Neighborhood Skunks

[BigRed1080]

Good Morning TnDeer Members,
The neighbor shot a skunk yesterday with a .38 and I was like what in the world are you doing? So last night I put out a couple of live traps. Well sure enough upon the check this morning I doubled up last night. Hopefully, I can catch the rest tonight and be done with the problem. I think any animal problem in the neighborhood will be my problem now that people know I trap. I'll throw up some pictures once I let them expire.

Happy Thursday!

 

[Planking]

Skunks are bad around my house so i understand the frustration of your neighbor. I had one that i couldn't trap that would make me gag almost every night. Finally caught it out late one afternoon. What kind of bait do you like for skunks? Ive caught them on dry dog food and cooked chicken.

 

[Carlos]

They dig up, and eat yellow jackets nests, I don't mind having a couple of em around here.

 

[square]

How do you get them out of a live trap without getting sprayed?

 

[Carlos]

How do you get them out of a live trap without getting sprayed?

I lay a beach towel over the trap. Then use a long pole, usually a 10ft piece of rigid pipe, with a hook attached on the end to move the trap. After that, just prop the door open, and they'll waddle off.

I've done this over 20x and only had 1 spray out of all those. It got on my shoes and pants leg, had to throw them all out.

 

[square]

Thanks!

 

[Planking]

Ive heard talking to them as you walk up to put a tarp on them helps as well. Don't dump them on private landowners. Ive seen a**hats do that at night with thermals more than once. It's enraging.

 

[BigRed1080]

Skunks are bad around my house so i understand the frustration of your neighbor. I had one that i couldn't trap that would make me gag almost every night. Finally caught it out late one afternoon. What kind of bait do you like for skunks? Ive caught them on dry dog food and cooked chicken.

I used a pack of peanut butter crackers for these two.

 

[BigRed1080]

How do you get them out of a live trap without getting sprayed?

I shot them with a pellet gun in the lungs. One sprayed one didn't.

 

[Planking]

About 50/50 spraying is what i experience also in a cage trap. I use a .22

 

[peytoncreekhunter]

How do you get them out of a live trap without getting sprayed?

This sounds cruel but a critter ridder guy told me to put the live trap in a big heavy duty black garbage bag so when the trap door closes the skunk can't see anything. When the skunk is trapped, spray a can of starter fluid in the bag and the skunk will suffocate and will not spray. He said the will usually spray when shot.

 

[Shanman]

Large dark piece of cloth of some sort over the trap, then pick it up and wrap around it. Once you have them in the dark they won't spray. Key here is to talk to them like a cat and don't startle them. Then you can take them to a liberal part of town and give them a new home, just saying.

 

[Gravey]

I left out the other morning and one was across the road in front of my neighbors house. Told him later I thought about shooting but didn't want to wake them. He said "shoot it…I'll go back to sleep".

 

[DaveTN]

I had a skunk and bought a trap to try to catch it. I didn't have any luck and he finally left. I caught squirrels, racoons, and opossums though. Squirrels were the worst, they were crazy pizzed off.

A few years ago, my dog got sprayed, I don't ever want to go through that again.

 

[peytoncreekhunter]

I'm trying to trap one tonight. I got the trap covered except for the entrance. Using tuna fish for bait inside.

 

[BigRed1080]

I'm trying to trap one tonight. I got the trap covered except for the entrance. Using tuna fish for bait inside.

Good Luck, let me know if you need any help.

 

[peytoncreekhunter]

Well, just like when you take you car to the mechanic because it's doing something and it won't do it for the mechanic... I've set the trap out for 2 nights and the skunk hasn't showed...lol

Maybe he got ironed out by a car!

 

[BigRed1080]

I have had the best luck with peanut butter crackers and honey buns.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

This sounds cruel but a critter ridder guy told me to put the live trap in a big heavy duty black garbage bag so when the trap door closes the skunk can't see anything. When the skunk is trapped, spray a can of starter fluid in the bag and the skunk will suffocate and will not spray. He said the will usually spray when shot.

Starter Fluid is ether . Sounds like putting them asleep is a very Humane way to dispose of a problem. After you trap them it is not legal to relocate your problem critters to another property.

Wildlife Damage Control in Tennessee

All animals need food, water, and shelter to survive. Loss of habitat, due to urban growth, increases the chance for wild animal/human interactions. Many animals move and find suitable habitats away from these areas. Raccoons, opossums, coyotes, foxes, and skunks thrive in the urban environment.

www.tn.gov

 

[Planking]

I have had the best luck with peanut butter crackers and honey buns.

Im going to try your baits, thank you for sharing. I catch the fire out of stuff but i struggle with skunks and i think my bait choices are the reason.