Skunk Advice

[PJSprog]

We have a live trap that is wire all the way around. We just shoot through it with a .22. They pretty much always spray. Thing is, once they spray, their supply is spent for a couple of days before it can rebuild. So if it has sprayed recently, it may not when you shoot it. If not, well, it's under pressure in there, so once the muscle relaxes, out it comes. Shot one once on the top of the bank along the lake. It flipped over on it's back, and sent a spray arcing through the air. Couldn't get close enough to move it for a couple of days.

If you're just going to relocate it, you can walk up to it behind a blanket and throw the blanket over the trap. cover the trap, and you can pick it up and cart it off. They won't spray if they don't see you.

 

[RSKY]

When the skunk sprayed under our house and I asked around for advice everybody said to call the "skunk catcher" in our county.

Yes, Graves County Kentucky has an unofficial unpaid "skunk catcher"!

So I called the guy and he came out. Unfortunately we were not at home when he got there but he crawled under our house looking for more skunks, repositioned my four traps and covered the traps in heavy duty black trash bags. He would not accept pay when I finally met him. But said he would take donations so I gave him $20.

Said some weeks he would catch 20 skunks and haul them away.

He also owns a BBQ restaurant............

Say WHAT !!!!

He owns a local, very popular, BBQ restaurant!

Says he disposes of the skunks humanely.

We have never ate at his place but I've heard it's very good.

RSKY

 

[milligan36]

Tomato juice is the best method

 

[GLyford]

Tomato has not worked for us.

Both the peroxide mix and the commercial "miracle" odor remover (enzymes) have worked, with this caveat:
They are NOT shampoo. Use full strength on the dry dog. THEN rinse. Not perfect, but best we have tried, by far. Do not pre-wet, or it sets the smell.

Both also work (mostly) on hard surfaces. Rugs and upholstery are a mixed bag, sometimes it works if you catch it soon enough.

When my Aussie was SO happy he caught one that he jumped up all excited on the bed and rolled around...I bought a new comforter.

 

[RSKY]

We have a live trap that is wire all the way around. We just shoot through it with a .22. They pretty much always spray. Thing is, once they spray, their supply is spent for a couple of days before it can rebuild. So if it has sprayed recently, it may not when you shoot it. If not, well, it's under pressure in there, so once the muscle relaxes, out it comes. Shot one once on the top of the bank along the lake. It flipped over on it's back, and sent a spray arcing through the air. Couldn't get close enough to move it for a couple of days.

If you're just going to relocate it, you can walk up to it behind a blanket and throw the blanket over the trap. cover the trap, and you can pick it up and cart it off. They won't spray if they don't see you.

I use a shotgun and shoot them in the hip from the side. Have never had one, out of three, spray or dribble after that. But I immediately haul them off ASAP.

 

[BigBlue1]

I use a shotgun and shoot them in the hip from the side. Have never had one, out of three, spray or dribble after that. But I immediately haul them off ASAP.

Isn't the shotgun a bit hard on the live trap?

Rob

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, I'm kinda wondering how are these traps holding up to shotgun blasts as well?

Anyhow, real men treat skunks like bass... practice catch and release, but without getting sprayed... now THAT is a sport! :laughing:

 

[RSKY]

Isn't the shotgun a bit hard on the live trap?

Rob

After getting the first one that sprayed out I never messed with removing the skunk. Traps and skunk both went into large trash bag and dumped behind tobacco barn at a farm my family owns. New traps are cheaper than replacing Sketchers, jeans, and gloves.

Even the one I shot with 00 buck didn't seem damaged. Well the trap that is. The skunk was plenty damaged. Then I switched to 4 Buck. I believe the 3" #4 had 41 pellets of 22 caliber. So it was like shooting every one of them 41 times with a 22 rifle. Very satisfying.

RSKY

 

[RSKY]

Did I mention that after being out of my house for over two weeks that I developed a hatred for skunks.

RSKY

 

[BigBlue1]

After getting the first one that sprayed out I never messed with removing the skunk. Traps and skunk both went into large trash bag and dumped behind tobacco barn at a farm my family owns. New traps are cheaper than replacing Sketchers, jeans, and gloves.

Even the one I shot with 00 buck didn't seem damaged. Well the trap that is. The skunk was plenty damaged. Then I switched to 4 Buck. I believe the 3" #4 had 41 pellets of 22 caliber. So it was like shooting every one of them 41 times with a 22 rifle. Very satisfying.

RSKY

Gotcha. Yeah, I'm sure getting sprayed would have a negative psychological effect on a person...

I just have my trap set up about 40 yards out from the back of my garage in a nice shooting lane. I don't have to get anywhere near the cage when a live one is in it. I just peg them with a head shot from the .22 (or .17 or .223, depending what I want to play with that day) and let them sit until lunch time, then go out with the Deere & loader and cart the cage to the back of the property to empty it.

Interesting thing about head shots and skunks... Almost always the first shot drops them like a rock but within 5-10 seconds they start flailing around like crazy. So I usually feed them a fair amount more lead to end that quickly. I guess it is some type of nerve reaction going on.

Rob