So how would you manage a problem skunk?

[Tala]

So I have a new skunk in the area, a baby/teenager that is stealing eggs every night. Trapping skunks is easy, but how does one go about disposing of the problem animal? I understand they will spray when they die no matter how you shoot them....or so I've heard. I'd rather avoid that.

 

[justbugged]

If you can trap it and get it de-skunked I want it. I will even come across the country to pick it up. I have always wanted an Norwegian Snow Kitty.

I just wish that it was legal to own a skunk in Washington.

 

[mrs918]

I'm curious on this too....my folks have a huge skunk problem. One neighbor feeds all the stay cats, and hence feeds the skunks. While the other neighbor calls the skunks his friend, and feeds them deliberately. Animal control won't do anything, and the whole block (in the city) almost always smells of skunk now, getting into cars, clothes n houses. Ewwwy.

They have been told to (but never have!) poison them, or trap them and drown them in a 55 gallon bucket. Both of which seem way too inhumane for them too carry out.

 

[mrs918]

I'm curious on this too....my folks have a huge skunk problem. One neighbor feeds all the stay cats, and hence feeds the skunks. While the other neighbor calls the skunks his friend, and feeds them deliberately. Animal control won't do anything, and the whole block (in the city) almost always smells of skunk now, getting into cars, clothes n houses. Ewwwy.

They have been told to (but never have!) poison them, or trap them and drown them in a 55 gallon bucket. Both of which seem way too inhumane for them too carry out.

 

[aprophet]

I have trapped skunk with 220 conibears I use the belisle brand they kill the animal almost instantly it does not spray 99% of the time one every once and a while will leak just a bit believe it or not after about a week I got used to the smell kina LOL. I simply placed the trap where the skunk was traveling anyways I used no bait if you follow the tracks most days you can find their dens then it is easy to get rid of the local population.

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/regulations/trap-illustration.png

this is what the dnr here has us use if you use bait in conjunction with a body grip trap

HTH

 

[Love my Critters!]

When my husband was an exterminator, they would catch the skunks in a live trap that had solid metal walls instead of wire. Most of the time around here, if we get one in a wire live trap, we have a long rope on it and pull it to the back of the pasture and my DH shoots it. Sometimes they release scent sometimes not.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I dread catching a skunk in my trap. I haven't had too yet, but I did read in a trapping magazine that some people have had luck by covering the trap and slowly lowering the trap into a stocktank to drown the skunk which supposedly won't spray. This advice was from someone who claimed to be a professional trapper and skinned skunks along with other critters for the fur trade.

P.S. If you try this and it works (or not) please let me know.

 

[brownegger]

I agree with the conibear traps, and live traps for removal. The faster they are euthanized, the less chance of having them spray. I would consider maybe a live trap with a bag over it also to reduce or eliminate residual smells after the skunk is removed. You must be careful because in some areas, skunks can be often known carriers of rabies. When handling anything around the skunks, just be sure to wash thoroughly and keep your pets up to date on vaccinations. Once you have them in a live trap, you may either relocate them (illegal in many areas) which I prefer to do or a well placed shot to the head will usually keep them from spraying but, not always! If you are able and are a good shot, you can shoot them with a .22 but, only if you feel you can make a clean head shot to reduce the chance of spraying! Good luck!

 

[bryan99705]

My Dad could bump into a skunk in a bank vault, something about his luck just was all bad when it came to skunks. He always shot them between the eyes or in the spine behind the skull. He only rode home once in the back of the truck, when he missed the head and hit one in the body. He never missed again! and we didn't rabbit hunt that area again for a year!

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Well that's generally how I take care of predators, haven't missed yet either. Guess I could TRY on a skunk. I'm not afraid I'll miss, I'm just afraid they'll release their spray when they die