Laboratory tests showed that the volatile flavor components of unprocessed rice are attractive to Philippine ricefield rats (Rattus rattus mindanensis). These results suggested that a Synthetic bait attractant could be made if the important volatiles in rice were identified. To identify the compounds, ground rice was tumbled at 50 °C in a modified rotary evaporator while helium swept the volatiles into a liquid nitrogen trap coated with dibutyl phthalate. The dibutyl phthalate solution containing the volatiles was analyzed by combination capillary-column gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Altogether, 73 compounds were identified, including alcohols, aldehydes, alkyl aromatics, furans, ketones, terpenes, and naphthalenes. The structural types of another 31 compounds were indicated. Of the 73 compounds identified, only 9 have been previously reported in unprocessed rice and 54 have never been reported in any unprocessed cereal grain.

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Several chemical modifications of a synthetic fermented egg (SFE) lure were field tested on free-ranging coyotes (Canis latrans) to determine the effects of odor intensity and quality on their behavioral responses. SFE was modified for testing by (1) enhancing one of the four basic odor components (fruity, sulfurous, sweaty, or fishy), (2) deleting one of the basic components, (3) individually testing an odor component, and (4) addition of aldehydes and indoles to SFE. Most behavioral responses, especially visitation, increased with odor intensity. Widely different odors elicited similar visitation. Specific odor quality influenced response rates such as urinating, defecating, digging, scratching, rolling, and pulling.

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A standardized evaluation method was developed and used to compare statistically the efficacy and selectivity of predatory animal lures. A modified scentstation technique included one or more lines with 100 or more stations each, which were placed along unpaved roads in four states. The exposure of 47 255 perforated plastic capsules containing candidate attractants during a 28-month period yielded 8091 coyote visits and 9474 behavioral responses. Data were obtained on nine additional carnivore species and eleven other animal taxa. Analyses of coyote data indicated significant differences in visit rates and behavioral responses in several categories, including biting and pulling up the lure capsules. Comparisons of mean coyote visit rates for all test lures indicated that DRC-6500, a concentrated synthetic equivalent of a fermented egg synthesized by Denver Center personnel, was the best attractant in nearly all tests. The scent-station technique appears to be reliable for evaluating the relative attractiveness of lures. Comparisons of candidate samples to a base attractant and the resulting indexes will allow animal damage control personnel and researchers to field test the efficacy of candidate lures.

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