Do they work? The sellers say they cannot raise there tail, so no spray. True? They help in keeping the skunk calm, so less chance of them spraying. True? Are they worth the extra cost?
Thanks
Kurt Temple

I have had no luck with the 6 inch ones. So I can not say.

I find it interesting how results seem to vary by region. I use the 6-inch PVC traps almost exclusively for my skunk work, and have never had problems. I don't see the size being an issue, as I've caught large male skunks in 5x5x16 cages set on chipmunk jobs. They can't even turn around in the 5x5's.

I use the PVC traps in both open trapping and posi-sets. The older (original) versions with the guillotine doors (Snare Shop) are MUCH more durable than the new style with the thin galvanized doors (swing-down) and thin metal trip pans. About every 3rd skunk the new style will have the pan assembly broken and/or trip rod destroyed. Catch a kit coon and it takes some serious work to repair them.

The slide-down door models (heavy metal door that slides down) will sometimes be set off in windy conditions. However, the swing-down galvanized models will often be set off with no animal. If the skunk (or opossum or whatever) even brushes the door with its back or head, the metal rod will release the door. I've watched cats poke their head in to look and the trap sets off. Setting a small rock or weight on the flat (horizontal) metal door helps, as it holds downward pressure on the door which makes the trip rod a bit less sensitive.

In the many previous posts about these traps, a common finding is that if you set larger traps besides the PVC traps, the skunks always seem to be in the larger trap. That only shows a difference in "choice". It's easy to completely eliminate that issue.... don't give them a choice. They will go into the PVC traps if that's what you have set and baited properly. I have never "observed" a skunk shy away from a PVC trap, but have watched MANY go right in.

BTW.... I remove the solid rear plate and install heavy wire mesh over the "bait" end. I noticed an improvement in catch rates after doing this mod. Guessing because they can see "through" it.

I just caught 9 recently in double door wire cage traps coming out of holes under a house. Even though they were set to catch coming and going, I baited also.

Chose the traps that I did because I thought they were best for the situation. The advantage to a tube trap is if another animal or person comes up the skunk is less likely to spray. One of the last nine sprayed after it was caught in the wire cage. I caught a possum in the same trap the next night. Maybe the possum startled the skunk.

I just set up on another house yesterday. Caught the customers cat. Had I been using a small tube I don,t think that would have happened.

The customer did talk of a fight he heard when the smell arrived under his house and showed me a freshly killed possum in the road in front of his house as well as possum fur in his front yard.

This is one of Kirts traps. Well made, good trigger, Fast. Maybe I need to use it more. I bed it real good so it does not move. I stake it down.

The part about a skunk not being able to spray because it can't raise it's tails is pure BS. I do use a lot of tube traps and have a lot of success with them. I use an 8 in. tube trap which works well for me. Can not get the big skunks into the 6 in. tube. Just what works for me.

Correct. And the old myth that they can't spray if their feet are off the ground is also not true. They can do it.... ask any dog that pins one down on the ground, either with its tail down or feet up.



Jim, where do you find an 8 inch PVC trap? I remember when the Snare Shop had the 10 inch tuff traps, but don't remember an 8 inch model. Those #10 Tuff Traps were indestructible. 1/4" thick walls! I also had some of the 4 inch models which worked well for squirrels in gutters or set on horizontal tree limbs.

Had good luck with the tube traps and not spraying. They speed up time on site for a pick up also.
When I do use cages they are covered but on occasion "stuff" happens and they get uncovered. Takes time to cover them up for transport.
I use 6", 8", 10", and 12" for various applications and animals up to badger/coon sized.

I have heard many ways to "prevent" skunks from spraying over the years. I have no interest in testing any of these theories, short of paying me a lot of money.

I'm not really sure that there is a wrong trap to use for skunks, except in our minds. I've convinced myself that I do much better

with wire cages than plastic ones. I may be right or it might just be a case of a plastic cage that needs to be washed out. My

son-in-law seems to do just fine with plastic cages. I prefer something like the Safeguard 7x8x24, but I will catch every

raccoon that comes along and they're not very gentle with my cages. I have caught a lot of skunks in a lot of different cages and I

really don't mind. We always tell the customer ahead of time that they will be charged for incidental skunks, so as long as they

don't stink up the yard, it isn't a problem. I'm sure we've caught skunks in every size and style of cage that we own, so just use

the one that your mind picks out.

Jim, where do you find an 8 inch PVC trap? I remember when the Snare Shop had the 10 inch tuff traps, but don't remember an 8 inch model. Those #10 Tuff Traps were indestructible. 1/4" thick walls! I also had some of the 4 inch models which worked well for squirrels in gutters or set on horizontal tree limbs.[/quote]
I made the 8 in. tubes with the same design as the 6 in. ones that the snare shop had. Mine have the swing down doors on them with the heavy wall green pipe. The swing down door locks even if only half way down. I have had some big coons in mine. I did put heavy wire on the back so they look open.

I have install a wire mesh on the back of my 6" and 8" also,it help that they can see through it,but the main reason I put the mesh is that they can smell the bait and lure better....I use the wind to my advantage,I will position the trap so the wind come through it(back to front).
I have the same results as you guys,if I put a 8" next to a 6" ,they will go for the 8" most of the time,but I have no problem just using the 6"(and I have caught big one ).
The only problem with the tube traps ,is the wind closing the doors,so I added a small bracket and a magnet and it works perfect.It stops the door from closing and I'm still catching the small one.It takes around 1 pds to trigger the door.

Wire on the back helps with washing the tube out. Lay the trap on it's back so the door is open and wash through the wire back. I keep a roll of quarters in the truck. Wash traps at the car wash on the way home.

Would like to see a picture of the bracket and magnet.

Another reason I modified the traps with wire ends..... in hot weather those traps are hard on skunks. Even a very short amount of time if in the sun causes the skunk to "expire". I try to set in shady locations, or if along a foundation I'll lay a small piece of plywood over the trap (lean wood against wall) even with the wire end traps.

jim,I will try and post them later.

You are right Ron the wire mesh is a bonus in hot weather.
Here is a few pictures of the bracket and magnet.They are a life saver for me,I live next to the Northumberland Strait and it's always windy.When I started using the tube,almost every morning the doors were close due to the wind and u can not make money like that,so I needed something to help the door stay open and this is what I came up with.

Thank you. Great pictures.

Great idea Chuck, thanks

That IS a super idea.

Kurt:

Have had great luck with them. Although it hasn't happened yet (to my knowledge), one of the concerns I have is customers now feeling safe in handling the traps and releasing the skunks themselves to avoid catch fees or trip charges.

--Eddie

I know there is a focus on tubes for non-spray skunk trapping but a trap such as a tube trap is a trap with pretty much a singular monolithic usage limited in scope, often used with baits. In the past five years with many dozens of catches at the very least, I have had no problems with skunks spraying whatsoever, using double door cage traps with solid nose cones. I have even stacked skunks caught in double door cages with solid nose cone covers without issue. The advantage of this set up is that it has multiple uses. A double door cage trap with the solid nose cone can also be used for woodchucks, opossum, squirrels, armadillos, raccoons etc. When I set for chucks and catch a skunk the cover is in place so there is no spraying.

Jim I see your point and have looked at yours and others traps that can be covered and used for other animals also. Or just wrapping an exiting trap and using it. And I understand the concept of positive sets. But how do you positive set for grubbing skunks in the middle of the yard? If you can find the trail I can see it, but if it is touring the neighborhood and the customer see's it in there yard and calls. Would not bait be the only solution?
Kurt Temple

I prefer the old Plasti-Traps (baited) for skunks and many other critters. I only have four of them, so they often have to be augmented with wire cage traps. They are usually set using drift fences to guide the critters into the traps. They can also be used to trap raccoons, opossums and cats on rooftops with no damage to the roof.

Hey Ron, I really like what you did to that cage. I might have to try something like that myself.

So the hole allows them to see through the trap, and would help in summer with cooling. With an end cap I could turn it into a chamber, I'm not from a relocation state. Could work out, thanks for the idea.

Kurt Temple

Ron how did you fasten the wire end screen onto the plastic trap end. Self tapping screws and a washer? It is difficult to see from the photo.

Kurt, grubbing skunks are tough as everyone knows. I know Carl Wilkie uses double door cage traps, short 18 inch, with solid covers baited, both doors opened, set out in the open. He baits right through the cages and catches quite well that way. Got to have a good bait of course. If you set on the edge of where the skunks are grubbing with a good bait like Jonsie has mentioned, that might help. Also, while still using bait and setting near the grubbing area, some small drift fencing might help too. Drift fences surely do work great with armadillos.

Using a soup and a salad that goes well with those yummy grubs is the key to catching aristocratic skunks.

Bob J-
Your way would work (I would lose too many screws and washers though). I attach the screen to the trap with “trap handles”. There are two handles on the trap. They are used for carrying the trap. The front handle is never removed from the trap. The rear handle holds the screen to the trap and is removable. The screen can be removed to transfer the critter from the trap into a transport cage or to release animals.

The rear handle is made by making a square out of smooth steel rod. The square should be made a little larger (about 1/2 inch) than the size of the rear of the cage. (As you can see in the picture, the screen wraps an inch or two around the sides of the trap.) I heated the rod with a propane torch at the bends to prevent cracking of the rod and to soften the rod to make square corners. The bottom of the square (where the ends overlap), is cut to leave about a one inch teat on each side of the square.

I then placed the screen cover around the back of the trap and drilled holes between the wire mesh to allow the teats of the handle to hold the screen in place. When the handle is raised, it sticks a few inches above the trap- therefore forming the “handle”.

The front handle, only needs to extend a couple of inches above the trap, hence, it doesn’t need to be as tall as the trap.

Too much information? It really doesn’t take as much time as it looks.