This past spring we decided to get some chickens. When I built the coop and run I buried chicken wire about a foot down so that no skunks, rats, coons, etc could make a home under the coop. I used the single bottom plow on the tractor to dig the trench and it worked great. Anyways when the chicks were 4 weeks old out they go along with 2 leg hold traps and a live trap that I borrowed from my dad. Since the end of June I've caught 9 skunks, 1 racoon, and 2 'possums. I think 5 of the skunks were in the leg traps, one of them stuck his head in the trap after a chicken bone and was killed instantly. The others I shot with a .22 from about 30 feet. If you are going to shoot them do it from a distance. If you don't have a killing shot they will spray!! The ones that got into the live trap were actually the easiest to deal with. My dad had made a box with a garden hose connection at the bottom and sealed it up with silicone. When I found Mr or Mrs Stinky in the trap I'd hook up the house to the box, do it AWAY from the house, and turn the water on. Use a piece of black plastic large enough so that you can hold it in front of you and walk SLOWLY up to the trap and lay it over the trap once you get to it so that the 2 big sides and top are covered. You'll need to make a small slit in the plastic so you can grap the handle of the trap when you cover it. Slowly pick up the trap and carry it to the box. By now the box should be full and just drop the trap in it, go inside and drink some coffee for 15 minutes or so. The water that is in the box will get some smell to it, that's why I suggest doing it away from the house!! I take the carcass over to a wet area of my property and dig a hole with the FEL and drop it in then cover it up.
Good luck!
Greg
