work? No shut?

    I'm a worm and grub guy my self....to put on the line for fish, then the fish guts and such for baiting other traps or snares.
    Rabbits are also a snare-able meal, baited with greens or willow bark.
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  12. #12

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    Thanks for contributing Hunter. Ribbits eat willow bark. I never knew. Whats your favorite rabbit trap? Just a static snare?
    ---------------------------------------------
    Thanks,
    Tres
    Website has been updated for 2012!! http://wildernessmeans.com/

    NOTE: I'm a machinist, gunsmith, writer, and instructor of many outdoor topics looking for gainful employment in any geographical cool place to live. Resumes posted on website.

    John 14:6
    Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

  13. #13
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    I like snare wire loop, either onevertical on a run ...or ground loop to a spring branch....so translate into homemade cordage if you don't have any wire.

    Willow bark works in the snow best, I have had them gurdle trees and bushes at the snow line when hungry.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
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  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Why not just set a snare or bird trap? Pict, one of our members that lives in Brazil part time put together a youtube on building an Arapuca bird trap that's pretty easy to build. Either trap would net food with little work. You could gather some wild seeds for the bird trap.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iR_3zWd0hA
    Thanks for the linky Rick. I have made box traps in the past, by lashing all the stick together. it only took 400 miles of cordage and 3 hours to do. The way this guy affixes the box, takes minimal cordage and time. Awesome, and I'm a bone head! Thanks again.
    ---------------------------------------------
    Thanks,
    Tres
    Website has been updated for 2012!! http://wildernessmeans.com/

    NOTE: I'm a machinist, gunsmith, writer, and instructor of many outdoor topics looking for gainful employment in any geographical cool place to live. Resumes posted on website.

    John 14:6
    Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

  15. #15
    Senior Member Wise Old Owl's Avatar
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    For Squirrels - Chunky Monkey PB or really hard to find Spanish Peanuts - for color and odor.
    for Woodchucks - cut apples on a bed of lettuce - and I am looking for better suggestions.
    For Mice Simply Fruit - rasberry with seeds and PB
    Snakes - pinks and noisy black crickets
    Skunks & Possums - Solid cat food - or $1 can of Sardines
    “There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”

    Theodore Roosevelt 1907

  16. #16

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    Thanks Wise! The scope here is more of primitive bait you can come up with when the chips are down but thanks for the good info on bait in general!
    What is a "pink" you listed in snake bait?
    ---------------------------------------------
    Thanks,
    Tres
    Website has been updated for 2012!! http://wildernessmeans.com/

    NOTE: I'm a machinist, gunsmith, writer, and instructor of many outdoor topics looking for gainful employment in any geographical cool place to live. Resumes posted on website.

    John 14:6
    Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

  17. #17
    Senior Member Wise Old Owl's Avatar
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    Baby MICE.
    “There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”

    Theodore Roosevelt 1907

  18. #18
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Oh the humanity! I mean, Oh the rodentry! That's just cold.
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  19. #19

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    Well, to keep Rick from getting upset, keep the pinks warm until the snake comes. That way it won't be "cold."

    Thanks for the info OWL.
    ---------------------------------------------
    Thanks,
    Tres
    Website has been updated for 2012!! http://wildernessmeans.com/

    NOTE: I'm a machinist, gunsmith, writer, and instructor of many outdoor topics looking for gainful employment in any geographical cool place to live. Resumes posted on website.

    John 14:6
    Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

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