Need advice about a skunk

[RickinTN]

Hello all,
Not sure this is the appropriate place to post this but here goes. I'm trying to avoid a "smelly" situation with a skunk under the crawl space of my house. The crawl space door opens into my garage. Last night I left the crawlspace door and garage door open for a couple of hours hoping he would take the opportunity to escape. I heard him scratching at the door, and thought he would be anxious to exit but he apparently turned shy when the door was open. I could shoot him, but I'm thinking that is a sure way to smell things up for a while. Apparently he and other critters try to burrow under the duct work from the central ac units at each end of the house. There is a ledge around these units and then it drops about 30" to the ground below. I'm thinking they have no problem jumping down but just can't make it back up to the ledge to exit. Here shortly I'm going to attempt to place a 2x6 leaned from the floor to the ledge to allow his escape but I'm a little nervous with us both being there together (wish me luck on this one). Any experienced skunk guys or ladies here? Any ideas on how to solve the situation?
Thanks in advance,
Rick

[runfiverun]

leave him a trail of potato chips to follow, they love them.

[Cosmiceyes]

Hello all,
Not sure this is the appropriate place to post this but here goes. I'm trying to avoid a "smelly" situation with a skunk under the crawl space of my house. The crawl space door opens into my garage. Last night I left the crawlspace door and garage door open for a couple of hours hoping he would take the opportunity to escape. I heard him scratching at the door, and thought he would be anxious to exit but he apparently turned shy when the door was open. I could shoot him, but I'm thinking that is a sure way to smell things up for a while. Apparently he and other critters try to burrow under the duct work from the central ac units at each end of the house. There is a ledge around these units and then it drops about 30" to the ground below. I'm thinking they have no problem jumping down but just can't make it back up to the ledge to exit. Here shortly I'm going to attempt to place a 2x6 leaned from the floor to the ledge to allow his escape but I'm a little nervous with us both being there together (wish me luck on this one). Any experienced skunk guys or ladies here? Any ideas on how to solve the situation?
Thanks in advance,
Rick
A skunk/cat are easy to tame.If you wonder close ,but slow so they get used to you.You can feed them something,and then walk away.They will follow you.Like to where the neighbors dogs will see,and chase them away.No need to tell him anything about his dogs smell.He'll figure out something. :)'s

[nhrifle]

If you can figure out a way to block his entrance to your duct work, bait him with bird seed. My wife used to leave the stuff in the porch and we got every skunk for miles. Do not, repeat do not shoot him under your house. That's a bomb you don't want, don't ask how I know. I prefer to let them be at peace, since they don't really hurt anything and are just looking for something to eat. I will not tolerate one that makes my house one of his marking points. If you have to shoot him, they don't go down hard, just get a solid neck or head shot. Make sure he is hit away from your house. Allow time for his final expression to dissipate and then retrieve the body and dispose of it far from your house. Think it smells bad now? Just wait till four days post mortem.

[gbrown]

Try mothballs. Get a pack and try to throw them into the area as far as you can. Works well with rats, squirrels, possums, etc. What a lot of exterminators use to drive out pests that get into the attics through soffit vents. Might have to use a couple of packs.

[RickinTN]

Left the crawl space door and the garage door open all night. Apparently Mr. Skunk (or Ms.) decided all was clear and left. I'll remember the birdseed and potato chip tips for the next time if there is one.
Thanks all,
Rick

[contender1]

Well, I deal with animals daily, including skunks.
First, allowing a place for them to exit on their own, such as a board etc will allow them to escape IF they are trapped there. Locally, we have a resort community where the trash cans are mostly buried. Skunks get in the cans often, and a good sized limb allows them to crawl out safely, (for everyone.)
Skunks eat a lot of different stuff,, so baits are easy. Birdseed will work but will attract mice etc. Not recommended. Just don't use anything that cats & dogs like, as they will find it first.

MOTHBALLS DO NOT WORK ON ANIMALS UNLESS YOU PUT ENOUGH OF THEM OUT TO BE LETHAL TO EVERYTHING, INCLUDING HUMANS. Most reputable pest control agencies do NOT use them. Their effectiveness is an old wives tale.

Do NOT try & tame them. They are notable rabies vectors. Not good.

All of this is offered for free. I'm a state certified Animal Damage Control Agent. I do this for a living.

[RickinTN]

Contender,
Thanks for the info. I did leave a 2x6 as a ramp to make it easier for him to get into the garage. I may place one on each end of the house where they seem to be getting in to make it easier on them in the future and maybe I won't have the problem again. Not to worry...I have no intentions of befriending a skunk. I leave them alone, and as long as they do the same we're all happy. I would shoot one if necessary but prefer to leave them alone as I understand they are only trying to make a living.
Thanks again,
Rick

[WILCO]

Any ideas on how to solve the situation?
Thanks in advance,
Rick

Hi Rick! This is one of those topics I no longer consult on:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?197427-OOPS!-My-bad

Hope it works out for you.

[dakotashooter2]

Contender,
Thanks for the info. I did leave a 2x6 as a ramp to make it easier for him to get into the garage. I may place one on each end of the house where they seem to be getting in to make it easier on them in the future and maybe I won't have the problem again. Not to worry...I have no intentions of befriending a skunk. I leave them alone, and as long as they do the same we're all happy. I would shoot one if necessary but prefer to leave them alone as I understand they are only trying to make a living.
Thanks again,
Rick

NO NO NO. You don't leave an invitation for them to come back........ That's a good way to get a whole family under there........

[RickinTN]

NO NO NO. You don't leave an invitation for them to come back........ That's a good way to get a whole family under there........
Not leaving it for a way for them to get in....they have already figured that part out. Leaving them from the floor of the crawl space back up to the ledge so they can get out once in.

[Charley]

Well, I deal with animals daily, including skunks.
First, allowing a place for them to exit on their own, such as a board etc will allow them to escape IF they are trapped there. Locally, we have a resort community where the trash cans are mostly buried. Skunks get in the cans often, and a good sized limb allows them to crawl out safely, (for everyone.)
Skunks eat a lot of different stuff,, so baits are easy. Birdseed will work but will attract mice etc. Not recommended. Just don't use anything that cats & dogs like, as they will find it first.

MOTHBALLS DO NOT WORK ON ANIMALS UNLESS YOU PUT ENOUGH OF THEM OUT TO BE LETHAL TO EVERYTHING, INCLUDING HUMANS. Most reputable pest control agencies do NOT use them. Their effectiveness is an old wives tale.

Do NOT try & tame them. They are notable rabies vectors. Not good.

All of this is offered for free. I'm a state certified Animal Damage Control Agent. I do this for a living.

I'm an entomologist, and work in the pest management industry as well. DON'T USE MOTHBALLS! As Contender said, they can cause all sorts of undesirable side effects. EPA ( a bad word to most people) is looking hard at renewing registered uses, and California is attacking it as well. Many pesticide manufacturers are replacing PDB with other active ingredients in anticipation of losing the product. Quite a few animal repellents have been reformulated. I wouldn't use it in or under my house...

[docone31]

I have used dried Coyote Urine on several entrances of skunks here. They, and the 'dillos left. I got this stuff in the hardware store. Comes in a shaker can.
I can only imagine, following a Coyote around, with a baggie. Not my gig, but the stuff worked.

[buckwheatpaul]

I would locate a live trap. Tie a long rope (10 ft) to the nondoor end of the trap. Bait with sardines. When they get in the trap and trip the door throw a blanket over the trap. You can now transport the critter to the closest stream and let nature take its course......I generally use welders gloves while wrapping the thrown blanket over the trap.....

[dale2242]

I have live trapped several skunks.
Dry cat food as bait will work every time.
The "cover the cage with a blanket" trick worked 2 out of 3 times.
Don`t let anyone tell you a skunk can`t turn it`s butt and squirt sideways from a narrow cage. Luckily I was wearing coveralls and had the blanket between the skunk and I that caught the most of it.

Have a container of water, deep enough to completely submerge the cage.
I don`t bother the skunks that live near my house as they don`t hurt a thing....dale

[square butte]

Set your medium (small enough so the skunk cannot get his tail up) sized live trap inside a heavy duty black trash bag with one end of the trap facing toward the open end of the trash bag. You will need to prop open the open end of the bag. Make sure the trap is pushed into the bag far enough that when the time comes you will be able to close the bag and twist tie it over the trap with your skunk. Transport to nearest water of depth. Cut two slits in the side and top of the bag and set the trap inside of the bag into water deep enough to submerge the trap. Slits will allow the bag to fill with water.

[contender1]

Many folks here have mentioned drowning skunks as a way of dispatching them. Yes, it's effective, HOWEVER,, let me add a few things.
In some states, a PERMIT is needed to trap any animal OUT OF SEASON, even on your own property. Usually there is NO CHARGE for the permit.
Next, while it's perfectly legal to set a trap that is a drowning type, (foot hold at the edge of the water with a slide wire into the water,) it can also be ILLEGAL to drown a caged animal. No, I don't understand the logic here, but it's the law in NC.

Next, do NOT do anything you would not want videoed & aired on the 6 0'clock news, with a PETA commentary.

[deep creek]

I use plastic catch box traps ,dry cat food works good. they cant spray you in the trap.I also use a 120 conibear body grip if no other animals are around.If you can fill the hole with small gravel they get tired of it caving in while digging and leave.

[contender1]

The problem with using cat food or sardines etc is you can catch a lot of "non-target" animals. (A big no-no if you catch the missus pet cat!) Then there is the coons, possums etc you can catch. I never use such baits,,,!

[deep creek]

I use the cat food but if need be i use SFE syenthetic fermented egg on big marshmallows works good.you can release a bad catch in the plastic catch.