A stinky situation

[MapMan]

In the middle of last week, mid-morning, I saw a skunk setting up home under a portion of my garage foundation which was washed out by last summer's heavy rains. I ran down to one of the Amish neighbors, who traps game, and we set up a live trap. Shooting one of these critters almost always get them to let loose with their scent, so we thought we'd try to live trap, and then cover them with a thick horse blanket or some such and let 'em loose.

Well, four or five days passed, with us trying like heck to keep our four dogs away from the trap. I've been letting them relieve themselves either on a leash, or letting them run down to some outbuildings away from the garage. Well, we got the skunk live-trapped early this morning, but you guessed it -- one of our dogs got sprayed by the critter.

I'll tell you though - the recipe for skunk oil removal for pets works! We bathed the pooch twice in the mixture, and he smells like, well, he doesn't smell skunky any longer.

One of the brave Amish kids arrived just a few minutes ago, and dropped a blanket over the trap to take it away... He didn't get sprayed, but the blanket certainly did. The odor is so strong that I knew the critter let go, because I could smell it in the house, 75 feet away! Here's a link to the formula in case you ever get skunked!

http://www.a2zgorge.info/community/health/skunk-remedy.htm

Living in the country brings on problems you don't usually encounter in the city...


MM

[Hobie]

How large was the trap? I've caught several in a "raccoon" trap (about 10"x10"x 3? ft long) and never had an incident (knock wood). Thanks for the link, though. I almost needed it the other morning when I barrelled out in the dark to fill the birdfeeder and there was a stripey kitty under the feeder...

[dcross]

I've done this a lot. Never could move a raccoon size trap without them getting agitated and spraying. Never had one spray when they had their fat butt wedged in the 7x7 size.

A 220 conibear is the best trap if you don't have to worry about other animals(like dogs).

My favorite when they're just setting up shop under a building is to plug the hole, wait for them to leave at night(the plug is pushed out), and then barricading the hole tightly and tossing some mothballs around.

[Shapleigh's Bees]

I've traded skunks for porky. That recipe for anti-skunk juice is the best, but far from ideal. Had a dog skunked so close to the house in the summer that the fan drew the spray inside...

If my wife wasn't a veterinarian, porcupines would have cost me over $1500 last year. Two $300 removals, one $500 removal, one minor handled for free at home, one major surgery to remove broken quills.

[MapMan]

How large was the trap? I've caught several in a "raccoon" trap (about 10"x10"x 3? ft long) and never had an incident (knock wood). Thanks for the link, though. I almost needed it the other morning when I barrelled out in the dark to fill the birdfeeder and there was a stripey kitty under the feeder...

It was about 10 x 10 x 24 size trap. I think the skunk had been agitated all day because in the open and with dogs around. It was mighty annoyed.

MM

[MapMan]

I've done this a lot. Never could move a raccoon size trap without them getting agitated and spraying. Never had one spray when they had their fat butt wedged in the 7x7 size.

A 220 conibear is the best trap if you don't have to worry about other animals(like dogs).

My favorite when they're just setting up shop under a building is to plug the hole, wait for them to leave at night(the plug is pushed out), and then barricading the hole tightly and tossing some mothballs around.

Yes they were thinking on a cone style, but my dogs would have been caught for sure. They are all over the place, I'm surprised they haven't encountered more skunks, as they roam more than they should. One brought back some deer parts a couple weeks back - lots of deer succumbed this winter due to snow depth.

I couldn't plug the hole, as the hole is an area about 8 feet wide - pole building with a poured slab where the stupid builders years ago didn't do a proper job of backfill. A project I need to get to this spring.

MM

[ScadsOBees]

Country problem? My dog caught (and killed) a skunk 10 feet from the house in the middle of the city in the summer with the windows open. We had to throw out half our food because apparently the skunk spray can go through plastic and we didn't feel like eating skunk cookies after that ordeal. Our neighbors also live trapped a skunk (accidentally) but successfully removed it.

We didn't have the special recipe or even any tomato juice so we slathered the dog (a husky) with tomato paste...he was black and white and red all over for a while.

Either way, it isn't a nice problem to have...

Rick

[buz]

I've had the trap out since I saw a young skunk out on the road. No takers for the cat food yet. I leave a towel over the trap so's its darkish inside......that way the sun rising isn't gona cook 'em and I can just slide over and pick up the trap.
I truck 'em several miles to a water tank. Twice I've found a racoon in the trap. One took to swimming across when I let 'em out. Suppose that's far enough they won't come back?

[MapMan]

I've had the trap out since I saw a young skunk out on the road. No takers for the cat food yet. I leave a towel over the trap so's its darkish inside......that way the sun rising isn't gona cook 'em and I can just slide over and pick up the trap.
I truck 'em several miles to a water tank. Twice I've found a racoon in the trap. One took to swimming across when I let 'em out. Suppose that's far enough they won't come back?


Maybe, maybe not! They rally like to travel for the goodies.

Put an egg in the trap. The more putrid, the better. They like eggs.

MM

[BjornBee]

How large was the trap? I've caught several in a "raccoon" trap (about 10"x10"x 3? ft long) and never had an incident (knock wood). Thanks for the link, though. I almost needed it the other morning when I barrelled out in the dark to fill the birdfeeder and there was a stripey kitty under the feeder...

The photo is one of the family cats. His name is Panda. More than once I went out to get him for the evening, and to my surprise, it was not him... ;) I'm always afraid my kids will do the same in chasing down poor kitty. :)

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x236/BjornBee/?action=view&current=Beepictures112.jpg

[loggermike]

We have cats , too.:eek:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/loggermike/IMG_0064.jpg

[ffblaschke]

the best bait for trapping skunks is a can of sardines, Just crack it open and put in the have-a-heart trap if you want to catch live. Coniber (killing trap) works very nice, but is not kitty friendly or forgiving. Good trick to make removing the skunk once trapped easier. Take a 30 gallon garbage can (rubber made or other make) lay on side, attach cord to handle, put have-a-heart in barrel with above mentioned skunk chow, when skunk is trapped, put cord to stand up barrel, walk up to barrel and put on cover, quick easy, to carry without getting sprayed. Even if skunk does spray inside barrel while carrying, the smell stays in. Used this too many times to ever try the blanket over the cage anymore. Jim

[MapMan]

the best bait for trapping skunks is a can of sardines, Just crack it open and put in the have-a-heart trap if you want to catch live. Coniber (killing trap) works very nice, but is not kitty friendly or forgiving. Good trick to make removing the skunk once trapped easier. Take a 30 gallon garbage can (rubber made or other make) lay on side, attach cord to handle, put have-a-heart in barrel with above mentioned skunk chow, when skunk is trapped, put cord to stand up barrel, walk up to barrel and put on cover, quick easy, to carry without getting sprayed. Even if skunk does spray inside barrel while carrying, the smell stays in. Used this too many times to ever try the blanket over the cage anymore. Jim

Nice to see folks with good experience at trapping them here on the forum. Now if I have to trap another one, I know the tricks! Thanks everyone-

MM

[dcross]

The photo is one of the family cats. His name is Panda. More than once I went out to get him for the evening, and to my surprise, it was not him... ;) I'm always afraid my kids will do the same in chasing down poor kitty. :)


One of our neighbors had me clear out a whole family from under a shed once. Their toddlers were trying to carry one of their new "kittens" into the house.:)

buz-There's really no point trying to eradicate every critter from the vicinity. For every one you kill, two come to the funeral:) Save it for the ones that make a nuisance of themselves.