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Skunked!!

Daver

Daver

PMA Member
We have a skunk in the neighborhood, we have smelled it several times after dark but have not seen it. This happens about once a year here and then one shows up dead on a nearby road and all is well. Well this one appears to be better at dodging traffic because we have smelled it about 10 times over the past 2 weeks and there is still no evidence of a dumb, slow one alongside the road! In other words, I think it is still alive. I don't want to risk the dog finding it some evening, etc, so I am "going in"!!

I have borrowed a friend's live trap and plan on setting it tonight. What bait should one use for a skunk? Someone recommended cat food, I was thinking of raw eggs. Once caught, how best to dispatch? Although we are technically located in the county, our property borders the city limits and we have neighbors, most of whom will be glad that someone is going to kill this thing, but I don't want a show either and I mainly do not want to get sprayed in the process!!

PS. It is really a skunk and not a possum!
 
They say to shoot 'em in the belly with a .22, then they will not spray. I have never tried it...just what I have heard.
 
First night...BINGO!

Only it was a cat! I'll try to get pics up later. I guess that should have been expected since I used of all things...cat food! I think I'll try skunk food tonight.

Thomas - I don't think I want to mess with the trap when I have a skunk in it, I would drown a coon or something like that, but I am preparing to blast the skunk with my son's .22.
 
I've never shot a skunk that didn't spray. I wonder if they would even let you get close enough to the trap to shoot it without spraying. Good Luck.
 
I don't know about in a live trap but I know how to kill one in a leg hold trap without any smell. The trick is to approach the skunk very careful and ( you're gonna think I'm crazy here, but it really works) talk to it like it was a pet. Very calm and quiet. Watch it very closely and eventually he'll relax and put his tail down. Have a .22 rifle pointed at his head the whole time. When his tail hits the ground pop him right in the brain and he won't spray. I used to trap years ago and used to catch dozens of skunks. I tried shooting them in the head, the belly, with a .22, a 12 ga and even a 30:06. They always sprayed. I read an article in a Fur Fish and Game magazine and this is how they explained to do it. Apparently they have to have their tail up to spray and if you hit them right in the brain they die too quick to react. I successfully killed dozens of skunks after that with no smell. Just be careful who's in the audience cuz they may think you're crazy talking baby talk to a skunk, but it really does work!!
 
We've had them in a live trap numerous times. The trick is to have the trap on a piece of plywood. When you have them trapped approach slowly behind a tarp that you are holding up so they can't see you. Slowly cover the trap with the tarp & then transport to the nearest water hole & see how long they can hold their breath. Has never failed to this point.
Maggs
 
Danno1956 said:
I don't know about in a live trap but I know how to kill one in a leg hold trap without any smell. The trick is to approach the skunk very careful and ( you're gonna think I'm crazy here, but it really works) talk to it like it was a pet. Very calm and quiet. Watch it very closely and eventually he'll relax and put his tail down. Have a .22 rifle pointed at his head the whole time. When his tail hits the ground pop him right in the brain and he won't spray. I used to trap years ago and used to catch dozens of skunks.
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An older gent that lived three houses down from the house I grew up in talked about doing this during the depression. Skunk pelts sold for 10 cents, so he didn't want to cut into the profit margin by using a .22 shell. He employed the aforementioned approach (with the added advice of always circling to stay in front of the skunk) and then CLUBBED them!

I think the live trap on a piece of plywood, then covering with a tarp is the way to go in your case.
 
I would say to be peferctly legal....talk to your CO.I dont mean to be a partypooper but I've seen similar cases turn into tickets.Best of luck but I'm just sayin'.
 
Much ado for nothing...

captain said:
I would say to be peferctly legal....talk to your CO.I dont mean to be a partypooper but I've seen similar cases turn into tickets.Best of luck but I'm just sayin'.
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While driving home tonight I saw a dead skunk in the middle of the road, man, someone should write a song about that, fairly close to us. :) I haven't smelled the little critter in about 3 days now either. Soooo, I think this threat may have passed us...for now!

Thanks for all of the replies, I can honestly say that I don't think I could have brought myself to trying to "tarp it" and then drown it, etc. The way my luck runs I am quite certain that I would be regretting that manuever. :)

Of all of the options presented, I was going to go with the "baby talk it" and head shoot it approach, but it is all academic now. Oh well, I am now ready though for the next interloper when he/she shows up!

I appreciate the advice Captain and I cannot say you would be wrong, but what lame brained CO would hassle a guy for killing a skunk in his yard? (BTW - my property is actually in the county, but over our fenceline is city. The city ground is an overgrown former cattle pasture, not exactly rows of house or anything.) I am sure you have a reason for suggesting that possibility and I appreciate your interest, but it bugs me that a CO would feel the need to enforce the law on a skunk execution. :) Maybe I should live trap one and let him go in his yard! :)
 
Let us know when u catch Peppe Lapew. I would love a new pet around here.. I'll even come and get him out for ya, no .22 needed.
 
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