Re: Anybody seen any young skunks yet?
[Re: webfootwhacker]
#5514421
05/05/16 06:06 AM
05/05/16 06:06 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4 NE, NC
Big Bear Wildlif
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4
NE, NC
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Trap one, if it's a male the other one is one also.
Be Green, Buy Fur. NE- NC
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Re: Anybody seen any young skunks yet?
[Re: webfootwhacker]
#5514720
05/05/16 12:51 PM
05/05/16 12:51 PM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 111 NM
HD_Wildlife
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 111
NM
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Though I live in the southwest we still have a winter, just doesn't have the serious snowfall in most of my service area. Raccoon and skunk and squirrel and others can all start dropping way earlier than "the norm" and continue far later than the norm. We have a bunch of friends who do rescue and rehab and so we see posts often on FB of young that they had come in which helps "ground truth" if you aren't seeing any yourself yet or aren't sure if possible where you are. Obviously with raccoon folks with chimney noises often bring that one into a clearer realm.
Though I try to avoid skunk calls myself for our private business, we do them as part of a municipal contract and attempting to discern if there exists a litter under a slab, crawlspace, shed, etc... can be a real challenge if you are trying to do it before you move to removal of the adult and find it is a lactating female.
Personally I know this is always a pitfall in terms of shortcomings, some clients won't care about the welfare aspect, others will care more about it than anything, ultimately I myself want to know as best I possibly can as I have no interest in orphaning or killing a litter indirectly through my actions.
Can it always be avoided? Nope, not unless you walk away, the outcome could still be death for the litter, the homeowner may try something themselves, they may hire another, the litter may die from natural causes unrelated to us or the homeowner, but I'm looking for what I can do if I'm involved.
I crawl through all crawl spaces big enough for me to squeeze into, we use cameras and snake cams to check burrows and potential holes (again none of these are perfect).
The most relief I get from feeling solid is when I can crawl the entire crawl space, have no hidden holes or pockets that aren't investigated and block the structure out.
That is a 50% of the time event, the rest or more even are uncertain and so we do our best to work with the tools and techniques we have to achieve an outcome that is good for the homeowner (animal out, nothing dead or dying left behind) and ultimately the wildlife in question.
I've noticed with a fair amount of trail cameras and one way door installations for skunks that with the right pic of the tail end with tail raised a male and female do offer a pretty clear view of which is which even on a fairly grainy shot with a $150.00 camera (older style).
Forensics become part of this trade from day one and you get better at it as you go, but nothing is perfect in the real world, do your best for what you think is best and if you have too much doubt about an outcome just make sure you are clear with your client.
Just my .02.
I personally love skunks, mischievous? yep, sometimes odorous? yep, but ultimately just doing what they do out there and typically until rover decides to go make friends with the striped kitty, most of my clients have a "I saw a skunk" issue with no spray or odor...
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I should add, there are plenty of commercial folks that right or wrong seem to go take the adults and know they will likely be called back for X amount of calls because folks hear or smell something (the litter alive or dead). This isn't a rare thing where I live based on dozens and dozens of first hand reports, especially with raccoon and skunk....
I want to go home as close to 100% as I can when I leave someones house, knowing it is almost never 100% but doing my best to get there...
****
Last edited by HD_Wildlife; 05/05/16 12:53 PM.
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Re: Anybody seen any young skunks yet?
[Re: webfootwhacker]
#5515715
05/06/16 01:51 PM
05/06/16 01:51 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,118 Adirondacks, N.Y.
trapdye
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,118
Adirondacks, N.Y.
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No young Skunks here yet, starting the end of May into June, The little stinkers come out. Just got a call about skunk under porch this AM, hope theirs no little ones
John's Nuisance Wildlife Control If you like what you do for a living, It's better than a vacation. Most days.
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Re: Anybody seen any young skunks yet?
[Re: webfootwhacker]
#5543897
06/05/16 10:35 PM
06/05/16 10:35 PM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 30 St. Louis area
Dave Schmidt
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 30
St. Louis area
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I've had calls from folks saying they've seen kits. Generally they're out of the burrow to play by about second week of June.
ALL OUT Wildlife Control
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