Greetings all
I have a question out there for those who might be a little more experienced than I in these matters, although I have had more than I care to in some instances.
SWMBO and I were working on our pool deck this afternoon, and from time to time we got almost overwhelming whiffs of Mr. Skunk, letting us know he was close by - how close we were soon to discover! At one point when the smell was at its worst, I looked over towards the house, and there he was, sniffing around the foundation like he was trying to find a way in!
Fortunately Rowdy our small backup dog was inside, but Bubba, the golden with the empty thought bubble not only smelled our invader, he saw him! SWMBO grabbed him and drug him off out of sight before things escalated, and I went for the .357 which was close by. I thought better of that though, and made a circuitous route into the house to retrieve a .22 rifle. By the time I re-emerged, the skunk had made his getaway.
But I do have some questions. I was always given to understand that it was not normal for skunks to be running around loose during the day. The lady at the game warden office told me that is not true, that daytime activity is normal for these beasties. I also thought it unusual that he would be lurking around the house with two dogs on patrol (ha!). Again, she told me that was not unusual. She did go on to say though, that if there was someone on site that could "put him down", it was permissible. I asked, "You mean shoot him?" Yes, she replied. "Then there is someone who can put him down", I told her.
So, is this true? I thought if they were running around in the sun and not afraid of anything, that was a real sign of rabies. I have also heard stories of catching them in box traps and they can't squirt, but I'm not going there. For now, I am like the ancient Israelites who rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. I am working on the deck rail with one hand, and my .22 rifle in the other, in case Mr. Skunk reappears to cause us grief. If anyone has some answers to my questions about rabies, I would be glad to read about them.
Thanks.
Bill