Skunk hunting or how to get rid of skunks?

[SIGarmed]

A different kind of challenge here. Well there have been many skunks around lately in my suburb. I see them outside my home. I almost walked into one that wasn't paying attention when I walked out of my front door.

Last night one managed to get under the house and I could here it and smell it from inside the house. I had to reinforce the side vents this morning.

Someone told me to set a trap but I was thinking that may be a bad idea.

What are the best ways for skunk elimination?

 

[MilsurpShooter]

Detterence is the best way I found. Can't set a have a hart trap unless you want to be bathing for the next two weeks. There are two methods that worked for me when it happened. I put a plank under my front porch lengthwise so anything going under would have to go over it. And liberally doused it in hot sauce. They step in it and it burns their feet a little, they smell it and they go running. That worked for awhile until the wood absorbed most of it and he started going under again. I had an old crossman 10 pump airgun, pumped it up 3 times one night and sat in a lawn chair in my yard. Waited for him to head under and popped a shot. Did it 3 times before he finally stopped going under. Did a quick online search and it seems they don't care for the smell of ammonia either, could try a rag wetted with that.

Good luck

 

[P95Carry]

I was getting folk's input on this last year, or year before, forget now ... on this thread here - turned out in my case, it seemed - problem solved when my troublemaker was converted not far off into a roadkill!

Check that thread out for some ideas.

 

[auschip]

turned out in my case, it seemed - problem solved when my troublemaker was converted not far off into a roadkill!

So he went from skunk to stunk?

 

[BerettaNut92]

Why the skunk infestation, does your community have a Vietnamese or Korean female population?

 

[SIGarmed]

Well unfortunately for you I haven't noticed any change in the female population.

Funny thing is on the same day as the home smell encounter. I got up in the morning and fixed the vents. Went to work 25 miles away. When I got within a mile of work that smell came back. There was one on the road that I drove a little close to.

When I got to work I walked toward the parking lot elevator and got a whiff of more skunk smell. Apparently one of the carpool vans was skunked.

It seems like I couldn't get away from damn skunks that day.

It's like they're all over the place.

 

[charby]

I use a 12 gauge, open choke and #6 shot. Only way I know to kill one cleanly and doesn't release purfume when shot. Skunks and 'coons seen in daylight only make me think of one thing, rabies.

Charby

 

[El Tejon]

Have killed many skunks with .22 mag.

 

[Richard.Howe]

Why don't you try this method on your skunks?

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=125380

Let me know how it goes.

 

[Dave R]

I dunno how to rid the 'neighborhood' of skunks, but here's how I got rid of skunks living under my house. (Copy of a recent post.)

-------------------
We had a problem with skunks under the house many years ago. The fix maight work for squirrels, too. Who know? Worth trying.

To tell the story right...we had skunks move in under our house. It got so once or twice a week we would wake up at night after they had "let loose" and it was purely miserable. This was in a somewhat remote part of the Bay Area.

We called every exterminator and government agency in the phone book. Everyone said they couldn't help us. We got so desperate we called 'em all again. This time, we reached an "old lady secretary." She said "Listen, hon." (She was old enough not to know that this was sexist talk and would make for an uncomfortable work environment.)

"Listen, hon, I shouldn't tell you this, but it worked for me & Al. Send your huband out at 3:30am. I know, that's hard, but that's when they're most likely to be outa the house. Don't wanna surprise 'em under the house. Have him take radio with him. Not battery-powered--the plug-in kind. And an extension cord to reach an outlet. Now have him turn the radio on just loud enough that it don't bother you in the house. No classical music, hon. Gotta be hard rock. Now leave it on for a week or so. They'll find some other place to live. Then find out how they were getting in, patch the hole, and ya should be good."

Worked like a charm.

 

[rexelbion]

Try raising the rent.

 

[Preacherman]

Well, if you're desperate, you could try this, but I don't recommend it...

 

[foghornl]

Couple of other things....."Grubs" those little slug-like creatures, are one of the favorite foods of skunks. So, use a lot of 'Grub-ex' on your yard.

Don't set out the garbage untill the very last minute. Leaving it out the night before.....well, you just set up a skunk smorgasboard.

If you see a skunk out during the light of day, there is a greater than 99.9999999% chance it is rabid.

 

[sm]

Well....

They must like the habitat, perhaps a food source nearby or somesuch. I'd check into that.

Traps work...then you gotta get them out of the trap . Easiest way I have to get a skunk out of a cage type trap...without getting sprayed, or in the event of suspected rabies...you need to step back a bit from the trap...

.480 Ruger, .454, worked...maybe a bit too much. Not as bad as a 165 gr from a model 70 in '06. Slugs from a 12 or 20 ga kinda "overkill' too....but it is a one shot stop as so many are concerned with.

So IMO a .38spl, 9mm or .45ACP is Enough Handgun. From a rifle a .22 lr ( .40 gr PowerPoint is fine). .410 slugs work real well too.

We won't talk about a 375 H&H...not good for traps, gardens or tomato stakes-

I read Ruark as kid - can you tell?

 

[sturmruger]

I think the radio idea is a great idea.


I still can't understand how skunks get under you house. I live up North and all of the houses here have basements.

 

[pete f]

shoot them just infront of the hind legs with a 22 then head shot . the shot to the guts prevents them from arching the back to throw scent


sprayed pepper spray under my porch that kept them away from that too.

we had a ton of them in back yard living under shed and under porch. turned the motion lights to max sensitivity and started clearing them out. after a week they were gone.

 

[BenW]

We've had a rise in the skunk population around my condo complex. They're using ammonia as skunk deterrent here. It seems to be working from what I can tell.

 

[Sunray]

"...my suburb..." Where is it legal to shoot any firearm in a suburb? Pepe's scent travels a very long way. How do you know he's anywhere near you? If he's living under your house or garage, leave him alone. He really could care less about you and he'll warn you by stamping his feet. If you leave him alone, he'll return the favour.
"...arching the back to throw scent..." Pepe doesn't have to arch anything. Nor does he have to be pointed aft on. He can spray you or your mutt from any angle.
Fido, on the other hand isn't smart enough to leave Pepe alone. Dogs are dumber than a bag of rocks. Before you let Fido out, look around for Pepe. Fluffy is no big deal. Cats are far too smart to bother Pepe.

 

[SIGarmed]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I had the probelm under the house for all of two days before I found all the ways that a skunk could get under the house and sealed them up. Now there's no problem.

 

[Moondoggie]

Feb is their mating season...they have a very short gestation period so the babies are born in Apr so they can grow up prior to the next winter/fall.

I always see a huge increase in the # of splattered skunks on the road this time of year. Not to mention smelling them.

Foghornl is absolutely correct...if you see one running around during daytime it's got rabies for sure. Deal accordingly, and make sure you keep your own critters away from it.

I shot one a year ago on Thanksgiving @ about 3 PM in my back yard inside the city limits. 12 ga did the trick after the local PD dispacther said to go ahead and terminate it if I could do it safely.

 

[dodge]

You can try mothballs. I had problems with skunks trying to get underneath my house and I placed moth balls around the house and that ended that. The down side of this is you will smell the mothballs for awhile until they melt away in the rain.