Will a skunk eat a duck?

[Miss Lydia]

Mine do that sometimes too will hear something and get real quiet and just watch. Well they forgot the trap and called my brother last night when it happened and he is out of bullets.. I'm going to try the neighbors and see if I can't borrow a gun. If not then well I'm looking for things I could use to kill it. Maybe I'll give my uncle a call and see if he has anything. Ya I'll do that cause even if he doesn't have anything im sure he will know someone who does.

Where have the ducks been today in case this skunk came back? or did it come back?

 

[ducklover87]

Depending on where you live - urban, rural, in between -- you might be able to call animal control or pay for a pest removal service to come take it out. You can bet the skunk will be back for more easy food.

Skunks can be a very smelly problem to get rid of. You don't want to live trap it unless you're prepared to deal with it (anti-spray trap, etc.) Shooting or dead trap is probably better but you still can have a big smelly problem.

Based on everything I DON'T know about your situation - you could:

do a quick google/utube search on deadfall traps and make one for tonite (deadfalls can also kill a dog, a goose, a racoon, etc. so be aware)
Ditto on a killing snare
peanut butter is a great bait, btw
buy or borrow a 20 guage pump shotgun, practice shooting and reloading (without ammo). Buy some shotshells & practice shooting. Always use eye & ear protection! I'd suggest #4 buckshot or #4 or #5 shotshells. Solves 2 or 4 legged problems.

just my opinion.

I'm not sure if I have an animal control service around here.. I don't see why we wouldn't but when I google searched it I didn't find anything. But I know the perfect person to call to find out though. No if you shoot it some people say that it will spray once it dies is that true?

ETA: Do you know if using a live trap on a skunk will make it smell and then be non usable for other animals because of the skunk smell? That's what my uncle said and why we won't let me use his trap.

 

[ducklover87]

Where have the ducks been today in case this skunk came back? or did it come back?

They were out all day and I just put them in the duck house at 6:30pm I'm keeping an eye out for this skunk tonight. I picked up all the duck food bowls and cleaned up around them as much as possible. I'm hoping that maybe if I get rid of a food source it might go away.

 

[jebber]

I'm not sure if I have an animal control service around here.. I don't see why we wouldn't but when I google searched it I didn't find anything. But I know the perfect person to call to find out though. No if you shoot it some people say that it will spray once it dies is that true?

ETA: Do you know if using a live trap on a skunk will make it smell and then be non usable for other animals because of the skunk smell? That's what my uncle said and why we won't let me use his trap.

When most any animal dies (especially a violent death) it can lose control of bladder/bowels/glands. You ever pass by a roadkill skunk? You can tell if it sprayed or not.

Skunk 'scent' is not a problem, it's the spray they do. And it will linger for a very long time. If you live trap a skunk - then you have to take it somewhere to release. The skunk will probably spray you as soon as you get close to the trap. You can cover the trap with blankets, tarps, wear goggles & face mask and then throw everything away. The spray smell on the cage would most likely keep other animals away. You can get the smell out, but I'd just buy a new trap.

IMO Your two best options (based on very little that I know of your situation)

skunk proof your place
quick kill

Good luck, skunks can be a pain!

 

[ducklover87]

When most any animal dies (especially a violent death) it can lose control of bladder/bowels/glands. You ever pass by a roadkill skunk? You can tell if it sprayed or not.

Skunk 'scent' is not a problem, it's the spray they do. And it will linger for a very long time. If you live trap a skunk - then you have to take it somewhere to release. The skunk will probably spray you as soon as you get close to the trap. You can cover the trap with blankets, tarps, wear goggles & face mask and then throw everything away. The spray smell on the cage would most likely keep other animals away. You can get the smell out, but I'd just buy a new trap.

IMO Your two best options (based on very little that I know of your situation)

skunk proof your place
quick kill

Good luck, skunks can be a pain!

I'm working on the skunk proofing it's hard when I free range my ducks and geese (there pen is being occupied by a recovering duck during the day), a cat, and two dogs. He was living under the back of my house but I blocked off the holes it had dug. Come to find out my neighbor thinks it's living over in his shed and is working on blocking off everything so it can't get in there. Last I talked to him he had blocked off one spot but guess it found another. Not sure how that's going, suppose I should head over tomorrow and ask. What do you mean like quick kill? I have no access to a gun as apparently no one thinks I know how to use one. I've used a BB gun and a 22 but like I tell them I don't wanna huge mess to clean up I just need to get the job done. If I see him again tonight (so far I haven't) I will deff be able to get someone over here to shoot it for me. Is there a kill spot on a skunk? I think that's what they are called. In case i've used the wrong words and confused you I'm talking about the spot to shoot so that it's like an instant death type thing.

 

[jebber]

I don't want to cross a line regarding this forum and it's intents and purposes. I'll try to compose a short PM that answers your questions.

I will say that in my opinion a gun is like many other tools that can be dangerous. A gun is much less complicated to operate than a car. Both can be very dangerous if used incorrectly or if you don't devote your full attention to what you are doing. You do better with practice and learn better with someone helping you.

I truly hope for the best with your situation and also please remember that people posting on the internet don't always have the answers. Especially me

 

[ducksinarow]

I won't shoot. That is not my thing. I know that is not popular to say on this board. I just really like wildlife. Live traps can be used over again. Hose it and use dishwashing liquid and leave out in the sun shine. If you trap it, it will spray throw a blanket or something over the trap so you can move it without getting sprayed. Is your house inside a pen. If your pen is not secure you will have an ongoing problem. Hardwire around a dog pen with a cover and blocks outside really do a lot to keep them safe. Your place will stink for days if you shoot it because all of the spray will be released.

 

[jebber]

I won't shoot. That is not my thing. I know that is not popular to say on this board. I just really like wildlife. ...

And I fully support and understand your opinion. Diversity, tolerance & free-flow of opinions and ideas are typically needed for knowledge to grow. Just my opinion.

And lurking on this thread right now is some 8th generation farmer/rancher that has never eaten a store-bought egg or vegetable that is laughing at all the opinions and advice. "Momma just chase 'em off with a broom".

 

[Miss Lydia]

And I fully support and understand your opinion. Diversity, tolerance & free-flow of opinions and ideas are typically needed for knowledge to grow. Just my opinion.

And lurking on this thread right now is some 8th generation farmer/rancher that has never eaten a store-bought egg or vegetable that is laughing at all the opinions and advice. "Momma just chase 'em off with a broom".

And lurking on this thread right now is some 8th generation farmer/rancher that has never eaten a store-bought egg or vegetable that is laughing at all the opinions and advice. "Momma just chase 'em off with a broom".

 

[ducklover87]

Thank you guys for your input its very much appreciated. Ducksinarow I deff do agree with you but a part of me just wants to avenge my poor little ducky. I am very much against shooting animals. A lot of my family are hunters and I yell at them every year for shooting innocent wildlife/deer. It does help to balance things though. It helps keep the population from running rampid and causing more car accidents then they do already. My duck house is not inside a pen as I free range during the day. My duck house is solid and no way anything could get in it unless the door was open. I have coyotes that live on all sides of me so my duck house is deff predator proof. What happened was I hadn't closed them in yet and I leave my coop door open during the day to help air it out more and so that the ducks can go back in if they want. My uncle is a very difficult person. He has already changed his mind and is willing to help me trap it and isn't complaining it will ruin his trap. But I will see how much his tune changes when I give him a call later.