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Skunk deterrent?
sleek:
Arrows may be effective. Or if you are in an area where shooting isnt allowed in your yard, i have found that a high powered pellet rifle fired from inside the house works very well. Open a window or door, get back at least 3 feet, more is better, put the cross hairs on it, and its very stealthy. The house makes a good silencer. Then just go and bury them in the woods somewhere and call it a night.
Mesophilic:
--- Quote from: bjrogg on August 02, 2018, 05:46:28 pm ---I know they don't like a water hose. Clint's motion sprinkler might work, but it'll probably have to be set pretty sensitive. Skunks pretty small.
Bjrogg
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Unfortunately the only outside hose spigot is on the front of the house. I suppose it could work with a long enough hose, but I think for the investment I might opt for live animal traps.
--- Quote ---Arrows may be effective. Or if you are in an area where shooting isnt allowed in your yard, i have found that a high powered pellet rifle fired from inside the house works very well. Open a window or door, get back at least 3 feet, more is better, put the cross hairs on it, and its very stealthy. The house makes a good silencer. Then just go and bury them in the woods somewhere and call it a night.
sleek
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We are legally allowed to shoot arrows in our yards as long as the arrows don't cross the property lines at all. Skunks are also classified as non game fur bearers by game and fish and can (along with coyote) be hunted without even buying a hunting license. County ordinance prohibits hunting within 300 yards of buildings and roads (or thereabouts) but I havent yet been able to find out if I can shoot one with an arrow in my yard, or if I go ahead and do it anyway, if caught it is just an infraction or an actual crime. I've thought about the pelletgun idea if it comes down to it, but if I go that route I'll invest in a 22 cal pellet rifle with the integrated suppressor. Been wanting one anyway. I'd rather other options, as I've gotten older I prefer not to kill something unless I'm going to use it or there are no other rational options (like mice in the house). It's not off the table, will just keep it as a last resort.
--- Quote ---Their arrogant little cusses for sure.You got a family of them around???Possibly live traps and relocating them???Throw a blanket over the trap when moving to keep them calm though.
It has worked for me before but not on all occasions.....lol.
BowEd
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Can they spray through the blanket? As a kid in rural America we'd just shoot them with 22's or a shotgun. Occasionally one would get caught in a live animal trap but Grandpa would use a long pole to just dump the whole contraption in a barrel of water. I don't really care too much if they spray around the yard as they're already doing that, but would rather they don't spray the bed of my truck.
BowEd:
Aaron....I know what you mean as I've gotten rid of them a number of different ways myself in the past.Been sprayed before once too.Not very pleasant!!!Your Grandpa's way I've heard of being done too.Their spray will hang around quite a while as you know.They won't be able to spray through a tightly enough woven blanket.How about setting the live trap with bait inside a plastic 50 gallon barrel on it's side.Or covering with blanket after caught and inserting into barrel.After he's caught have a cover to go over the barrel and then with the help of someone else or possibly by yourself load the barrel inside the truck bed and relocate them.A bit of a fuss to do but it should work.Your truck should'nt get any spray on it if it occurs but just inside barrel then.
After all skunks are removed set barrel somewhere far away to air out....lol.
bjrogg:
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. I usually get shovel dig hole. Get shotgun blast skunk. It seems like if you shoot them in lungs they might not spray. Head shots and they always spray right as they expire. Then remove skunk from trap. Place skunk in hole and cover. Another option I've never tried but heard guy's use is a syringe pole. This takes a bit more nerve than I've been able to muster. Give em a shot of rubbing alcohol in the lungs puts them right to sleep. If also heard guy's say just leaving them in the hot sun will work but I have no experience with this and seems might be a bit cruel. When it come to skunks I've heard lots of stories. Not sure how many are true and how many are trying to get you Sprayed. I do know it takes a fair amount of agitation to make them spray. If they do you'll be able to follow your nose home for awhile. I've had old timers tell me when they were kids they'd catch them by hand. They swear if you pick them up by the tail and don't let their back feet touch anything they can't spray. Then they put them in a feed bag and drowned them. Had to be very careful putting them in bag. If they got even one foot on something they'd spray. Maybe you want to give it a try.lol
Bjrogg
Ed Brooks:
If you use a live trap. Might I suggest placing the trap on a board or other hard surface. Last one I got in a live trap was on the ground. It had dug enough dirt and grass roots in the bottom that it was stuck to the ground. I had to pry the trap up with a 2x4. Not fun with ol stinky in there. Good luck! Ed
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