relpo miraculous wrote:
We've been smelling skunks, a lot. So have all our neighbors. There
have been a lot of nights I'll get home at 3am and they're there in the
backyard, roaming around. This morning, around 6am, I look out and
there's one roaming the yard. I called animal control and every other
govt agency I could think of and they all say it's my problem. So I put
out my have-a-hart cage this morning (baited with peanut butter). I sat
there in my car and watched the little stinker come within 15 ft of the
cage but didn't go in. I finally had to leave for work.

It looks like they've setup residence in our ditch drainpipe out front,
by the street. Does anybody know the best way to bait for these things?
A neighbor says the best thing to do is cage them, then throw a tarp
over the cage (so they won't spray you), then drown them (I have a
wheelbarrow just perfect for that). Any other suggestions? (besides any
sissy "don't hurt him" ideas).

Licensed nuisance wildlife operators, for a fee, will get rid of
nuisance wildlife. I shoot skunks when I get the chance. I assume
this is not possible where you live. When one of 'em tried to take
refuge in the culvert I just put the barrel of the shotgun right in the
pipe. Preventative measures can be most effective. Skunks are
attracted to garbage. Take care of your garbage promptly and
encourage the neighbors to do so. There are no poisonous materials
approved for controlling skunks so a live trap is the only alternative
to shooting them. You can also attempt to prevent access to the
drainage pipe. Here is some more info:

Skunks are a valuable wildlife resource and are generally beneficial to
farmers, gardeners, and landowners because they consume a large number
of small rodents and insects. The handling of problem skunk situations
should be preventive. Control is necessary only when individual skunks
become a problem or cause economic losses.

Capturing skunks in live traps has hazards. Skunks are mild-tempered
animals; however, they defend themselves with a unpleasant musk when
frightened. If you decide to try a live trap, purchase or build one 7
inches by 7 inches by 20 inches. Set the trap near the door of the
skunk's den entrance. Use a bait such as fish-flavored pet food. You
can also use sardines, chicken innards, or bread crusts spread with
peanut butter. After the skunk is in the live trap, cover the trap with
old canvas or another heavy material. Transport it very carefully. If
you plan to release the skunk, take it at least ten miles away. Handle
the trap and its contents gently and keep it away from dogs and curious
people.

If you kill the skunk, bury the carcass. The live trap with the skunk
in it could be immersed in water until the animal drowns. Skunks seldom
spray when underwater. Shooting or clubbing the skunk will almost
always cause it to spray.

The best way to control skunks around buildings is to prevent access.
Crawl spaces under buildings or porches should be covered with metal
screening, sheet metal, or wood. Skirts around mobile homes should be
well sealed and maintained. If suspected denning places are to be
sealed off between May and mid-August, caution should be used to avoid
trapping young animals inside. If skunk activity is suspected, sprinkle
flour or ground limestone near the opening and then check for tracks
after dark. If tracks lead out of the den, then this opening can be
sealed off.

Lawrence