A friend of mine is raising a Whitetail buck and we have been using the urine as a lure. So far we are using fresh urine, but would like to possibly add a preservative to it in order to keep it fresh longer. Does anyone know what is used to preserve it? Thanks for the info.

Rem700Fan,

Good question. Since the composition of urine [in general] is primarily URIC ACID, the catchy thing to do is to keep it in its existing state so that the bio-matter within it does not break down thus turning it into ammoniates.

I have to break open some books in the back office library, lemme get back to you on that.

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Best regards,
Alex

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! - Benjamin Franklin 1759

Who and how do you collect it?

most of the stuff has an experation date, it usually smells a hell of a lot worse after a season

Alex, Thanks, any information on preservatives would be very helpful. I work in a food manufacturing plant and can get many different food preservatives. I just do not know what one to try that will work with urine. Our wives through a fit at the idea of keeping it the refrigerator.
Longbob, I knew someone would ask that. We have noticed that when the buck gets up from bedding down he will urinate usually within 5 minutes or so. We just hang out in the pen with a large plastic cup attached to a broom handle.
Bill, We just want to preserve it for a couple of weeks, not years. It is a real pain to collect it at 3:00 in the morning before going out hunting.
One other thing we have noticed is that deer defacate alot. by counting piles of droppings, we figure he averages about 32 times a day. The pen is cleaned daily and droppings fill about half of a 5 gallon bucket.

[This message has been edited by Rem700fan (edited 09-29-2001).]

"We just hang out in the pen with a large plastic cup attached to a broom handle." Ahh, the ten foot pole.

Rem700Fan,

I've looked around and have been unsuccessful in ascertaining the information for preserving urine in general. Urine in itself is a complex compound comprised of Urea, Uric Acid, Proteins and food molecules [both bio-matter]. A very low temperature freeze [sub-zero] would only serve a �short term� approach. Chemicals typically used to keep ammoniates from forming a short term as well.

Since you are intending to use this urine as a lure, you may want to consider an alternative approach. There is a chemical compound advertised on http://www.buckmagic.com that is suppose to serve as an alternative to urine. I cannot vouch for its effectiveness or fitness.

I suspect that the vendor of this product [assuming they are using actual urine] would separate some of the volatile components and then evaporate the remaining water. Since this is way beyond the scope of my paycheck, I am afraid I am unable to offer more at this time, but good luck, and let us know if you findings. Good luck.

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Best regards,
Alex

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! - Benjamin Franklin 1759

Alex,

That is a pretty cool quote from Ben Franklin.

I just cut, pasted and sent it to a few frineds,

Bill

Rem700fan:

Can't say I understand the rewards of using buck urine. It is a challenge scent that only upsets the buck. Doe urine, from does in estrus, is what attracts bucks during the rut.

The urine contains many different chemicals but the pheramones are the attractors. There is a controversy between competing manufacturers as to how long the "attractor" lasts. I have heard some say it dissipates in 15 minutes and others say it lasts for the season.

You probably will not discover the additive to use to "preserve" the desired constituents. But - "some" - manufacturers claim they have synthetic scents that work as well as natural scents. Others dispute that claim. The addition of preservatives will only dilute the urine. Best to leave it alone and natural.

The urine quality is affected by the animal its age, what it eats, its health condition.

One prevalent claim is that the urine should be kept in an amber, glass bottle to preserve its strength. The urine should be capped immediately upon collection to prevent the evaporation of the molecules of scent.

You may want to work a little bit more on your scent strategy.

Some applications of the scent would be to spread it using boot scent pads, walking the appropriate configuration. And hanging a thermally activated drip bottle at an active scrape. The daytime/nighttime temperature differential activates the 'dripping". This also changes a nocturnal bucks habits to daytime.

Scenty types:

Territorial:
Hunger scents and food scents:
Curiosity scents:
Sex scents:
Challenge type scents: ( buck urine ) in category with territorial scents.
Cover scents:

Bucks will come right up over a hill and make a bee line to the scents. They will stick their nose right up to the hanging scent.

Good luck

Kendall

Upon reflection I feel obligated to point out a rather unpleasant aspect of collecting and storing deer urine.

Coliform bacteria and possible other bacteria. Coliform is potentially hazardous to your health. The bacteria will multiply into the millions and billions in a day or two. The bottle will be literally swarming. You can arrest the growth by pasteurizing the urine to kill all bacteria. You surely don't want to use chlorine.

I can't tell you what the effect of heat will be on the product. Alternately you can freeze the urine. But you should probably reach an accommodation with your wife first!

Good Luck. This project sounds a little dubious with mixed results.

Kendall

Rem700fan,

I trust you wash your hands before going to work

1894, I wash my hands before going back in the house.
Thanks to everyone for their input. I think we will try freezing the stuff. At least while it is warm enough outside to melt it.