[AT] OT - Skunks--you can beat 'em!

Tue Mar 30 21:18:00 PDT 2010

Mike, actually I don't bother with the trap any more.  I bought an 
old remington shotgun for $50, cut 4" off the barrel, bought a couple 
boxes of #4 shot and put a couple flood lights in the yard 
lights.  The skunks always rattle the cat food tray around on the 
back porch at night--about 10:00--so when I hear the rattling I grab 
the shotgun and head for the back door...flip on the yard lights, 
slip in a shell and get a shot off before Mr. skunk gets around the 
corner of the deck.  Our country neighbors are used to a few night 
shots, and approve of my pest control...and it's more fun than than 
the trap!    John

At 07:23 PM 03/30/2010, you wrote:
>I might catch some heat if I leave the thing in the trap for a week, 
>a neighbor lady up the road is a real animal lover, and has 
>protested vehemently about the LIVE trap. I'm amazed at how often 
>the trap has been sprung, but nothing is inside. It wouldn't 
>surprise me in the least to find out she was deliberately springing 
>the trap when I'm not around. I'm not really sure what she would 
>like me to do, I can't imagine that she would like to sit on her 
>deck and smell skunk!!
>Mike M
>
>---------- Original Message ----------
>From: John Wilkens <jwilkens at eoni.com>
>To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>Subject: Re: [AT] OT - Skunks--you can beat 'em!
>Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:54:38 -0700
>
>Medium size live trap with bait (yep, dry cat food works fine--if you
>can keep the cats and magpies away).  Pre-fasten a long length of
>baler wire to the trap so you can drag it slowly away from the house
>(down wind) without getting sprayed.  You can shoot it with a .22,
>pick it up with a lomg-handled shovel, and bury it.  The smell mostly
>blows away in a few days.  Hose down the area to speed up the
>process.      Here's another method that only works in dry
>weather:  put the live trap out with the usual bait and go off and
>leave it for about a week.  The skunk dehydrates to the point that it
>can't spray.  I did feel a little bad for it and took it up the road
>a few miles in the piclup and turned it loose.  No problem.  It just
>waddled off into the woods.       John
>
>
>
>At 10:21 PM 03/29/2010, you wrote:
> >I find cat food to be an excellent bait <g>.
> >Some years ago I had a skunk that would walk up to the door waiting for
> >his share of the bounty.  Called him Stinky.
> >If you haven't tried cat food as the bait for the trap consider trying it.
> >
> >David
> >NW NC
> >
> >On 3/30/2010 12:14 AM, Rupert wrote:
> > > Hello Mike,
> > >       You could consider turning it into a pet. :-) Skunks are very good
> > > mousers so will keep the mice away and maybe rats too. They are also
> > > good at keeping unwanted solicitors away. :-) We had one living under a
> > > grainery that did regular patrols around the other buildings  including
> > > the house every morning for about 5 years before something happened to
> > > it. We never saw a mouse while that skunk was around. Even the poodles
> > > we had got along with it. Only worry was it might tangle with visitors
> > > we wanted.
> > >       IMHO, don't try to shoot it under the deck as you will smell it for
> > > years if it decides to spray. About the only way to remove it that I
> > > know is what you are doing- trying to trap it. Maybe try a 
> different bait.
> > >
> > > Rupert
> > >
> > > On 3/29/2010 8:51 PM, Mike Meulenberg wrote:
> > >
> > >> I have several skunks living under my deck, I managed to trap
> > one in a live trap, but the other(s) have proven to be much more
> > elusive. My deck is about 12 x 20 and is about 10" off the ground
> > at the side furthest from the house, and gradually tapers up so
> > that there is very little space where the deck meets the house.
> > I've looked under there, but can see nothing. I know that there is
> > still at least one under the deck because when I stomp on the deck
> > it releases a little skunk funk. I would love to hear any ideas you
> > guys may have for flushing it out of hiding. Thanks, Mike M
> > >>
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