skunk

[too many things]

lot of knowledge here
how do I catch a skunk? I know a shotgun but . don't want smell it for weeks

[Winger Ed.]

You really don't want to.

As a kid, a buddy had one for a pet. He fed it regular cat food, which it just loved.

If you have a disposable 'have-a-hart' trap, you might bait it with that...… a long way from the house.... maybe a mile or so.

[poppy42]

Live catch in a box trap. If you approach quietly and cautiously there’s a chance they won’t spray. I’ve done it many times without getting sprayed. They need their hind feet on the ground to be able to spray you. If you have to dispatch one don’t shoot it in the head! A 22 to the heart and you stand a much better chance of them not releasing their scent. It ain’t easy but it can be done. good luck, glad I don’t have to deal with them anymore!

[Minerat]

Live catch trap with a blanket over it, baited with cat food. You should then gently and quietly pickup the trap without disturbing it too much to make it spray. Then stick a hose from your running cars tailpipe under the blanket and gas it.

[country gent]

I don't know of a surefire way. The live trap will catch it and a blanket or small trap over it may contain it if it does. We tried live trapping them at times but they almost always sprayed, I think the traps springing was enough to cause them to spray.

If you can find their den then trap them there away from house and buildings. Best is if you can find whats attracting them and do away with that.

[454PB]

Back when I lived out in the sticks, we had a terrible infestation of skunks. For a while, we just put up with the smell, but I finally had enough and declared war. Over a period of several months, I killed dozens of them, all by shooting. Everyone that knew of my plight had their own suggestions on how to do it without "the smell". I tried them all, little guns (22's) on up through shotguns, body shots, head shots, end to end, and nothing worked consistently. Sometimes you're lucky and sometimes your not.

[Gofaaast]

If neck shot they will not spray 90% of the time.

[lefty o]

good time to practice your 1000yd marksmanship.

[Three44s]

They are spraying anyway, what do you have to lose?

My wife killed two with one shot and no spray (before we were married) with her favorite long gun .... a Rem 870 12 ga. I told her how to set them up with cat food for an attractant and a big walnut tree for a back stop. Her trouble light hung from her clothes line and was powered from inside her house. She stood on her deck in the darkness with the skunks head and tail side by side.

She almost chickened out on killing them as she had not killed anything of any significance but as she pondered the situation she remembered how they had sprayed her beloved Border Collie so many times and kept her from sleeping many hours.

You could set up that scenario a hundred times more and probably have them spray each and every time but then again, it would be their last!

The trap idea is fine until you slip up and you get sprayed. That is why I would rather they sprayed at a place of my choosing with lead.

Three44s

[AllanD]

There is a family story about the time one of my uncles shot a skunk he saw near the henhouse in the late 1950's . my grandfather believed the easy way to train everyone to the idea that all guns should be treated as loaded, was to actually have them loaded, but anyway the easiest to access firearm to my uncle at the time was a Remington model 11, one that unfortunately had a sensitive trigger, but in any event...

In his words: every time he shot it "twitched" and of course every time it "twitched" he shot it again! and he emptied the magazine on it while it tried to escape across a Slate flagstone patio.

By the time he was done shooting what was left of the skunk would have easily passed through a coffee filter and aggravatingly to my grandmother, propelled most of the atomized debris onto the laundry that
was out hung out to dry...

[Southern Son]

Do you know of any local neighbourhood kids who ain't real bright?

[lightman]

I've caught a few in live traps. I attach a rope to the trap before setting it so I can drag it away from the house. Another rope rigged up so I can open the door from a distance to release it and a 22 takes care of the problem. Skunks, Possums and Coons ofter visit the back porch where we feed the birds.

[trapper9260]

Set a body grip in a box with bait in the back .No problem. if the strip is full and perfect there is a market on it. I take them when I get them in the trap. You canuse a 160 or 220 body grip. Or like some say a cage trap. then just put the trap in a barrel under water. Or gas them.in the cage trap.

[Texas by God]

They can’t spray you if you hold them by the tail. Be careful and approach from upwind. Good Luck!

[Winger Ed.]

They can’t spray you if you hold them by the tail. Be careful and approach from upwind. Good Luck!

I never had any faith in it (Mostly because they are almost blind), but a Mexican fella I used to know was totally convinced:
You could show them a hand full of dirt, and they'd follow you so you could lead the little devil away from your place.

[square butte]

I took 21 out of the yard here this last summer and fall - All caught in squirrel (gray) size live traps using crunchy Jiff peanut butter. Pin the trap down using inner tube rubber as a mat under the trap so they would not claw up a ton of dirt though the bottom and sides of the trap. The trap will fit nicely in a large plastic tote full of water. Tote sitting two feet from the trap. Lay a plastic kitchen trash bag over the top of the trap when you walk up. Un-pin the trap with channel lock pliers being careful not to expose the varmint to you - Then dispatch in tote. Smelly business - but bet that lots of live skunks running around causing all sorts of trouble.

[BamaNapper]

I remember back a lot of years in Boy Scouts. A skunk walked into one of our large squad tents at night. One of the adults there had his act together. He doused the other lamp and grabbed a tight beam flashlight. Shined it in front of the skunk and walked the skunk out of the tent and away from the camp, walking behind it all the way. Honest, I watched him do it. I was flippin' amazed. Like mentioned, poor eyesight. They will follow the bright spot. Not sure if that thought helps or not. Maybe lead them into a garbage bag, tie it shut, and truck them out of town.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I have used the live trap and walked up with a blanket i was going after a raccoon but I got a skunk anyway I walked up with a blanket put it over the trap then I opened up the door part way stuck a short piece of 2x4 in the door and ran like hell he did spray but only after he was in the Neighbor's yard

[too many things]

ok guys thanks I will take chance on oo buck shot will let you all know
most are black with white stripe this is the other way
I do know there has to be 2 + but only seen this one

[Winger Ed.]

ok guys thanks I will take chance on oo buck shot will let you all know

I was hoping you'd try the flashlight or dirt thing.