Skunk

[KEC]

Some of the last people I would depend on for information about wildlife issues would be pest control types. I could elaborate but there isn't enough space on this forum. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   Well, maybe I should have used a different source. There are plenty to pick from. Anyway I can attest to one young skunk who could not see well enough to avoid an on-coming vehicle. :D

[KEC]

To clarify, while skunks may not have the keenest eyesight, I believe that they oftentimes do not percieve something as danger and do not always  act like they see you. Walking up on one and not getting a strong response doesn't mean it can't see, hear or smell you. I always assume that the animal is aware.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Okay, so he saw, heard and smelled the neighbor's 5 ton truck loaded with hay coming directly at him - he just wasn't afraid of it. :D

[KEC]

OK you're going to make me respond, again. I fiqure that critters had millions of years to evolve without the hazard of motor vehicles. They don't understand the danger of oncoming vehicles. Newer vehicles are so quiet that it is now a concern for pedestrians (people). My neighbor told me that they are now making a gadget that you put on a car that makes noise to alert pedestrians to an oncoming vehicle.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I never heard about a noisemaker for people but deer whistles have been out a long time. As I remember the shape is such that the wind passing over it causes the high pitched whistle. I remember when I was a kid it was very common to see snakes dead or crossing the road and now there are much fewer. Either the survivors learned or we ran over all of them. I have said for years possums should be genetically isolated by the center lives on state roads as they never seem to be able to cross over it. ;D

[Machinebuilder]

Since I have a couple dogs that are slow learners, I deal with skunk sprays several times per year,

February when they are breeding is probably the worst. Yes they dig holes all over to get at grubs.

Most of the home remedy's are a waste of time, especially tomato juice, save it for drinking.

There is one that many people swear by, its hydrogen Peroxide, Dawn dish soap, and baking soda. I tried it its ok.

What I find works is Natures Miracle Skunk Off. It's some kind of enzyme that breaks it down.
I use a spray bottle to soak them with it, let it sit for a little while, but not dry. Then wash them with Dawn at least once, then soak them with Skunk Off again. After this I can barely smell it.

[KEC]

Those deer whistles have been put to controlled tests which showed that they are generally not effective. If they did work, the auto insurance companies would be giving them to their policy holders. They are one of those marketers' dream come true. People buy them because they're cheap, they think it helps and they get broken off so people will buy more. True story.

[Nebraska]

Skunks are our primary reservoir for rabies virus around here. Postitive Skunk bites heifer or horse unbenknownst to  owner, then they start acting funny... owner thinks their is something  caught in the animals throat then messes with it. Calls vet....Horse/heifer dies...doc says hmmm I better send it in.. Lab comes back positive rabies, family members  get series of expensive shots. Vet gets boostered  I've seen it get  into batches of farm cats a couple times.  We see  positve cases from bats as well.

Not a skunk fan they aren't welcome here if I can help it.

[Skip]

Just had a case of rabies in bat reported here .

[mike_belben]

When my .1 acre urban yard was infested with a den system under a shed, i was able to lure them out routinely as soon as dark saturated with microwaved tuna fish on a paper plate setting there since the last half hour of daylight.. It would have them staged up and ready to flood out all together for it.

You need that white plate to see when it is eclipsed by a dark head in the night. I had a cheap lazer and flashlight both with pressure switches taped to the stock of a good pellet rifle and used to sit on the roof. Get your lazer swung over in the general direction, that wont bother them but you only have a second or two once you hit the light.  

 Skunks are pretty darn tough too. One shot usually wont kill them, if i had to do it again in a no firearms situation id have got multishot gas charged .25 caliber rife.  Mine was a Break barrel .25 and that made it a race to reload before injured skunk got back under to the tunnel then died and stunk all week.  Thank god for possum cleanup crew.



My dog spray sequence was immediate wash in straight blue dawn, then the next in natures miracle then a final pretty smelling fragranty dog shampoo all in one session. It worked well unless the stupid dog got a shot down its throat. The worst.


Then there was that porcupine event.. Dawn couldnt fix that.

[WV Sawmiller]

Mike,

   You could have just left them alone in the den then when you sold the house you could list them as "Contains Eco-Friendly Security System." :D

[WV Sawmiller]

Skunks are our primary reservoir for rabies virus around here. Postitive Skunk bites heifer or horse unbenknownst to  owner, then they start acting funny... owner thinks their is something  caught in the animals throat then messes with it. Calls vet....Horse/heifer dies...doc says hmmm I better send it in.. Lab comes back positive rabies, family members  get series of expensive shots. Vet gets boostered  I've seen it get  into batches of farm cats a couple times.  We see  positve cases from bats as well.

Not a skunk fan they aren't welcome here if I can help it.

And after a bite from one that escapes co-pay after insurance used to cost over $800. (Don't ask me how I know). I don't know what it is now.

[mike_belben]

I lost the place at auction and rented from the new company (that was cornering market into all section eight) for quite a while until they stopped accepting payment to evict me and get a section 8er in there. 

  Whatever,  it was just business, they were fair to me overall and coulda been worse so i did them some free favors on my way out to show my appreciation.

Took down large standing dead pine between garage and fence, used bobcat to grade the yard to finally drain away from house and garage so theyd stop flooding.   Last one was using the bobcat to demo the shed, burn the rotten wood, crush and scrap the tin.  

My buddy was over walking on the rotted shed deck after i swiped the tin off and was smooshing that down with the machine.  Next thing i know he is arms flailing and just pogo stick bounding right out of there. Enormous possum come flying out.  My buddy had his foot go through some plywood and land right on it!  ;D