Now what do I do?

[riptides]

I am skunk master.


I let the Marines handle them.



My total for that year was double digits. LOL.

Get a big tarp, don't trip over it.

 

[ponytug]

Good luck! We accidentally trapped one in the orchard last fall (trying for the raccoons). The tarp/blanket trick works great. I would rehearse the release part. My live trap turns out to have a terrible latch design that basically takes two hands, with no ability to have a long string pull it open. Fortunately, the skunk was very tolerant of the banging and muttered curses as I sorted out the latch. While it was waiting, it excavated down about six inches through the trap wires. It was rather impressive.

FWIW: There are some great how to videos on YouTube.

All the best,

Peter

 

[riptides]

Good luck! We accidentally trapped one in the orchard last fall (trying for the raccoons). The tarp/blanket trick works great. I would rehearse the release part. My live trap turns out to have a terrible latch design that basically takes two hands, with no ability to have a long string pull it open. Fortunately, the skunk was very tolerant of the banging and muttered curses as I sorted out the latch. While it was waiting, it excavated down about six inches through the trap wires. It was rather impressive.

FWIW: There are some great how to videos on YouTube.

All the best,

Peter

LOL. Yes on the troublesome release part. I have had to hold the traps vertical and shake them out. Not a comfortable feeling.

 

[ponytug]

Yikes. Shaking a skunk wouldn't be high on my do list.

I scrounged around and found a long handled screwdriver to pin my latch lock open, and then rigged up a string for the rest. Fortunately, skunks seem pretty relaxed about the whole thing. I knew someone who had one as a pet once. Cute, but not the brightest bulb.

All the best,

Peter

 

[MossRoad]

It's free! Took him down to the creek and hope he stays there. Rather pretty and well behaved.
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Nicely done.

Next time you could try:

 

[CalG]

IN Vermont, releasing a wild animal on any property that is not your own is unlawful.

Passing the problem to someone else is work for politicians ;-)

 

[scaredychicken]

THIS PHOTO will win awards at the Country Fair <3

 

[scaredychicken]

IN Vermont, releasing a wild animal on any property that is not your own is unlawful.

Passing the problem to someone else is work for politicians ;-)

it was living in the barn = not wild no issue

 

[dodge man]

I’m not a fan of shooting animals for the sake of shooting. Skunks and ground hogs I make an exception for, sometimes depending on what they are doing coyotes, raccoons and opossum will be added to the list.

 

[Cougsfan]

Once I changed jobs and had to move to the new location prior to selling our old house. Shortly after we left our old house a skunk took up residence under that house and something caused him to do his thing under the house (may have been a her, not sure). It smelled the entire house up pretty good and ended up delaying the sale of that home for roughly 6 months and along with lots of hours of cleaning and aerating. It was not a good experience!

 

[RandyT]

Yikes. Shaking a skunk wouldn't be high on my do list.

I scrounged around and found a long handled screwdriver to pin my latch lock open, and then rigged up a string for the rest. Fortunately, skunks seem pretty relaxed about the whole thing. I knew someone who had one as a pet once. Cute, but not the brightest bulb.

All the best,

Peter

Had two dogs that would take turns digging one out of his burrow. I got a skunk thrown at me twice in 7 days. Those two got a confirmed 13 skunks in 2 years.

 

[JethroB]

I hit one once long ago as a teenager with my car. Must have caught him jest right. I sort of borrowed the volunteer fire department’s forestry fire knocker late one evening to hose the underside. Don’t recall it helping much.

 

[JethroB]

An older fellow here used to catch baby skunks and de-scent (?) them. My dad the pharmacist supplied the chloroform used as the anesthesia for the shed surgery.

 

[sea2summit]

In Illinois releasing the skunk is illegal. All trapped skunks have to be dispatched due to the risk of contracting rabies.

So instead of releasing one without contact with any bodily fluid they want you to purposefully create biohazards to expose yourself too? Only a government agency could be this smart.

 

[Jstpssng]

IN Vermont, releasing a wild animal on any property that is not your own is unlawful.

Passing the problem to someone else is work for politicians ;-)

I've had many discussions on this subject over the years. I live on "some back road." I never had woodchucks until about 4 years ago, and am certain that's how they got here.

 

[jaxs]

He's not getting thru the steel and I don't see any damage to the plywood either. The damage is only on the inside and only to the foam. The space between the R panel and plywood is 8" and he's been hiding in the wall cavity.

Ok I didn't realize foam some areas isn't covered by plywood and thought the plywood was ripped off getting access to wall cavity.
I hope everything go's smooth,,,,,,,but if your dog rushes in at a bad time to help,make sure it's all on video.

 

[Thomas]

Put game cam on the spot for maybe it wasn't skunk.

 

[RandyT]

So instead of releasing one without contact with any bodily fluid they want you to purposefully create biohazards to expose yourself too? Only a government agency could be this smart.

Also classified as an invasive species, since they are not native to the area.

 

[3Ts]

IN Vermont, releasing a wild animal on any property that is not your own is unlawful.

Passing the problem to someone else is work for politicians ;-)

I'm not sure what the law is on this here in Texas, but it should be the law everywhere! I've lived where people would drop off critters which would cause problems, then have to deal with the problem & dispatch them. Not good!

I released it on my property on the other side of the creek which has 4' vertical sides and only one place to cross. There's plenty for it to eat down there. It can still get back, but hopefully it'll stay over there.

 

[jyoutz]

There’s an easier option if you want the skunk permanently gone. Drop the trap into a deep water tank and it will be over quickly.