Author Topic: trapping skunks (Read 521 times)

ARO · « **on:** January 24, 2004, 08:58:16 AM »

i am new to trapping, this will be my first year. will a skunk always spray if caught in a conibear, whats the best method to trap a skunk, with a live trap? i would like to get one of them mounted, so i wanted to know the the best way to catch them without them spraying

ARO

Wackyquacker · « **Reply #1 on:** January 24, 2004, 11:32:34 AM »

Welcome aboard ...again even if we already did before.

Now I'm no authority on skunk trappin , that's more up Rascals alley :-D , but one thing I'm pretty sure of is you want a trap that is small enough that the skunk can't lift his tail. Once you got him and if you want him dead exhaust fumes from an engine without a catalytic converter makes quick work of things (some one mentioned a lawn mower I wish I woould have thought of that) :roll:

Jacktheknife · « **Reply #2 on:** January 24, 2004, 06:56:48 PM »

Aro, An interesting question, how to catch skunks without them spraying. Well in my experiance there ain't no way! Every Skunk I ever caught sprayed, most of them sprayed before I even got there, thats how I always know I have caught a skunk. I can smell them. Now my advice is to get used to the smell. It ain't that bad really. Mink are worse! And an old fur buyer I used to know said a possum really gets the award for the thing which stinks the most profoundly, the longest and after a while if you deal with them them often enough, you hate the smell the most. So just get used to it, It ain't that bad. Really!

oso lento · « **Reply #3 on:** January 25, 2004, 01:39:45 AM »

If shot in the heart skunks do not spray. I caught 150+ skunks this year and had very few spray and if they did it was my bad shot that did it not anything else. I even let one out of a live trap! :eek: I just walked up slow and talking it down, i reached down opening the door and them oops the door slammed shut! ithought that i'd had it. but no. i didn't spray i just reached back down and opened the door again. stuck a trap stake between the door and the wire to hold it open and out he came :grin:
I think you will hear the same things from the more expericenced trappers on this fourm.

ARO · « **Reply #4 on:** January 25, 2004, 11:24:51 AM »

thanks for the info everyone!!!!

ARO

Dan Mich Trapper · « **Reply #5 on:** January 26, 2004, 01:16:48 AM »

I have only caught one skunk in a coni , a #280 mag. It didnt spray , or even move the trap off the stand for that matter . I have caught many in foothold traps and have had real good luck with lung shots . If by chance they do spray , burry them about a foot or two under for two days , then dig them up . You'll be surprised . Not a trace of smell .

jumptrp · « **Reply #6 on:** January 26, 2004, 11:07:08 AM »

live trap is what i have best results with. when caught take a sheet and walk SLOWLY up to it and cover, than locate a pond or stream deep nuff to drop it in and drown it

Mallard · « **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2004, 06:26:21 AM »

In agreement with Oso and DanMich.

Very few skunks spray when held by a foothold, and will not TYPICALLY spray when shot in the lungs/heart. I'm told by a local biologist that a skunk will spray as a last line of defence only, and will not spray simply because his current situation is out of the ordinary. To up what Oso said, i've watched (from a distance..lol) a fellow trapper release a skunk from a foothold whitout being sprayed not once, but twice. The second time was to prove to me that it wasn't just dumb luck. Both times he spoke calmly and worked with no quick movements or jerks. On both occasions the skunk didn't really even realize he was released, and just stood there for a moment.

I really beleive that a skunk that has sprayed before you arrive was paid a visit by another critter sometime earlier, and was indeed in a life or death situation.