Life on the farm. I've described this before but I took some pictures yesterday. Those who would like to play with skunks might find this useful.
I should make it clear up front that I have nothing personal against skunks. I see them often at night in my fields and chase them out of the barn when they mess with the animal feed. They eat a lot of destructive grubs and insects, generally mind their own business, and run away when I approach. Also, I very much dislike killing anything, (well, except perhaps yellow jackets and hornets in the process of stinging me or a feral dog trying to eat me for supper or a farm animal that is injured or ill and must be euthanized to put it out of pain - in which case I'll do what needs to be done.)
But I do take it personally when skunks kill things I want to keep alive. A couple of years ago one burrowed under the wall in my peacock house, climbed up on the roost and pulled down a young female peafowl and ate part of it. Although the bird was only worth $100 or so, this made me upset. The next day that skunk went to skunk heaven.
The other day I saw another skunk in the peacock house even though I had fortified at the ground with concrete. I watched it run and exit through a little hole where it had pulled screening out of the staples. I spent a couple of hours reinforcing the cage all the way around then set a trap outside the building. This is how I deal with skunks.
Step 1: Acquire a skunk in a live trap. This is the easiest part. Bait with peanut butter or eggs to avoid catching cats. I put a single cracked guinea egg in this trap. Note that from the time the skunk is trapped until the time I arrive do deal with things it can become quite angry. The following steps do nothing to calm it down. WARNING: do not shoot a skunk unless you are prepared for the aroma. I learned that lesson when 12 years old.
Skunk_A.jpg
Step 2: Acquire some accessories. I use a skid made from a piece of plywood big enough to hold the trap. A rope is tied onto holes drilled in the front corners. I put a metal S-hook on a length of rope. A small tarp big enough to cover the entire trap is important. I use a stick with a hook on the end - in this case it's a crook made for catching young lambs or goats by the leg.
Skunk_B.jpg
Step 3: Approach the trap from front. I only use live traps with solid steel trap doors. This is important: if the skunk can't see you it won't spray. If the skunk can see you it will probably spray when you get close. I have handled skunks like this at least a dozen times and have never been sprayed. One caveat: immature skunks may not have learned to control themselves and may spray when startled or impulsively. Use caution around young skunks!
Skunk_C.jpg
Step 4: Hold the tarp up in front of you, approach, and drape it over the trap. This will also work on traps that don't have a solid trap door. Use the stick to pull the back edges down and around the back of the trap. It's best to cover the trap completely.
Skunk_D.jpg
Step 5: Use the stick to lift up the tarp at the front and hook the rope to the front with the S-hook. Remember, the skunk will not spray if it can't see you. Be brave.
Skunk_E.jpg
Step 6: Position the skid in front of the trap and using the rope and the stick if needed pull the trap onto the skid.
Skunk_F.jpg
Step 7: Grasp the hooked rope, the skid ropes, and perhaps the stick hooked onto the trap and pull the trap to where the skunk will be sent on to the afterlife. I drag the contraption down to the small pond behind the barn and introduce the skunk to underwater diving. If no pond, do what the professionals do - fill a 55-gallong drum with water and lift the through the tarp by the handle and dunk it in the drum. A friend once called me in a panic with a skunk in a trap and I described this method. He called back in a few hours and said it worked perfectly.
I have pulled this combination of skid and trap over 1/4 mile several times without incident.
Skunk_G.jpg
Step 8: With a pond, pull the trap, skid, tarp and all, into the water.
Skunk_H.jpg
Step 9: Wait. Be advised that previous experience was confirmed yesterday - a skunk can hold it's breath under water for at least five minutes. This revelation surprised me the first time. I have learned from that.
Step 10: Use the demise of the skunk to feed the buzzards. Just put it somewhere so buzzards can see it from the air and it will be gone is short order. This is giving back to nature.
I hope no one has to deal with a skunk. For those who love skunks and object to or are offended by their removal, I apologize. Contact me and I'll save the next one for you!
JKJ