Pest Hunting at Night

[rawhide]

This fella was on the patio last night eating cat food. I'm not sure the best way to get this one. I don't have a clear shot from the back door.

I do have a live trap and have been told if you approach the trap behind a blanket, they won't spray. I don't want to risk that.

I cover the trap with a blanket before the skunk is trapped. I've picked up the trap and carried it away from the house to shoot the skunk. Additionally, I was told that a head shot would prevent them spraying and can testify that that is not true.

 

[dennishoddy]

I cover the trap with a blanket before the skunk is trapped. I've picked up the trap and carried it away from the house to shoot the skunk. Additionally, I was told that a head shot would prevent them spraying and can testify that that is not true.

I can verify your head shot experience. Sucks having to ride home in the bed of your own pickup.
Also, use the small 6"X6" live traps advertised for squirrels. They do work great on squirrels, but also trap skunks. They cannot raise their tail in that small trap, and can't spray while alive. Shot in the trap they dump.

 

[beastep]

I do the same with a blanket. It seems body shots do better.

 

[tulsacrittergetter]

Yep. Shooting small animals in the head just puts them into wild convulsions, proceeded by involuntary muscle twitching and movements. With a skunk, this almost always means they will spray after a head shot.

Shooting a skunk actually has other huge disadvantages – there’s the matter of blood, which may have been contaminated with rabies and other zoonotic infections, because they are major carriers of rabies and other bad diseases that can be transferrable to humans and your pets. Proceed with caution

 

[dennishoddy]

The Oklahoma trappers association recommends gluing a syringe to a pole, and filling it with acetone. Stick the skunk behind the front leg and inject the acetone. They expire almost instantly. Only works good in the small 6"X6" live trap I was talking about earlier where they can't raise their tail.

 

[Eagle Eye]

The Oklahoma trappers association recommends gluing a syringe to a pole, and filling it with acetone. Stick the skunk behind the front leg and inject the acetone. They expire almost instantly. Only works good in the small 6"X6" live trap I was talking about earlier where they can't raise their tail.

Dang, why can't Oklahoma figure out how to deal with deathrow inmates?? I get it... just saying

 

[Okie4570]

The Oklahoma trappers association recommends gluing a syringe to a pole, and filling it with acetone. Stick the skunk behind the front leg and inject the acetone. They expire almost instantly. Only works good in the small 6"X6" live trap I was talking about earlier where they can't raise their tail.

Seen one in action a few years ago, it's almost instant. Screws onto a broom handle............I still question whether a broom handle is long enough though lol.

http://www.minntrapprod.com/Syringe-for-Skunk-Pole/productinfo/SKPOLE/

 

[dennishoddy]

Dang, why can't Oklahoma figure out how to deal with deathrow inmates?? I get it... just saying

HAHA! when I was typing my response about the acetone, the very same thought came into my head. That's spooky!

 

[SlugSlinger]

Seen one in action a few years ago, it's almost instant. Screws onto a broom handle............I still question whether a broom handle is long enough though lol.

http://www.minntrapprod.com/Syringe-for-Skunk-Pole/productinfo/SKPOLE/

I have a 12' painters extension, but that is still to close for me.

Has anyone actually witnessed a skunk in a 6x6 live trap not being able to spray?

 

[dennishoddy]

I have a 12' painters extension, but that is still to close for me.

Has anyone actually witnessed a skunk in a 6x6 live trap not being able to spray?

HeHe, no I haven't. I was hoping for a volunteer and some video.

I did read that was the solution on the ok trappers forum several years ago.