How do I get rid of a skunk?

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For the past 4 weeks I've had the pleasure of waking to find every plant within two side beds up-rooted and the ground dug up. I keep replanting the plants and the skunk keeps digging them up. The plants are now compost and I'm loosing my sense of humor. I've set the Have a Heart trap but the bait isn't working. Any ideas on how to end this terf war?

-- Dwight (summit1762@aol.com), July 30, 2001

Answers

I don't mean to discourage "nice" methods of animal removal/relocation, but do you realize that a skunk in a Have a Heart trap still has to be taken OUT of the trap. I speak on the behalf of a friend who insisted on this method, and trust me, you will get sprayed. Even if not a direct hit, standing near to a skunk spraying is usually enough to get enough smell on yourself. Just know this before you actually catch one.

-- jon (jon@aol.com), July 30, 2001.

Had a problem with skunks spending the day in my buildings this summer. They would leave about dark and return before daylight to sleep under whatever. Made it kind of hard to move things around in there. Answer: Waited for them to come out at night and go on there way to dig up worms and such. They really paid no attention to me following behind a ways back. When a safe smell distance---20 gauge shotgun did the job. If you hit them good and hard they don't really have time to throw the scent much, so didn't smell as bad a I thought they would. Don

-- Don (dairyagri@yahoo.com), July 30, 2001.

old trappers trick,,,,,,,, put a large board up againt a outside wall,, near where the critter travels,, make a tunnel from it. Put some loose sand in there,, to check from the tracks,, (makes sure its useing it), ,after a few days,, but the trap in there, live trap or whatever. To keep from getting sprayed, cover the trap with a tarp, blanket,,ect. then open the trap,, with the tarp still on, , and get out, It'll find its way out,, if you kil trap it,,, you can just aim it away,, and bury it. OR give it to a trapper for the skin

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), July 30, 2001.

Don't need a 20 gauge .Spent 7 nights out and got 6 skunks with me little oll 22 !

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), July 30, 2001.

What kind of bait are you using in your live trap? I caught the one in our barn using hot dogs! (I caught two cats first, but eventually got the little stinker!)

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), July 30, 2001.


Migod! I can't believe the misinformation that sometimes crops up! First, skunks are nearly 100% carnivorous. If they are digging things up, they are doing so to get at the grubs that are killing your plants. Secondly, they are very beneficial animals - they will keep the mouse/rat/vole/mole/democrat population to a minimum. Whoops!, there is no control for the latter! Anyway, control the attraction, not the skunks. And I have released a skunk from a leghold trap by talking soothingly and quietly without being sprayed. To release them from a "havahart" trap, merely place an old blanket over the trap to make it dark, and prop the door open. They'll leave just after sunset. Skunks are good guys! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), July 30, 2001.

Have you tried moth balls? We got rid of them from under a shed w/moth balls and they did not return. Good Luck! DW

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), July 30, 2001.

An old Countryside issue had an article written by this man who played loud rock music to get rid of them he swore by it. But then again, if I had to listen to some of the newer stuff.....

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), July 30, 2001.

Sorry to disagree Brad but they also carry Rabies .I don't kill anything I don't eat in the woods ,but in my yard or barn well see ya little fellow.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), July 30, 2001.

You can get a skunk out of a Hav a Heart trap real easy by rolling it over to it's top. This will open the locks and doors. Walk backward, holding the sheet that you orginally covered the trap with so none of you is showing. Works great. I usually use tuna for the traps. If I catch a cat, I wet it down with a hose, then open the door while banging on the top. They never go in again.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), July 30, 2001.


Rabies was a big problem in NYS 10 yrs ago and i think its still.... must be from what Patty said.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), July 30, 2001.

I've "disposed" of about 30 skunks over the years by using a livetrap placed in a wood box just a tad larger than the trap. You can build the box using scrap lumber and make sure to put a handle on the top that does not restrict sliding the trap out of the box. Drill a hole in the top of the box near the back large enough so you can slip a large nail in to keep raccoons and other animals (nothing worse than a skunk in an open trap) from pulling the trap out of the box. Bait the trap with cooked chicken bones/scraps and use light wire to hold them in the back of the trap. When the skunk is trapped, wait for it to settle down (usually in the evening), approach the trap quietly from the side or back and slowly drop a black garbage bag over the open end then slowly pick it up, pull the nail out of the end and slide the trap into a garbage can full of water. Be careful not to allow the bag to restrict the trap from falling immediately into the garbage can full of water. Make sure you don't have the neighbor's cat! Wait at least a half hour before burying the skunk.

-- Bill (www.bdforce@theriver.com), July 30, 2001.

Hi Dwight, yes, the moth balls work wonderfully, and if you want an organic solution, use peppermint and lavender (dried) spread out thoughout the area. This also sends the mice and moles packing too!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), July 30, 2001.

Patty, Patty, Patty! Of course skunks can carry rabies! And so do raccoons to a substantially greater degree. But so can (and do) foxes, dogs, bats, squirrels, horses, porcupines and humans. Do you blast away at all of the above when they enter your yard? GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), July 31, 2001.

Oh Brad, I love it but we won't go there! As for relocating skunks it's just not a big deal. You can tell who on this board has done it before. I sure have. They are helpfull and beautiful. firstly I'm assuming you know it is a skunk? Let's say you do. Set your hav a hart trap, cover it with a blanket to protect you and the skunk (will make it feel protected and not so vulnerable) and just put in some catfood and a little water. They love it. I watch to see what direction the little guy is coming from and set out the trap in the line of approach. Here, they show up just as it's dark so I've never had to leave it unattended overnight. Check the trap every 30 min. and when it's tripped gently pick it up, put it in a protected, place and the next morning slip it in the car and drive up into the woods or wherever there's a good place, set the trap out in brush, or by a stream where there's cover and open the door. The skunk will look things over and shuffle off. I like them around and wouldn't remove them but the dog just hates them and I hate to see them killed.

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), July 31, 2001.


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