Skunks? And how to trap: UPDATED!

[Greyfox Farm]

Drowning is not an option with a DP. Lead poisioning is the only option. A small bit of lead at around 1200 feet per second.

 

[patman75]

I catch raccoons with a dukes DP, marshmallows with sardines or a little peanut butter. I did catch a skunk using marshmallows and peanut butter, then used a 12 gauge shot gun at close range to reduce the chance of spraying. I did not get sprayed.

You can't drown an animal in a dukes DP. You can release them or shoot them. Releasing them gets a little tricky and risky. If you do decide to release a non-target animal the trap does not break any bones and does not cut off blood circulation to trapped extremity. Use a Y branch to pin the head down so you don’t get bitten and then release the trap.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Got 'em.

 

[Ted n Ms]

Tell us about it. What was it? How did you catch it?

 

[ladyrsanti]

Oh, sorry, I've been so busy. Yeah, I put out a few marshmallows in the trusty havahart trap (all I have). Caught a small raccoon, young'un. That's why I figured on something smaller than a raccoon, because the attempts were so "lame" for lack of a better word. This one was definitely not versed in breaking and entering yet.

I managed to find the skunk den too, while I was inspecting the sheep's pasture fence yesterday. It's right under the fence and opens into the pasture, with multiple trails leading off from it (one of them heading directly towards the chicken run where I saw it that day). It's right next to the woodchuck encampment but it has that aroma to it...

Not sure if I should try to catch that or just let it be.

 

[Ted n Ms]

If i thought it was a threat to my chickens it would be gone.

 

[bobbi-j]

Around here, skunks are a main carrier of rabies. They die of lead poisoning if we see them, whether they're near the chicken coop or not.

 

[colburg]

I catch raccoons with a dukes DP, marshmallows with sardines or a little peanut butter. I did catch a skunk using marshmallows and peanut butter, then used a 12 gauge shot gun at close range to reduce the chance of spraying. I did not get sprayed.

You can't drown an animal in a dukes DP. You can release them or shoot them. Releasing them gets a little tricky and risky. If you do decide to release a non-target animal the trap does not break any bones and does not cut off blood circulation to trapped extremity. Use a Y branch to pin the head down so you don’t get bitten and then release the trap.

I've never been able to shoot a skunk without it spraying. Head shots don't work, spine shots, even had one old guy tell me to shoot them right up the butt and they won't spray.

I think he go the best of me on that one.

All I can think to do is get upwind, shoot 'em, wait a couple days(as long as the wind isn't blowing toward the house), dispose.

Anyone got anything better for getting skunks out of a Duke trap?

 

[Gargoyle]

There are a few different types of skunk traps that contain any spray.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200394116_200394116

http://www.motherearthnews.com/do-it-yourself/skunk-trap-zmaz80jazraw.aspx

You could also modify your havahart something like this:
http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/traps/page65.html

 

[colburg]

I've never been able to shoot a skunk without it spraying. Head shots don't work, spine shots, even had one old guy tell me to shoot them right up the butt and they won't spray.

I think he go the best of me on that one.

All I can think to do is get upwind, shoot 'em, wait a couple days(as long as the wind isn't blowing toward the house), dispose.

Anyone got anything better for getting skunks out of a Duke trap?

Mother nature at her finest. Came home to see this on my game fence about 10 ft from the skunk,

Buzzards. Yaaay. all that was left was skin and bones. Still smelt like heck though when I picked it up, but it woulda been so much worse.