Creating Your Own Scents for Training and other tips
Next time you pick up a bottle of rabbit scent ask yourself, am I getting what I pay for? Most commercial scents are watered down, so you don't really get a concentrated scent. Years ago I used to raise my own rabbits and often was asked by a couple of buddies that raised beagles for such things as feet, hides, and bladders and such when I butchered my rabbits. You can make your own scent simpily and easily. :idea: Take one rabbit bladder, Open it up and place bladder and contents in a quart jar. Add one cup of plain vegetable or extra virgin olive oil. Place lid on the jar and shake daily for one week. Remove the bladder. Use a couple of drops of this scented oil on your "bait" The oil keeps the scent from evaporating away. Cooercial scents evaporate quickley especially on a hot day. The oil in the homemade scent will stick to the ground and blades of grass etc... Another trick I learned along the way is to take the rabbit feet and or hide and tie it to a good stought fishing line. Use your rod and reel to throw the "lure" away from where you have been. You carry your own scent into the woods when you drag the lure across to create a line. But this way you throw the line away from you 50 to 75 feet and reel it into where you are standing. You can hide the lure etc,, there then take the dog to where you threw the scented lure. They will start on a line that has not been tainted by your human scent. Reward them for finding the "Rabbit" You can only use a fresh hide for a few days before it starts to go bad. BUt you can take a piece of chamois and place the scent on that and use it over and over again. Be sure to place it in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. Use latex gloves when handling the chamois, this is to prevent cross contamination of your scent with the homemade rabbit scent yu place on the chamios. remember with the homemade scent only a few drops are needed and it last a long time. Once you have the oil jar started you only have to add fresh oil as needed and a new bladder and urine about once per year.