[suttonbeeman]

I have a few skunks every so often...but this year I have a abundance of signs in two beeyards. One is nuc yard behind my house. Last time I shot the skunk....bullet went down back and pissed him off real bad, chased me in house...sprayed everywhere including around house, needless to say no one in house was happy, so shooting is NOT a option. Used live trap once....bad idea dont need to elaborate here! A few yrs back I used red devil lye...works great, but now off market. Is sodium perixod (lye) that is available now the same as red devil lye. Just little around hives took care of any problem..was wondering if anyone had used the stuff now available or had any other ideas better than what I tried!

 

[Pugs]

I think it is four extra strength aspirin ground up into a powder, next cut the small end off of a raw egg, put the aspirin powder in and put out near the hives. Skunks love eggs, but can't tolerate the aspirin. Think coumadin (Warfarin) in rat poison, although rats are becoming immune to it.

If your dogs eat the eggs, no real problem, but I think it will kill/hurt your cats. But I'm not sure if cats like raw eggs.

Pugs

 

[JIm in Annville]

Sutton what happened did you forget your Kentucky windage?:lookout: There not supposed to get up after you shoot them. LOL. Just kidding. I have built my two pitiful hives up on hive stands about two foot high. Skunks gave up messing with them.

 

[BeeOld]

Have you tried tack strips? However you have lots of hives so that probably would'nt be feasible.

 

[Walt B]

My hives are on 8" stands. I have a roll of chicken wire in front of each. Theory is the chicken wire causes the skunk to stand up and expose its underside, the bees sting, and a sadder but wiser skunk leaves.

Have seen some deformed wire and scratches on the landing board, but no noticeable loss of bees.

Walt

 

[B Reeves]

A scope will help those old eyes
Bob

 

[Ethfol]

I have a peice of plywood with nails through it, I place that in front of the hive the skunk steps on it a hurts himself and goes away(that's the theory anyway, I haven't actually tried it)

 

[suttonbeeman]

Forgot to mention I dont own a rifle...just 357 and 9mm. Did shoot one once with rifle..sprayed everywhere. THese are mating nucs....about 70 of them so with that many I want skunks in skunk heaven or hell which ever he is heading to! I'll try the asprin...but the lye would be easy if its the same as red devil...that would get rid of them very quick.

 

[JIm in Annville]

One round right behind the ear. No spray instant drop.

 

[JohnAllen]

This stuff http://www.aaa-chemicals.com/sodium-hydroxide-technical-grade.html claims to be a perfect substitute for Red Devil lye. I think any pure sodium hydroxide will be a good substitute.

 

[mdaniels]

Will one sign of skunks possibly be dead bees in front of the hive? I see what I believe to be a muddy paw print on my white hive.

 

[DutchBee]

.17 hmr

Shoot them under the chin and it turns them into a pez dispenser!
Woodchucks too! Flips the head right over backwards with the critter still standing there!

Amazing cartridge.

 

[Roland]

Sutton - maybe you need one of us Germans to teach you how to shoot(Vee have vays of elimitaink dem fermin). 22 shorts are subsonic, but the .17 hmr is a good round too. Sodium Hydroxide should be the same as lye. There is another thread on removing wax that discusses where to purchase lye.

Roland

 

[suttonbeeman]

roland...I was using a 357 with 6" barrell...at about 150 feet at dusk....didnt think that was too bad, You could see it took skin off his back. sprayed everywhere around house...bad for weeks

 

[Roland]

Ahhh..... At dusk....."A man has got to know his limitations". Brought an visible light sighted tool to a nocturnal event, Hmmmm.... You need night vision(IR).

Roland

 

[Ron Mann]

I use a rifle of a shot gun to shoot them in the head, so they won't spray.

Then I just take a shovel, scoop them up, and catapult them off in the bottom for the buzzards and coyotes to clean up.

 

[NewbeeNnc]

I will stand by the 17HMR as well.

 

[NDnewbeek]

For lye:

https://www.thelyeguy.com/

 

[BEES4U]

Electric Fence.
Have you considered putting up an electric fence?
Ernie

 

[jal_ut]

I use a #3 foot trap tied to a long stick. (anchor the stick) When the skunk gets in the trap, I lead him over to the canal and drown him. They have never sprayed doing this. Last year I did away with 4. This year, so far, just 1. They can decimate a hive quickly once they get started on it.