Hunting skunks

[Cowpolks-TR]

A few years ago my brother and I were hired to kill skunks for a rancher. We would take a shotgun and get in the ranger and drive up to them and shot them with a shotgun. We killed around 150 total.

[stinkbelly]

I have been trapping them on and off for 3 years. Three years ago they decided to make a home under my house (pier and beam). They almost got the house. I have caught them on dry cat food, sardines, and rotten fruit. I catch somthing every night, but it is usually a raccoon or oppossum.

I am looking for a bait that will only attract skunks. I am tired of the other animals. I have thought about looking for some sort of skunk in heat smell. That should work for the males this time of the year, but I need to get the females too.

I will run them over if they are on my land and I don't have a gun available.

[stinkbelly]

The blanket over the live trap for removal has worked for me 50% of the time.

[ground level]

Yea, it's always best to make sure the blanket is there before you catch the skunk, otherwise it can be a toss-up trying to place it w/o getting fummed!

[dustoffer]

It is their breeding season. They are moving alot looking for mates. Saw ALOT of them ran over lately. We have the same issue at our place right now.

For sure--we moved into our present house in 2000 and the first 3-4 years it was a skunk rodeo. I trapped or shot over 30 in that time, and then figured out they were denning under my shed/woodshop. I dug a trench & buried wire in concrete around the shed, and the numbers have gone down considerably. I have also educated the neighbors to not feed their dogs/cats outside and leave left-overs, as it attracts the skunks, possums, and coons.

Knock on wood, haven't trapped one in 2 years--

Smell doesn't bother me--used Tex Isbell's skunk scent for a cover scent for so long that I'm used to it.

"The secret is what you do to a trap to NOT get sprayed..." I do something similar to the towel or sheet, but I use the black plastic sheet. Hold in front of you, walk to the trap slowly and if it is windy you need to put a weight on the bottom of the plastic so it doesn't flap in the wind. Give them 5 minutes or so to calm down, and I lift the trap, put it in the truck bed and drive them out of our neighbornood. Carefully release them on the other side of the creek, and when they are 15-20 yds away, give 'em the 20-ga nightcap. I have never had one spray in the truck (yet) and only about 1 in 10 sprays in the trap using this technique.

[Boomerang]

A feed sack works as a good shield. You can open the door of the trap and they will run out and not spray. Have a shotgun when they get out there about 40 yards. They are quick once they see freedom. If they have been in the trap for a few days, they are not as eager to find an escape and use spraying as a defense.

[T/Chmr]

The blanket over the live trap for removal has worked for me 50% of the time.

Is that how you got your name here?

[GS91]

How do u keep them from backing out?

The PVC trap has a door on it. It is a live trap as like any other with a trigger, just made out of a pipe, to keep them from being able to lift the tail and spray. I will look to see if I can find the plans on-line.

[Charlie6Delta]

So here's my question, if you kill one is there a way to save the hide without it getting the stink on it?

Yep! I wet the whole skunk down first with a peroxide/baking soda/dish soap compound 'cause they almost always spray upon death. This solution cuts down on the smell enough so I can skin them. Be careful when skinning around the scent glands as they still have plenty of juice left in them. After I finish skinning, I wash real good with pine sol or simple green and then send them off to be tanned. The peroxide solution cuts the smell down to almost nothing. Just don't leave it on too long or it will bleach out the black hairs.

Found this demonstration of the peroxide/baking soda/dish soap method:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqvfEMZlpn8"]Getting the FUNK out of a SKUNK - YouTube[/ame]

[hellbndr23]

The PVC trap has a door on it. It is a live trap as like any other with a trigger, just made out of a pipe, to keep them from being able to lift the tail and spray. I will look to see if I can find the plans on-line.

Ah, gotcha. I will have to look it up.

[hotrod3367]

im gonna try to tan the hide on the next skunk we kill.......think it would make a cool hide

[hrdwrkncwby76]

I wonder if the noise makes them spray and if so what about suppressed or air gun

[Andy]

I was told to kill a skunk shot it in the heart. No blood flow no spraying and yes it works I catch them in havahart trap put end 22 through trap shoot them behind front shoulder middle of body. I use 22 stingers.....I shot one once with my longbow and yes hit ot behind front shoulder no smell........I have always shot them in head and they would spray ........ANDY

[Hart8]

If you wanna catch em in a trap.Use chicken eggs.

[ElGatoBandito]

Live trap with cheap cat food then KAS with a .22. Put the trap where you won't mind the smell as they expel at death.

They won't expell at death if you put a .22mag right up their bunghole. It works like a charm.