Sorry guy’s I haven’t been active on here in quite sometime.
Skunks, We have a SEVERE Problem with them things around this area, I have trapped and Dispatched 15 of them here in my Town Home Yard. Town is actually a SANCTUARY for Skunks, They have everything they could possibly need and MUCH More. My fear was/is stepping out in the Night, Early morning and getting Sprayed with one, or my Little House Dog, Skunks are a Very Nocturnal Creature, especially in a Town area, They stay under Buildings, porches etc. During the Day, and they Come out at night. Anyway, i chose to Start thinning the population down!
The 1st up was a Trap, They actually make, and Sell Tube Style Skunk Traps, And Claim that a Skunk Can NOT spray if they can’t lift their Tail? I did a substantial amount of reading on Trapping Forums and those guy’s claim that to be a RIDICULOUS FALSE Claim, They say a Skunk can Spray NO MATTER what, And I FULLY Trust them
The secret is a Dark Box, If they are Enclosed they Don’t like to Spray, it’s hard on them as well!! In the Wild they Spray when needed as Defense, then Get away from it! In an enclosed Box, they know they are STUCK in it! The only way they would likely Spray in a Tightly closed Box is if something Tried to GRAB Them etc. in the Trap.
i chose a LARGE Size Box Trap, Larger than needed for a Skunk, But i Wanted something that would Also catch a Raccoon if need be. The next thing was to Darken it, I simply built a Plywood Box to Slide Wite Box trap inside of, a Door at each end. When i catch a Skunk, I Slowly walk up to the Trap from the Side, And carefully lower the Doors Shut, this Completely Encloses, Darkens everything. 👍 I am usually doing this in the EARLY morning Hours Before Daylight, or right at it.
The next part is Dispatching, This was the TRICKY part!! First off, there is NO EASY way to Dispatch a Skunk! I would much prefer to Shoot them, Take their head SLICK off, But they Will SPRAY EVERY TIME, at least in my Experience, and LOTS of others, including Professional Trappers, Yes it is a SLICK Humane way of Ending the Skunk FAST, But you will be Dealing with the Stink, if this is in your Yard? This can Linger ALL SUMMER LONG!! I did a TON of Reading, and research on the Best way to Dispatch WITHOUT Spraying? They actually Sell a Pole on Trapping sights, a Long pole with a Syringe in the End, with mechanism runs through it allowing you to Inject with your Thumb while remaining 10 ft or so away, Believe it or not they use Acetone in the Syringe!! That didn’t sound like ANYTHING i wanted to do! Though i did watch a Video, and the Skunk being busy looking for a way out, didn’t even react to the Needle, and was STONE Dead in 5-7 Seconds! The next thing was a Dryer vent attched to your Vehicle and of Course the Enclosed Box Trap. And last, is Drowning. The Game Dept actually recommends Drowning if caught in a Box Trap. LIKE I SAID FELLA’S, THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO KILL A SKUNK!!! This is the part that i TRULY HATE! I have a 110 Gallon Stock tank that i keep Full of Water for Garden Plants, When i catch a Skunk that is where he Goes, i finish my Chores, and then go Get the Skunk. Out of 15 Skunks, i have Smelled 2 maybe 3 of them? When lifting the Box from the Water, So they will “Let off” that way as well, BUT there is 110 Gallons of Water to Help Dilute it
But most of them Don’t Spray.
