horse hoof trimmings?

[chuck88]

I seem to remember earlier this year that someone was talking about wanting horse hoof trimmings to use for something but i don't think it was ever specified. well last time the ferrier came out and trimmed up 2 of our horses our dog was on the trimmings like crazy, well being the fact is was raining this morning our dog was staying inside the house and we had 4 horses over at our house getting done. well after the ferrier and everyone left I went out and picked up 2 large handfulls of the big trimming peices thinking they might be usefull on a trapline, anyone ever used anything like that? and if not how do you think they would best be used?

[chuck88]

well I got a ziploc bag full of that nice smelling stuff, frog scrapings, hoof pieces, and everything else a horse steps in,lol. now the question is do I freeze it? or leave it in a bag in the shed? and do I use it like any bait and just toss the stuff in the bottom of a dirthole or is there any preparing to the stuff?

[deerhunter65347]

There is a nelsons bait formula for the clippings. I will see if i can find it for you.

[deerhunter65347]

Well that was a bust couldnt find it. But what i do know is it says to boil clippings in water. The clippings they recommend is the ones closest to the frog. Then after this boils for about a hour to put it in a jar and leave the lid loose. It will build up gas and blow off the lid. Once the clippings turn to a liquid form use it in a squirt bottle to add at sets. It will have to be thined to use it in a squirt bottle i like using it in a paste but to each his own. It works but i havnt used it in a long time. As i have no horses any more. But i know that something else was added to it but it will work just fine on its own. Works best on coyotes. Now i remember it was tonquin musk. I dont know if its still available.

[chuck88]

boil for a hour? thats a long time,lol. after I boil do I strain it to jar it? or put it in with the water included? and lets say my wife goes to work at 8:30 am and I boil it on the stove will she know what I done when she gets off work at 2pm? or is this something better done on the grill outside? all I know is my dog realy likes it and will eat the dirt off the barn floor to get it all cleaned up.

[deerhunter65347]

It takes a long boil to break down the clippings and they will still not be broke down all the way. But after setting for a while they will turn to mush. You had better do it out side because the smell that comes off will gag a maggot. You will see how limber they get after boiling. But dont strain it. You want all those nasty smells in place. I think the only thing you have to worry about is if there are fido's running around your area that you trap because you will catch every one of them. No joke its that good!!!!

[muellerfurco]

this is one of my favorate lures.i let it age with some taintd castors mixed in.my best set with it is atrench dug in front of a sapling about an inch and a half around.i like it to be a little on the springy side ,not solid.at about 12 and 14 inches up,i cut 2 small ledges faseing up.then i take a catsup bottle and pour a very small amount,starting out at about 16 inchs up.whenever it starts to leak past the bottem ledge,i quit.this way,they will likely rub against it and not roll.by keeping the lure up high,i feel that you will miss most possums.

[barkstone]

This is an old bait recipe given to me by a retired Texas Government Trapper. It has been used for years in Texas for a coyote bait/call lure. It was originally used by foothold trappers but was also used extensively with Critter Getters, Coyote Guns, and other types of pull poison guns.

My granddad and other trappers made this bait, because the base was easy to come by and it worked very well for them. It will last forever, all you have to do once you have made your original batch is add water to replace the amount that you have taken out to use.

How to make TEXAS HORSE HOOF BAIT.

First you need to get with your local farrier (horseshoer) and have him save you his trimming. The best part of the hoof to use is the part closest to the frog, which is located nearest the center of the hoof. But any part of the hoof will work.

Next you need to cut hooves into pieces. This requires a good pair of hoof nippers or a good set of limb shears. Cut the hoof into approximately one inch pieces, but any size that will fit into the container that you plan to use to store the bait in is fine.

Next find an old pot that you don’t plan on using for any household use. I use one that I boil deer, sheep and cattle skulls. A propane fish cooker is also a good thing to have when doing this because it should be done outside, or you will be sleeping with the dogs outside also.

After you have found your pot and fish cooker. Take the hooves and pieces, cover them with about 2 to 4 quarts of water, allowing them to set overnight. Then using the fish cooker, OUTSIDE, boil the hooves for an hour or two, more water should be added to keep the hooves well covered. Once you have decided they have boiled long enough, the water should have a color of ice tea, cut off the heat and allow to cool.

Once cool put in the container you plan to use to age the lure in, and add enough water to bring the level to approximately four-fifths full. Place this container in full sun and allow to age. Place the container away from the house. I use the roof of an outbuilding or an old abandoned building for this, also take care that no animals can get to it Leave the lid on loose, so the gasses can escape, but no so loose that flies can get into it.

One method I have used in the past to make an aging lid for a container is to take a screw on valve stem, drill a hole into the lid so it will fit in snuggly, and attach it to the lid with a nut. Then take the valve core out and drill a small hole in the cap. Once you have done this take caulk or silicone and put on the inside, outside and around the cap. This will keep the flies from blowing the lure.

Another method is to take a 3 or 4 foot piece of one quarter inch plastic air conditioning hose and drill a hole in the lid, put the A/C hose through the lid and silicone the hose on the inside and outside to the lid. Then take a 2 liter soft drink bottle lid and drill a hole in it so the hose will fit snuggly. Fill the 2 liter bottle, three quarters full of water, attach the lid, making sure that the end of the hose is under the water level.

Using either of the above methods will insure that the flies will not blow your lure and the gasses can escape.

Allow the bait to age until it has a very dark, almost black color. Once it has reached this point it can be stored in a cool dark place until use. This lure is like fine wine, the longer it sets the better it gets. Once you remove some of the liquid for use on your trapline, refill the bottle with water and allow it to start aging again.

How to use this on your trapline? It can be used in a dirthole set, with a squirt of the fluid in the dirthole, covered with a wad of grass, or on a piece of wool. It can be used with a flat set, squirted on the backing as an call lure.

If you have a endless supply of hooves you can use a piece of the hoof in the dirthole along with the fluid. Some trappers like to add a drop or two of skunk essences to the lure to change it up, but I think it is loud enough with out it.

The reaction to this lure by coyotes is digging, they will dig out your dirt hole two or three times larger than it was originally.

This is an excellent change up lure for coyote, badgers, or coon. It works for any furbear that is attracted to tainted baits or loud lures. Make up a batch and give it a try, but be warned this stuff is strong and loud. Do not spill any in your home or vechile, or like I said before you will be sleeping with dogs.
_________________________
Good Luck and God Bless you and yours,

bulletbox,
TEXAS

[barkstone]

A word of caution. They will roll all over this if used straight. I would advise using it in a step down dirt hole, a deep one at that.

[deerhunter65347]

Good stuff to be sure!

[barkstone]

Some how I had hoped more the just DH would have seen this post.

[shooter06]

Great post Barkstone! Seems like a pretty simple procedure and a great change up.

[chuck88]

Aug 23, 2008 21:31:30 GMT -6 @barkstone said:

Some how I had hoped more the just DH would have seen this post.

don't worry I seen it to ;D as a matter of fact I got my wifes best pan filled with water and horse trimmings not realy but I did get a old woreout pan from her and have the trimmings soaking and will boil using a fire in the morning,

[deerhunter65347]

Chuck you will notice very quick how the coyotes love this stuff boil it a couple hours before dark. Then let it set and cool over night just remember to keep the rifle handy as the yotes will come looking. You will see!

[stryker777]

Finally a good use for our horses lol. I think I will try this out today. It is about time to trim them all up.
Thanks Barkstone.

[chuck88]

well i have mine in a jar and put it in side a cage trap and set it out behind our machine shed where it can get good sun, well my crazy dog dang near ran a circle around it yesterday and was barking at whining trying to figure out how to get it. then last night when I pulled in the driveway I seen a skunk that was about 10 ft from the cage which our fence row is a natural path for every skunk in the county so I don't know if it was interested in the smell or just passing through like normal.

[stryker777]

I was wondering if goat hoofs would work too? It is a little more meaty than horse. The inlaws have a bunch of goats and trimming this week.

[segsarge]

Barkstone is correct in that this is a lure that was used out West by the old time "wolfers" years ago. I don't see why it wouldn't still work today. Back when we had horses and trimmed them the smell was really rotten. and it did cause a reaction in our dogs to roll on the trimmings. As for the lure formula the one above sounds to me like it would work. If you can find some of the writings from the early 1900's up thru the 1930's about those guys you might find some more formulas. But they were pretty tight lipped about their business and didn't pass on "secrets" that often. Lots of history here along with a lure that sounds like a great change up.

[tcrooks]

Chuck , that was me that was asking for them you can do as posted , but there is a better why than just that , but thats my 1 secret that goes nowhere. LOL

Yes it will cause an extreme digging reaction in K9's.

I've offered before that anyone who will send me trimmings I will send them a bottle of the fixed material to try. I lost my supplier last year and can't find anyone to collect them for me now. I've asked 3 farriers around here and offered to pay them , but they say it isn't worth thier time to collect them for me. I guess times just haven't gotten tough enough for them yet.

[tctrppr]

I knew an old timer that still used horse hoof lure back in the 60's. He got his trimmimgs from my grandpa, and cooked them over a wood fire when he was making his other "bait" ( feral cat meat). He would sit a gallon jug of that stuff on the roof of his outbuilding, covered in cheesecloth to age for a few weeks in the sun, untill it turned black and evil-looking, and stored it in old well-rinsed squirt top bottles for use. That stuff would make a freight train take a dirt road.

I swear, skunks and possums would come on a dead run for that stuff. If you could keep the grinners and stinkers out of your traps, it would catch fox, too.

It worked real good for squirting down the defroster duct of the school principal's car, too.

Or so I'm told.................................................. ;D