Trapping skunks

[Rustyinfla]

  G'day gentlemen,

      I'm not a trapper, just a shooter but I have a Hav a Heart trap for trapping nuisances around my place. The nuisances are mostly feral cats but some times there are civet cats that frequent our area. I have one around now as I smell it from time to time. Over the years I've disposed of 5 or 6 of them and I've been wondering if there is a way to kill them cleanly and save the pelt. I know someone must do it because I've seen the pelts for sale before.

  Thanks,
     Rusty <><

[kevthebassman]

I've never tried it, but I hear that it is done by having a syringe full of acetone on the end of a long stick.  Poke 'em with the needle and give 'em a shot of acetone and it finishes them without spraying.  Most of the time.  Sometimes.

[camofry]

Acetone does not work by just poking them. It needs to be a lung injection.  If you have never done this, I would try something else. If you are trapping him in a live trap, Once he is in the trap,Hold a tarp up in front of you ( so he cant see you and protect you from meeting the bad end) and walk slowly in to the trap and use the tarp to cover the trap. Now, find something the trap will fit in a fill it with water. If you have a creek or pond close that work best. After covering the trap you will be able to move it with out being sprayed. Slowly submerge the trap in the bucket or creek to drown the stinker.

[camofry]

I should add, If he does spray just place him in a running creek or river for a few days and the smell will be gone. FYI dont forget to tie him off to something. lol

[Rustyinfla]

   What about skinning him out? I'm thinking there might be some danger of getting the smell on you while skinning as well.

[camofry]

Just dont use a lot of pressure around the pay end. I pull all the essence out of mine and store if for later use so there is no fear of it.

[deadrabbit]

Ive killed quite a few with the long stick (8 foot long, mine was an aluminum tube with a plug inside that was used as an injector) using acetone, but they were in foothold traps.  I found it helps a lot if you can leave him for a few hours so he settles down a little bit, and talk gently to them as you are walking up to them.  Stay low so they aren't as scared of you.  Stay upwind. Let them smell the needle, they will get fiesty when they smell it and you may have to back up for a minute but the next time they won't care.  Move back quickly after injecting them.  I haven't done it in years but it worked well for me.  Once in awhile there will be one that it just won't work with but I'd say about 80%-85% of mine I could inject with success.  It was nice to have this option if you were close to houses, which was often my case.

I never drowned one in a live trap but Camofry gave you good advise.

I skinned mine before I removed the juice.  I just cut way around the glands and never had a problem.  Its amazing how they don't smell at all if they haven't sprayed in awhile.  They are fairly docile animals and can't spray much past 8 feet (at least Ive never seen it that far)

[Macthediver]

Handling skunks is not the big deal that most guys make of it. The trick to skunks is getting what ever method you use to kill them down pat so they don't spray.
With a little practice skinning them is as simple or easier than skinning a coon. Trick to skinning is a sharp knife and then just learning to use it. I personally have never cut a skunks sac, and no I don't skin a mile around them. I find that skunks are best to skin while still warm and you can slide a good sharp knife right around them sacks. Lay your skunk down step on one back foot. Grab the other and pull then cut across the back end line heel to heel. work out the back legs and area around them dangerous glands :-). Cut the tail loose leaving it on the pelt. Step solid on the tail grab both back legs and pull. If you've cut things right the whole pelt comes loose to the front legs. Grab through the arm pit on each front leg and pull it out and cut it loose. Now pulling on the back legs will get the hide down to the ears. Grab the hide let the skunk dangle and skin around the head and the hide is loose. Then you can go back and draw off the skunk juice if your going to. The hide is free and clear with no or very little odor.
I have step by step photo's of how this all works. I just haven't taken the time to post them or write a magazine article to get them out there.
Also a none poison/chemical choice to inject skunks. dissolve as much Epsom salt in water as you can. You need to inject more than the 5cc of acetone most guys use. But it is way more environmentally safe.

Mac

[Rustyinfla]

  OK, now the really stupid question... if you store the essence for future use, what do you use it for?

 

[Bogmaster]

 It is used by lure makers,mainly for canines and bobcats.
 Tom