# Skunk Whisperererer...



## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

Skunks. Actually like the little buggers. I mind my business...they mind theirs. However, my sleepy little Borough is infested with them. A frequent topic of neighbor conversations, I'm done with skunks. Last Sept, I declared war on them. When you try to sleep on a hot Summer night and the AC sucks the scent right into your living room...enough. It was becoming a bi-weekly occurrence. We borrowed a live trap from Caleb's friend, however with a frost soon after, the skunks stopped grubbing in my yard and went elsewhere. Our first plan of attack failed.

Caleb got two live traps for his birthday and has been hammering the squirrels all Winter. They know the deal. Eat the corn, get caught, boy comes out and lets you go. I think the squirrels don't mind getting caught. Like...Caleb and the Squirrels all know each other.

Caleb had told me he set the large trap for skunks. But being typically Spring-busy with work, I pretty much left him and his trap unsupervised...until this morning. Caleb was quit excited as he declared,* "I got him! I got him. I got a skunk!" *

The plan was to carefully drag/push the trap into a large plastic trash dumpster, close the lid and haul it out of town. Never-mind the man towing the trash can...nothing to see here, move along people, move along... We managed to tow the skunk in a trap in a trashcan with a Jeep from the middle of the town. At our closet real trapping ground, gently (with a long piece of #9 wire) I pulled the trap from the trashcan and moved the trash can away. The little bugger had NOT sprayed...yet.

Caleb put 2 CCI stingers in the boiler room, then we smelled him.

We have about 6 more to go from neighbor's estimates. From now on we'll put the trap inside the side-ways trashcan, so once a catch is made we can simply close the lid and tow. Dragging a trapped skunk with #9 wire or pushing the trap with a pole was wearing on my nerves...closet I'll ever get to EOD.


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

You two have more kahunas than I do. A skunk around her gets shot first and then moved if needed (only after the stink is gone). Of course I live out in the country too.

Hope you get the rest of them with out getting sprayed.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

HA HA, great story, would make some great family vid's.


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

Could probably win the $10000 on Funniest Home Videos.


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

DW,

*Bravery and Stupidity often look exactly alike.* "Here's a video of Dad getting sprayed..." If we get another, I am going to try the same thing. Maybe we can get the system down... Undressing outside and bathing in V-8 is always a fall back plan.

Funny thing is my wife was happy about it...like I actually did something on her "honey-do" list. Unfortunately, I usually complete my "to-do" list before I get to hers.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Ha--- you young'ins :roflmao:

Next set, have Caleb put the cage trap in a garbage bag and snug the bag around the trap with some duct tape leaving only the door uncovered. When a caught skunk in a cage cant see ya--- if your gentle--- it wont spray. You can then pickup the cage and move it to your jeep or wherever. If stinky does spray--- the spray is contained in the bag. --- P.S.---> Don't have the cage door opening pointed at yourself or others.LOL.

FYI--- Some skunks will try to pull the garbage bag into the cage and tear it up. I wrap my cages with a small canvas tarp leaving both ends open.

Have fun boys.LOL.

awprint:


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

I would invest in a skunk trap, then they cannot raise their tail to spray !


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

After you catch one just fill the can with water, then you don't need to shoot..


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## Beta (Mar 3, 2014)

Sounds like quite an ordeal! Good job catching him though Caleb!



azpredatorhunter said:


> After you catch one just fill the can with water, then you don't need to shoot..


Or car exhaust! Pretty sure it would spray 100% this way though.


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

...I did have the trap wrapped in trash bag last Fall. I failed to properly supervise my child when he set the trap this Spring. As far as filling the can with water, yes, went thought that thought process too...but I still need the lil stinker away from my home before it went squirt. Once I got it away I figured we might as well shoot it.

Caleb is prohibited from setting his trap for Skunks without my supervision. I have pieces of an old BLK 18 Wheeler tarp I use for my wood pile. I'm going to zip-tie it around the trap, leaving the ends open.

Post here and you always get a been-there-done-that. Thanks for the advice.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

I still say, get the right trap (sound like yours is to big) and a skunk cannot raise their tail to spray.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Prairiewolf is right. If you buy or make a skunk trap, it would be a lot less messy. I think F&T sells one, it's a plastic pipe...http://www.fntpost.com/pop_zoom.php?img=1274390857tuff-trap.jpg&dir=products&id=3106&prefix=


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

Got the garage cleaned out yesterday. My wood pile is a mess. We'll be back in business once I get the woodpile sorted out. We're going to set the trap inside the dumpster can. I'm sure a bonafide skunk trap would work better, but we're going for another in the regular box trap. I'll keep you posted. You all can say, "I told you so!" If it doesn't work out too well.


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## Beta (Mar 3, 2014)

Good luck!


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

If it's legal.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Were all root'in for ya NattyB. :thumbsup:

awprint:


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

....Cheering from a safe distance...Thanks!


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## Agney5 (Sep 28, 2013)

My grandfather has a friend who swears the key is to talk nice to them. He just walks up to the trap talking to them like they're long lost friends. Then just throws a sheet over the top and keeps talking to them till they're in the truck. Craziest dang thing you ever did see. Having said that I'm a fan of shoot first move later.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Agney5 said:


> My grandfather has a friend who swears the key is to talk nice to them. He just walks up to the trap talking to them like they're long lost friends. Then just throws a sheet over the top and keeps talking to them till they're in the truck. Craziest dang thing you ever did see. Having said that I'm a fan of shoot first move later.
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


 Agney5, my father would do that to let them out of a trap... here kitty, kitty, kitty. It does work.


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

Operation Olfactory...back in operation. Wood pile is still a mess, but we got the live trap inside a large dumpster can. Used fish oil and creek chubs for bait. The chubs were recently caught during our trout fishing outings. ...I'll keep you posted....

I have the immediate neighborhood rooting for us....


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Sounds like you've got a good battle plan go'in NattyB. Maybe you'll catch a double this go round. :thumbsup:

awprint:


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## Beta (Mar 3, 2014)

We're rooting too! Interested to see what happens for ya!


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

Last Monday I saw my Game Warden buddy at the local range. He and I talked while the boys shot .22's. Caleb announced Operation Olfactory to him and he confirmed for me it's all legal provided the skunks are a nuisance (Digging under sheds, getting into garbage, spraying dogs and AC units). I told him it was "D" all of the above...so we're good to go.

Worked midnight last night, came home at 0700 and found trap door down. *Sure enough, boy got another.* This one had almost a WHT back, last one had defined stripes. I was tired, so I closed the trash can lid and duct taped it closed. Told Caleb and Sams we would take care of business after school. Now I feel like we got a system... strapped can to back of Jeep and drove out of town. Turned very few heads...all my neighbors know the deal. Once out of town, drug trap out of can with long piece of #9 wire. Cleared can away. Caleb put 2 stingers into it with his Savage single-shot .22 from an up-wind position. (Skunk did spray after shot.)

Got such a kick out of seeing Caleb and Sams walking ahead, Caleb with the rifle and Sams with my rubber gloves and #9 wire... We got back in the Jeep and I said,* "Boys, we're Skunkers!"*


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Thanks for the report, great story.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Love hearing the escapades of you "skunkers" but some pics would be nice !


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

O.K. boys--- if'in your gonna be real true "skunkers", yer gonna have to start skin'in them thar black & white little rascals.lol.

I'm with youngdon--- were need'in pictures. You started me go'in when ya started talk'in about a trophy stinker with an almost all white back--- that's a wall hanger up in this country.lol.

awprint:


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

catcapper said:


> O.K. boys--- if'in your gonna be real true "skunkers", yer gonna have to start skin'in them thar black & white little rascals.lol.
> 
> I'm with youngdon--- were need'in pictures. You started me go'in when ya started talk'in about a trophy stinker with an almost all white back--- that's a wall hanger up in this country.lol.
> 
> awprint:


yep get them skinning... don't forget skunk essence is $15 an OZ...


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

HA !! I'm sure their essence is well noted when they walk into the house.


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## Beta (Mar 3, 2014)

Good story! Good to hear you're getting them! I like the part about turning very few heads! hehehe! Let's see some pics!


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

Pics! Pics! So noted.

Did take pictures of Caleb with his first skunk. Skunk looks big because he's kneeling back away from it. Home computer is down and that's where I have posted some pics in the past.


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