guess what I caught

[Alleyoops25]

We for starters like I said earlier, I tortmented it with a stick that was eight feet long, I was curious to see is he was to young to have his scent glands, and I wanted to see a far away they could spray. And it took quit a bit of poking before he decided to spray. I am not saying this is the norm for all of them but he really didnt seem to want to spray. As for my brother he threw a piece of irragation plastic over the live trap and then tied a rope to its handle, then he took the skunk trap ,and all and pitched it into the ditch, and drowned it. if he would of shot it it would have sprayed, and it probably did spray but since he was under the water it didnt do him much good. Our eyes were already burning from the first time he was sprayed, and he didnt want to shot it in our nieghbor hood, or around our kids, So he left with it and I hear that is was happend to him. Shoting is probably a quiker death, but if you have quit a few nieghnors who would dial 911 and the sound of gun going off then that would be your best bet. If the skunk is not in a live trap, but is in your chicken coop you can throw something over it like a piece of irragation plastic or something then you could move him else where and do away with him. Just be careful not to get bit. Good luck getting rid of you skunks.

 

[justroostin]

A few years ago we had skunks coming into town and getting under the houses. My parents had several, well more than several, get under their house. The only way they could get rid of them was to catch them in live traps. Whenever they would catch one my dad would shoot and kill it first then take it off. THEY DO SPRAY WHEN SHOT! We live in a very small town out in the country. Some of these skunks that had been caught by others were found to have rabies. It was bad, very bad. So I can sympathize very much with anyone having skunk invasions. Thankfully, we caught them before any mamas had a chance to have babies under the house. I had snakes under my house at the time so I didn't have any skunks.

By the way, I thought they were borne with the ability to spray, since this is their defense.

 

[chicknmania]

Oh, great. I hate to torture them by drowning; I know they will spray if you shoot em, and, you're right, rabies is a big concern. The plastic was a good idea. We called a nuisance trapper yesterday; they want $35.00 per animal.....we know we have at least two, maybe three or more. My luck they'd end up trapping a bunch of rats, or cats!

 

[panner123]

I don't know if it is the same in all states, but here in ca. we have a state trapper. We just call the Dept. of Fiah & Game and they will send him out. Over the years I have had to use the service a number of times. I now trap the smaller pains and use him for the mountain lion or bear. With skunks, no matter what you do the smell is around for days.

 

[wren]

My Father kills them for me thank God. He covers the trap with plastic, drags it out into the middle of our farm with a bean hook, flips the plastic off, shoots with a shot gun a few times, checks for movement, shoot again if necessary, remembers the general postion it is in, goes inside to have a cup of coffee and think about the meaning of life (at least 30min.), check to see if it changed position, shoot and wait again, then burn everything that isn't metal. It's sick, but what can you do?

What does animal or pest control people do?

Even the youngest babies can spray-my Dad found out the hard way.

 

[mpc]

I've had problems with skunks from time to time and since we live in suburbia shooting them really isn't an option. I've had success with using a havahart trap and then covering it with a blanket. The tricky part is to "sneak up" on the trap. When they are in the trap and it's completely covered they wont spray so you can relocate them. I've done this several times and put the covered trap in the back of a utility van for transport and have never been sprayed...

I've never tried the dunking the trap in a barrel of water method with a skunk but I suppose you could try that too. Not sure if they would spray.

 

[chicknmania]

I talked to a local trapper. He told me that's the secret, the trap has to be covered with a garbage bag or something; as long as it is covered they won't spray. We have not done this because he said the way to destroy them is by drowning; putting cage and all in the water. Call me wimpy or whatever, but I just can't do that; and neither can anyone else in my family. We are still trying to get up enough nerve to trap and relocate, or call the trapper and have him do it, or, hopefully, the skunks will just go away...haha! We discovered they have a den in our barn; we did such a good job barricading the barn that they couldn't get out. They did get out last night because we let them out; hoping they wouldn't be able to get back in, but they did find a way. I'm guessing trapping and doing whatever is the only answer. I know, this sounds ridiculous...if it was anything but skunks it would be easier to deal with! Also, in case anyone doesn't know; they will put up with a lot of harassment without spraying; generally, if they're loose, they'll just run from you, rather than spray, and we have been barricading the den itself and doing everything we can to harass them into hopefully leaving; does nothing, They can't reach our chickens at night when they're roosting; in the early am we have been going into the barn, so they haven't had a chance to grab one, and we relocated the nestboxes. But this is ridiculous (you don't have to tell me....)

 

[Alleyoops25]

I hate having to kill them to they are kind of cute, But deciding between the skunk and my chickens. The skunk is going to the river. I know it sounds awefulto drowned them but it only takes a few seconds under and they are gone. I do feel for you that is why my brother gets called to do his baby sister dirty work. I guess If you can't do it and can't find any one else who will, you can trap them and then relocate them a loooooooooong way away. They are not going to want to leave as you have made the prefect home for them and they are getting so they aren't scared of you, and for wild animals it is very bad we they loose fear of people. because they will always use humans and what they have to live by. So where ever they go they will always depend on humans (more like there lives stock, and garabage) to live. Any way chickenmania I honestly do feel for you. But you need to consider what problems they create for you. And imagine what kind of diseases they can have and what would happen then

 

[chicknmania]

You're right. I am really thinking about calling the trapper. He has chickens too and will be more reasonable than most. Or, we could just do it ourselves

The skunks have not killed anything for a while, knock on wood...but just as an example of how they will come back...my son actually chased them out of the barn with Black Cat firecrackers, then threw a sparkler into their den, as well as some smoldering cardboard. Then, before he went to bed, he put the cardboard fire out by flooding their den with three gallons of water. The barn was filled with smoke and we were all coughing, including the chickens. Then we barricaded the barn. The skunks actually found a very difficult place to dig their way back into the barn, and returned to the den!!!!! How ridiculous.

 

[Alleyoops25]

THey definetly stubborn little creatures. Ever though they have ate a chicken they will live on your eggs. I sent the trap down to my nieghbors for a few days because one had gotten into her chickens and ate three of her baby red stars. And a few weeks before that they got into the coop and killed her broody hen that was due to hatch out a batch of eegs soons. The eggs she couldnt saved because they stole a bunch of them and broke the rest open. She really wasn't sure what was doing it, even though It kept pooping in there to. Night before last she set the trap. She did kind of like i did and put it through a hole that was made in the fence. For baite she put one of her hens in a pet carrier and then put it behind the trap. This next morning there he was stripes and all. THe skunk even though he was in the trapp was still trying to figure out how to get to the chicken. She wasn't bashful about getting rid of him. If I ever have another one caught I think I will call her.