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Skunk deterrent?
Mesophilic:
The plot thickens. I have verbal non official permission to shoot skunks on Mon between the hours of 6pm to 6am 😈
While at the archery range I met the cop who will be on duty. He told me to just use a shotgun...in town! I couldn't believe it. Said a 22 LR would be fine, too. If it comes down to it, I'll opt for an arrow as its quiet and the neighbors wont be the wiser, no point rocking any boats. I have some mis matched arrows and broadheads that I won't miss if they come out too stinky.
Mesophilic:
--- Quote from: bjrogg on August 03, 2018, 06:04:29 am ---I know guys that put them to sleep with carbon monoxide. Usually they do this when trapping with live trap inside a machine shed. They just close doors and let a gasoline powered engine run. I've heard other guys say they put a tarp over trap and piped exhaust from their 4 wheeler under the tarp.
Bjrogg
--- End quote ---
When I worked for a bio lab in Cali we'd use CO2 to euthanize critters used in experiments. Its considered an anesthetic at high doses and very humane. They twitch a bit but their brain is already in la la land before that happens. I do have a couple of rechargeable cylinders for a soda pop machine, so If I can scrounge a drum and figure out the live animal trap logistics I'll give it a go. After talking a bit to folks I'm not sure about setting them free since it may make my problem become someone else's problem.
Hummingbird Point:
Be careful with the idea of shooting them. Technically a police officer can't give you permission to break the law, so if something goes wrong and the poo hits the fan you and he are both getting splattered.
Live trapping skunks while they are grubbing is difficult. They are already getting their favorite food, so don't respond well to bait. With skunk trapping the key is to cover the trap before you set it. Very, very few skunks will spray without having a target to aim at. You can walk right up to a covered trap, pick it up, load it into a truck and hit all kinds of bumps in the road and the skunk won't do a thing. The obvious problem with live trapping is what to do with a live skunk! In most states, relocating the animal is illegal.
If it is a small area, you may find a cheap, quickie, electric fence to be the best use of your time and money. They are very easy to set up and you should be able to get everything for 50 bucks, which is about what a couple of live traps would cost. The nice thing about the electric fence is that the skunks don't understand it and it trains them to avoid the area.
Good luck!
BowEd:
Aaron...I've dinged them in the head with a .22 after transporting them in the boonies before too along with relocating them.Shooting them in your own yard will work fine too but a little more smelly for you though.It's not illegal to relocate pests here in Iowa anyway or exterminate them if they are damaging things.A permit type tag can be gotten free from the local DNR officer to get rid of pests here if they are damaging things.It's called a degradation tag.
I'd get that permission from that officer saying you can shoot in town in writing....Ha Ha.Out in the country here I pretty much just take care of it.I have gotten a free degradation tag before for rogue otters eating my fish in my pond/groundhogs digging under sheds/coons messing up the bird feeders/and possums or coons in the cat feed pan and occasional coyotes roving through.I've never hired a pest exterminator in my life.
We all get along fine here.
Good luck and it sounds like your coming to a solution anyway.
sleek:
I really hate the idea of drowning them. I can almost feel the panic of a drowning animal just thinking about it.
Id arrow them.
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