sgs. I had to go and measure my Safeguards and yeah, they're my favorite skunk trap too. And I don't know why either. If you set the 20 inch Tomahawk next to them, they'll usually go in that one first because the bait is closer. The 32 inch raccoon cage is usually the last one to catch a skunk.

Justin, the skunk sprayed because it was looking at the barrel of a .22 caliber Harrington Richardson revolver. It shot me before I shot it! ( I hear a lot of cheering from the animal rights people that read this )

I may have not caught some of the numbers of skunks that some of you have, but I have caught my share. It is my experiance that when handling skunks it is the majoriaty of them can be handled with very little chance of being sprayed, but there is Mr. Exceptional out there that is going to spray in a heartbeat & there isn't a darn thing you can do to stop him. The good part is this may only happen once every year or so. The age of the skunk makes a great difference. Most of the time when a spraying occours is when I got in a hurry, lesson learned.

I besk the skunk didnt play by the rules for the duel.

Paul-whaddaya mean, "no physical damage"? You lost your hair, didn't you?

Dave, I kinda blamed that on marriage.

I set my coon traps out with burlap drapped over them an can walk up slowly and pick up the trap and skunk and so far have not gotten sprayed --the next skunk job I will get it now for bragin

You'll do fine wamp. Just stick to the guidelines. It's when you get to showing off that you'll run into trouble.

https://www.dwlbrand.com/store/index.php?section=7
Make sure you watch his video on the skunk traps LOL

Still don't get why some guys have a problem with skunks entering PVC traps.... typical skunk call a few days ago: Lady has a mother skunk with young in a large metal horse building. Set 7 PVC traps.... first night caught the mom and all 4 young. Had mom and 3 young when I arrived in the morning, and while carrying the traps to the truck the last kit popped out of the den hole and went right into the trap near the hole...while I was standing 15 feet away watching. You can see one reaching out of the hole in the trap in the second pic.

Ron, is it possible for you to send some of those dumb skunks up here to breed with our smart ones. We have a hard time getting ours to go into a plasti-catch with a screen on the end.

Paul.... just a thought here (third one today!).... I noticed if I use both types of traps (open cage and PVC) when setting, the skunks will usually be in the open cage trap. I think it is because they see the bait easier.... same reason you have for catching them in "shorter" traps.

However, that was before I owned enough of the PVC traps to set them EXCLUSIVELY at a site. I'll catch the skunks in the same amount of time using only PVC traps..... as the bait still gets them to go into the traps. I have watched them enter PVC traps many times.... even the large males cruise right in without hesitation.

I've never modified the Plasti-catch traps, but only have a few of them. I use them on rooftops for coons, as it's much faster than using plywood bases to prevent damage. I know you have been using the 1/2" wire models to allow quicker set-up times also.

Note to some newer guys: Plasti-catch and PVC are completely different traps.

Ron mind showing a pic of your mod to the back of the trap with the screen ? I never liked pvc traps but normally had reg wire traps with them , now it makes since why I never caught one in a tube.

By no means am I a big time skunk trapper but seem to catch the ones Im after and then some.In the past week Ive had a few skunk jobs going and it seems that Im catching 70% of my skunks in my 9x9 plasti catch traps. The rest in cage traps. The traps def. have a distinct skunk odor which I think helps in the capture.

I am betting your right Bud. I have never had alot of luck with plastic catches but mostly used them on coon. I like using them on roof tops but lately have went to luggin plywood up there. I allways felt they held odor too well and that at times could spook critters. I had this in the wrong thread at first

I set three traps for skunk last night all within eight feet of each other. A pvc tube trap, a 7x8x24 Safeguard and a 11x12x30 Safeguard all baited with the same cat food and sardines. As has been my experience, this morning the skunk was in the biggest trap.

I really don't know why I do better with the larger traps. I've been thinking it's because it's more open. Not as confined. But I could be way off in that thinking.

I agree with Ron that they will readily go into the pvc and smaller cage traps but it seems if they have a choice they prefer the luxury model.

I think the 6 x 24 tube traps are the best. Have caught many skunks in them over the years. I did have one spray when I inadvertently turned it on end. The skunks sure seem to like the wire traps best but they tend to be more problems if you are required to euph the animal which here in Colorado is the law.

Dura Poly Enclosed Traps

These traps have always worked for my dad and I, Have never had one spray!! In the last 2 years I believe we have caught about 30 or more at his house. He did have a lot of chickens and ducks running around the yard. Never had a full size chicken or duck eaten but the skunks kept coming in eating the eggs, so that is what we Always use for bait works every time.

We have gotten our baby ducks killed every year though. But we just took care of 3 coons that have been coming in also so we will see about next year if we can keep some babies again.......

Hope these traps work for you like they have us. Kind of expensive but well worth it so you don't get Sprayed!!!!!

Never had a skunk "spray" in a trap but I have had a bunch give off a nervous "Toots" :-) I use a Safeguard 50063 size traps with a rear door release. I have made aluminum covers that fit over and covers the trap that makes them user friendly. Been lucky this week taken 9 skunks with no "Toots"

Hi Ron, which of these types of the PVC traps do you like the best. I have been using the ones with the guillotine type of door that rests on the top of the tube. Need to pick up a few more of them and was wondering how you like the other type you have shown in the photos???

The old style like you have are the best. The "new and improved" style are junk. About every third catch the animal (whether skunk, small/medium coon, 'possum) will break the metal strip that attaches to the pan. I spend way too much time in the shop repairing the pivot-door style traps. I bought a bunch when they first came out, but within a couple weeks I knew it was a mistake. The Snare Shop is one supplier that has the guillotine doors. They are made TOUGH and the only drawback is they will set off in windy conditions.