Trapped skunk, Now what???

[hispoptart]

The deed is done, and my husband is an excellent shot!

 

[cmom]

 

[cappy09pietsch]

I caught a small skunk in my trap this morning. How do I go about moving it without being sprayed???

throw a very heavy wet blanket onto the cage very carefully without being sprayed they proceed to move the skunk. The stink will stick to the blanket so do it with a unwanted blanket. Be aware to cover THE WHOLE cage.

 

[cmom]

throw a very heavy wet blanket onto the cage very carefully without being sprayed they proceed to move the skunk. The stink will stick to the blanket so do it with a unwanted blanket. Be aware to cover THE WHOLE cage.

I realize this thread is almost a year old. We are rural on a dead end road and from time to time we get other people's relocations. A friend was at the local doughnut shop in town and overheard some people talking about catching and releasing skunks in our area. I was catching a skunk in a trap most every night and one night I got two skunks in one trap. I dug a nice deep hole for the ones I caught here. They all went into the hole with some dirt on the back of our property. I had talked to a wildlife officer prior and told him of my dilemma and he told me they weren't endangered. I certainly wasn't going to relocate them someplace else for someone else to deal with. One of the skunks attempted to dig under the gate to the chick run one evening after dark. Somehow the pop door on their coop was mostly shut so some of the chicks were still out in their pen. When I realized it I went out and there was the skunk digging away under the gate. I made some noise to distract it and I thought it would run off but instead in turned towards me and stomped it feet. I went into the house and got my gun. When I went back out the skunk was still there and again I made some noise and it again stomped it's feet so I eliminated it and put a bucket over it until I could deal with it in the morning and let the chicks into their coop.

 

[Sea Wolf]

Wait until daylight, get a large blanket and hold it up in front of you and walk slowly towards the trap. The blanket hides you from the skunk. Watch the skunks tail. If it is down, the critter isn't very concerned. If it is up, it's nervous. Waiting till daylight gives the skunk the chance to fall asleep in the trap. Drape the blanket over the trap so all sides are covered. If the skunk can not see, it won't spray as it doesn't have a target. Now, if you didn't intend to catch the skunk, you can let it go right there. Slide the blanket back from the door end of the trap and open it. Keep it open by putting a brick or something in the doorway. Move slow and nothing will happen. The skunk will eventually wander out. They don't do anything quickly. If you want to try and relocate it, you can. Keep the blanket over the trap and slowly pick it up by the handle through the blanket. Put a piece of cardboard in the back of your truck or car and gently set the trap on it. Don't slam doors and take the skunk for a ride. Take the trap out and let it go as above. ... but it might take an hour or more for the skunk to decide to leave the trap. If it is very small, it is a baby and possibly can't spray yet. but just move slowly and calmly and you shouldn't have a problem. If you want the skunk to hurry up and get out of the trap you can try setting a small open can of cat food or some grapes or peanuts away from the door a bit. In reality, moving them someplace else is futile because they will find their way back to their territory unless you take them several miles away.

 

[Folly's place]

In most/ many states it's illegal to move trapped skunks and some other critters. Here in Michigan, the skunk can be released on the same property, or to another private property within the same county with landowner permission. Only! So don't trap if you won't shoot, and bury it deep.
Skunks are a major carrier of rabies, and can be contagious for months before becoming ill.
Mary

 

[cmom]

It's the same in Florida. Who ever released the skunks here never asked for permission. I eliminated them. I dug a big hole because I was catching them every night. I have seen a skunk now and then but not on a regular basis.

 

[Folly's place]

Many years ago, before wildlife rescues stopped doing skunks and raccoons up here, a friend of ours started finding raccoons in their barn. Many raccoons, and they had small children, so started eliminating the raccoons. A neighbor or ran a trap line came over and got something like 33 or 36 more!
That spring, our friends discovered that a lady up the road was raising them as part of a wildlife rescue group! She was releasing them near her house too. They had a nice chat, and no more raccoons appeared in their barn...
Mary