OOPS! My bad...............

[WILCO]

Was asked how to deal with a skunk in a live trap. Answer given involved standing behind a bed sheet and draping it over the cage to prevent being sprayed.

Advice was acted upon. Skunk sprayed immediately when sheet was drapped.

I've now added Skunk Tactics to the list of topics I no longer consult on.

The revised list reads as follows:

1) Skunk Tactics.
2) Women.
3) High altitude fireworks at low altitudes.
4) Women.

Will update accordingly.

[smoked turkey]

Pretty good list I'd say. You sound like a man that speaks from experience on at least three of the mentioned topics. I will take your word on #1 & #3. I have enough experience on your #s 2 & 4 to totally agree.

[km101]

List looks good to me. I would add red headed women to the list. Maybe at the top of the list! Also on MY list is: using dynamite to fish!

[oldred]

Man walking along beach finds lamp, rubs lamp Gennie appears. (well what else would you expect?)

Gennie: I have been freed, what is your wish master?

Man: Wow, I have always wanted to go to Hawaii but the ships no longer sail and I'm afraid to fly, would you build me a bridge across the ocean to Hawaii?

Gennie: Some things are just too darn difficult even for a Gennie, don't you have an easier request?

Man: Well I was always unlucky with women, would you grant me the ability to understand women?

Gennie: Rubs his chin for a moment in deep thought and then asks, do you want that bridge to be two lane or four lane?

[x101airborne]

When I was young, I asked my dad why women were so hard to figure. His response was.....
"Son, only women understand women and they all hate each other."
I have not found any flaw in that statement in over 25 years of hunting them.

[backroad]

What's your advice on removeing the smell of skunk.

[Phoenix]

My father told me quite a long time ago that if putting out a live trap that could catch a skunk to tie a rope to the trap so you can drag the trap off from a distance just in case you catch a skunk. I didn't listen at first. I learned the hard way that it was better to do so. From then on I always tie something to the trap. My live catch traps if flipped over the door will open. So if I want to release it I just pull the rope sideways and roll the trap over. Otherwise you can drag the trap off to an out of the way place to keep the dogs away from it until you dispose of it.

Good list.

[Johnch]

What's your advice on removeing the smell of skunk.

1 new box of baking soda
1 quart of peroxide
1 big squeaze of dish soap

Mix in a glass or plastic pan
MUST be mixed just before using

Work into the cloth , the cage, the dog , the car ....what ever
Wait 10-15 min. and wash off

I have de skunked the dog and my truck before

John

[41 mag fan]

Wilco...that sounds like a stinky situation you got yourself in there!

I will add this though...from the school of hard knocks...
don't shoot a skunk in your front yard, esp when the breeze is blowing towards the house.
Couple of years ago, had a wounded skunk in front yard. Shot him with .22.
Didn't know, when they die they spray.

Had to consult with wife...actually I listened to her and said yes dear....
Would've rather smelled the skunk than had to sit and listen to wife.

[GaryN]

I get a few skunks every year. I only had one that didn't spray when it died. Can't stand the things.

[Charley]

You need a heavier tarp or a plastic sheet, something that will block the light. If the skunk can't see/sense movement, it is much less likely to get defensive and spray. Hold the sheet in front of you, and sloooowly move up to the trap. Sloooowly drape the tarp over the trap. Any other way, and you're going to be smelling like skunk for a while.

[bear67]

I have had good luck draping a wool blanket over the live trap with skunk enclose.--but there are no absolutes in life.

My wife used to teach and then was director in an outdoor learning center for a local school district where the students spent 4 days and 3 nights in residence learning history, science and an introduction to the outdoors. They would put out a live trap and trap racoons and then let them go the next morning. Some of these were used to being trapped and got in the trap, just for the free meal.
She called me one morning and they had a big boar raccoon and a stripped swamp kitty captured in the same trap together. And let me tell you that was one mad skunk and one bedraggled coon. I did not know the skunk had that much mal-smell in his body. Could not get close enough to open the door, so I dispatched both of them with a .22 and left the trap for a couple days. Thank goodness, it rained and diluted the problem a bit, but was still a smelly job to dispose of. I used to get lots of calls like this that I did not necessarily want but the WHIO I live with volunteers or assigns to me.

I have heard that dogs go to a doggy heaven, but since that raccoon lived He** on earth, maybe he earned a special place in animal heaven.

[willie_pete]

Now I am the first to admit I'm not much of an outdoorsman; but which of those two animals thought " I'd like to get in there and say hello to that funny looking thing "?

WP

[Hickory]

I have had good luck draping a wool blanket over the live trap with skunk enclose.--but there are no absolutes in life.

No matter how ratty the wool blanket, I don't think I'd run
the risk of ruining it with skunk spray.
Wool blankets seem to get more broke in with years and use.

[firefly1957]

And shooting them in the head does not stop them from spraying either in fact i hit one with a 1 5/8 load of #5 shot full choke barrel completely removed head and it sprayed all around! They also spray with the tail down if agitated another myth that stinks. There is another thread here on the subject and someone said when dipping the trap with skunk leave them under water a half hour to be sure they will not spray. So far i have not got one in a live trap i have shot quite a few and caught some in leg hold trap and best trap for them is the conibear but i can no longer use them as i have a dog again. ( I had a funny experience with a cat in a conibear feral cats are tough critters the trap did not kill it)

[Taylor]

Leave skunks alone!!! Don't mess with skunks!

[TXGunNut]

Next time tell them to hose it down with cold water so it will curl up to stay warm and not spray. Try to get over there and watch the show from a safe distance. :wink: Come to think of it a fogging spray from a firehose would knock down the skunk's spray and wash it away. Firemen are always up for a little entertainment.

[TreeKiller]

Shot one in a live trap with a Aguila Super Colibri with a rifle. Held the barrel between the wires of the chage and shot it in the side. No spray. The next day shot one with a Aguila SSS round the same way when the gun went bang it sprayed and I saw this yellow stream the instant I shot. The wire cage spread it out so that I did not get the full force. Got some in my eye and wore Essents of skunk for a while even after the peroxide and shower wash twice.

[Mk42gunner]

This is a sample size of one, so use at your own risk.

I found that totally removing the skunks brain with a .243 Win using 100 gr Power Point Jwords worked. Range was close, about 10 yards.

Trying to line up so none of the litter of pups or the neighbors cows or the other neighbors barn were in the line of fire was interresting, to say the least.

Only reason I shot it was that it was out and about at ten AM on a Winter morning and within 30 yards of the house. Local fur buyer didn't seem too enthused about it either.

Robert

[historicfirearms]

I had a skunk once that was living around my house. A guy at work told me to put out some poison, that I won't name here. He said the skunk would drink it and get very thirsty, going toward water and away from my house. Well, the skunk took the poison, but crawled somewhere under my low deck to die. There was so much snow I couldn't find where it was until a month later when the weather warmed. The smell was so bad that people could smell skunk on my clothes at work after I had been there for 12 hours. From now on I just shoot them and be done with it.

[Echo]

Some smart guy once said "There are two methods of dealing with women. Neither work."

[dakotashooter2]

You are using too big a trap if they can get their tail up enough to spray...... I have seen some newer traps that are 6" PVC pipe... It's hard to belive a skunk could get in there but they can. I like to have a cover over the trap to start with, only leaving the ends open. They are used to going into burrows, culverts and the likes.

[Freightman]

Been married to the same women for 53 years and to say I understand her would be a lie, just roll with the punches and smile when you don't understand.

[deep creek]

Never head shoot a skunk hit the lungs and leave them alone.Most wont spray.come back later and get rid of them.When using the blanket trick talk to them in a calm voice.You can inject them with acetone or alcohol in the lungs ,again just walk away.Now i mostly use plastic catch box traps they work great.then you can drown them or haul them off and turn them loose.

[firefly1957]

I tried shooting them though the lungs and letting them die while they were in leghold traps shots were from over 30 yds away some sprayed most did not.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

All the skunks I ever had trapped, sprayed. Head shot did not work at all. When setting the trap, I use an old tarp and cover all but the entrance. I hate trapping skunks.

[Hamish]

Getting/giving advice about skunks is like getting/giving advice about how to pick up dog poop by the clean part.

DAMHIKT:veryconfu

[jeepyj]

I've trapped a couple dozen or more. My live trap is the type that is covered except on the ends. I walk up with a 6'sq dark tarp in front of me toss it over and grab the handle then stand it on end and slide it into a 55 gallon drum with water leave it for 15 minutes (they get really thirsty after being trapped) pull it out of the drum turn the trap over and slide the critter into a heavy construction bag. I've only had a couple that gave much more than a little squirt.
Jeepyj

[DLCTEX]

I have live trapped probably 100 skunks in my life and never have been sprayed using a blanket to cover the trap. I also experimented with shooting skunks in leg hold traps in every conceivable way. None worked twice to keep them from spraying. Never say never. I got excused absence from school if I could manage to get some skunk on me.[smilie=s:

[MT Gianni]

I am fond of telling people to rest the skunk in a 30 gallon garbage can full of water for 30 minutes before you let him out. IME, which thankfully has been over 20 years ago, if you get in front of and above them shoot down to break the spine and exit the lungs.

[bassnbuck]

Deep Creek has the right idea, attach a disposable hypo full of acetone to a six to ten foot pole. Walk slowly and quietly within range, if the tail goes up wait till it calms down. Slowly push needle into lungs. Instant good skunk. As far as understanding women, you're on your own. :?

[Idaho Mule]

Skunks are dangerous animals. So are women. JW

[TreeKiller]

Deep Creek has the right idea, attach a disposable hypo full of acetone to a six to ten foot pole. Walk slowly and quietly within range, if the tail goes up wait till it calms down. Slowly push needle into lungs. Instant good skunk. As far as understanding women, you're on your own. :?
Never tried it but I knew a fellow who trapped for part of his living and he said that Clorox through the chest into the lungs worked also.

[WILCO]

Recent talk of skunks reminded me of topics I no longer consult on.

The revised list is still in effect:

1) Skunk Tactics.
2) Women.
3) High altitude fireworks at low altitudes.
4) Women.

Will update accordingly.

[Zymurgy50]

Probably 30 years ago I worked with a hillbilly that spent most of the fall and winter running trap lines. I asked him one day "what do you do when you catch a skunk?"

His reply: "Simple, I come back and get that trap in the spring."

[Hardcast416taylor]

Friend of mine was given the "most fool proof manner of dealing with skunks". The advice came from his BIL that lives off the grid in the U.P. here. The advice was to head shoot the skunk so the impulses to spray are eliminated! Well, my buddy did as he was told last year on a skunk.....he is still looking for his BIL that gave such STOOPID advice! He said that skunk sprayed everywhere and everything his spray would reach, my buddy claimed to think that skunk had a 5 gal. capacity to him!Robert

[DHurtig]

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e69/c_latrans/1979705_658491630853888_1198151941_n_zps7c67a378.j pg (http://s37.photobucket.com/user/c_latrans/media/1979705_658491630853888_1198151941_n_zps7c67a378.j pg.html)

[shooter93]

Well...I didn't post in your other post about dealing with them so now that you don't want advice...I'll give you some more...lol. While your situation is a bit different with a barking dog I have a family of skunks that move in every year....different family I'm sure. Our dog and cats get used to them fast and leave them alone though. They end up moving under a row or evergreens I have here and when the young get a bit older they just move off. It has been happening for years and I just leave them alone and they eventually leave. My yard is to big to keep treating for the grubs they are after but they actually cause little damage and are gone before the grass is growing well so it's not much of a problem. Just one of the problems with rural life I guess but like I said...they come and go so we just let each other be....smiles.

[kootne]

shooter93, you can be my neighbor any time you want. I leave them alone they leave me alone. One time a lady in a big suburban full of kids came tearin down our driveway and honked her horn till I went out. She was about ready to bust the veins in her neck because she had seen a skunk in our driveway. It had went under my camper and she was insisting I get a gun and shoot it. I told her, "Lady, I will get my gun and shoot that skunk when it is under your camper, he is safe under mine". She got so mad she was stuttering and trying to say 3 swear words at one time, finally she drove off. That skunk had lived around the house off and on for a couple years, nobody messed it and it didn't bother anybody. Made a better nieghbor than a lot of people.
kootne

[contender1]

Sigh,,,,,,,
Acetone or Clorox in a needle to the chest is illegal in most states as far as I know. I do NOT recommend doing this or anything illegal.
I'm a state certified Animal Damage Control Agent. I make my living dealing with critters that have created problems for homeowners.
I have a saying about skunks;
"They smell just like money to me."
I've never been sprayed, & I catch 20-40 annually.

[MaryB]

I can live with the skunk under the deck... if the neighbors idiot cats would leave it alone. When it sprays on the wall outside of where I am sitting it is a bit potent.

[oldred]

We live on a farm with 16 cats "back on the ridge" here in Tn, no we aren't cat hoarders these critters are no problem and work for a living but we do feed them twice daily. Last year a family of skunks were close by and the four little ones quickly learned what "here kitty kitty" means! Those four skunks came running with the cats when called at feeding time and the cats seemed to just accept them as part of the crowd, they acted as tame as the cats and were not the least bit afraid and never once acted as if they were going to spray but of course they were a concern for several reasons. I thought of several methods of removing them but they were never seen except at feeding time for the cats, which themselves are not around much except for that time, and as long as we were careful not to step on one or otherwise annoy it they were not enough of a problem to rate very high on my "to-do" list and as the summer wore on they gradually moved on to whatever it is skunks do for a living and we have not seen them since.

[William Yanda]

What's your advice on removeing the smell of skunk.

Bury it. Forget location

[monadnock#5]

I knew some folks who had a skunk spray under their front porch. They said that the only remedy for removing the stench from their home was to burn candles and hurricane lamps in every room of the house.

[.45Cole]

My cousin traps and offs them regularly. Use a live trap that is smaller so the skunk can't raise its tail. He said they have no problems crawling in the small space when enticed by herring snacks.

[schutzen]

The local state animal control trapper around here uses an wire sided Haveahart traps and the cover it method. I have never know him to get sprayed, but he does use a 6'X7' section of heavy tarp with a 6" slit in the center and the handles of his traps are wired to stand upright. Me, I just shoot them. Some years ago an old man taught me to shoot them in the center of the back up high with a larger caliber gun. The trick is to sever the spinal column so they are unable to brace their rear legs to spray. With a rifle or a pistol, a quick follow up shot to the head is usually necessary to kill them. However a 12 or 20 gauge shot gun will do it in a single shot. I like #4 buckshot for this and it works very well.

[SciFiJim]

Sigh,,,,,,,
Acetone or Clorox in a needle to the chest is illegal in most states as far as I know. I do NOT recommend doing this or anything illegal.
I'm a state certified Animal Damage Control Agent. I make my living dealing with critters that have created problems for homeowners.
I have a saying about skunks;
"They smell just like money to me."
I've never been sprayed, & I catch 20-40 annually.


As an professional, how DO you deal with them?

I have come close enough to being sprayed that I sure don't want to deal with them.

[BLTsandwedge]

Now this is a timely thread......

2:30am this morning I let the dogs out to do their stuff. We have a substantial back yard at this house in PA- plenty of wooded area. One dog (the most learning-disabled dog we've owned) didn't come back for a bit- no worries. But then she took more than a while to return- she did so at a dead run. The stink outran her- I knew what happened before I saw her. What worked- 6 cans of Campbell's tomato soup and medicated dog shampoo- treated over 1 hour in the shower. Having said that, next time I'm trying JohnCH's recipe. The plus side.....I used the 'good for comp'ny' towels and claimed it was justified due to an 'emergency.' HeHe....now SWMBO will go shopping for towels on Saturday and I'm going shooting........

[MaryB]

Timely indeed, I have a skunk in a live trap to deal with in the morning...

[MaryB]

Okay that stunk... 22lr to the spine and he still sprayed. Glad the wind blew most of it away from the house. I must have stepped in some of it because my shoes smell like skunk now... double wrapped carcass in plastic bags and into the trash. Trash guy is going to love me come Tues when he opens that lid...