Apparently the skunk that got into my turkey pen had rabies

Jstpssng · Jul 17, 2015

I sure am glad that I used protection when I cleaned up his remains.

Use caution anytime that you're working around strange animals.

Luke'sScreenName · Jul 17, 2015

I didn't think there was much rabies here in NNE.

k0ua · Jul 17, 2015

Jstpssng said:
I sure am glad that I used protection when I cleaned up his remains.

Use caution anytime that you're working around strange animals.

When I was 14, and that was a long time ago.. I had a run in with a rabid skunk. Out at mid day, and he chased me while I was running away from it and firing a .357 magnum back at it. My last shot hit it and rolled it up. Dad and I burnt the body.

Luke'sScreenName · Jul 17, 2015

Funny mental image! Funny, but not funny.

gwstang · Jul 17, 2015

Way back when my oldest boy was 5 years old, he came up on a racoon and it scratched him. Living way out in the country, I had warned both of them not to touch or approach a wild animal because if it would let you get close...it was very sick. My wife shot the racoon afterwards and test show it was rabid so the youngin' had to get the rabies series of shots. I do think it made an "impression" ( being as in the needle impression into his butt) and he did not fool with any more wild animals.

tcreeley · Jul 17, 2015

We get rabies around here- why you see fewer skunks than in past years - die offs.

Luke'sScreenName · Jul 17, 2015

I had to get them in middle school. Shot a opossum with a .410 up close in a tree hollow and got blood in the face. Certainly a memorable experience.

Luke'sScreenName · Jul 17, 2015

tcreeley said:
We get rabies around here- why you see fewer skunks than in past years - die offs.

Hmmm. Interesting

jimmyj · Jul 17, 2015

How did you determine it has rabies? If it was me I would have just picked up the carcass and buried it in the manure pile. Not a good situation!

Jstpssng · Jul 17, 2015

jimmyj said:
How did you determine it has rabies? If it was me I would have just picked up the carcass and buried it in the manure pile. Not a good situation!

The USDA has posters plastered everywhere asking people to call if they see skunks or raccoons acting strangely or dead. This guy was both, although not at the same time. I called and asked if they wanted it, told them where it was in my field until I got home to bury it, when I came home it was gone.