Help with a smart skunk
#7608859
06/20/22 09:39 AM
06/20/22 09:39 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207 Western New York
dinorocks
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207
Western New York
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Thanks for looking! I’m trying to catch a skunk and having problems. I set a “tube” trap and baited with sardines…day one the skunk investigated the trap…day 2 he went partially into the trap. Day 3, I set two additional box traps; small Havahart traps so the skunk wouldn’t be able to lift tail to spray. I baited one trap with fresh chicken eggs and the other with peanut butter and bread…skunk was seen by the traps but didn’t enter the traps. All traps are set near a bird feeder where the skunks are seen regularly. The bird feeder is very close to the house…I placed plastic sheeting under the box traps and covered the plastic with hay so the skunk wouldn’t be scared to walk to trap (if the skunk sprayed, I wanted to do my best at containing the odor.
Any suggestions on changing my strategy would be gratefully appreciated!!
Thanks, Dino
"Speedy arrow, sharp and narrow" GD
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7608948
06/20/22 12:20 PM
06/20/22 12:20 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,138 Adirondacks, N.Y.
trapdye
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,138
Adirondacks, N.Y.
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May help staking the trap, those tube traps tend to wobble.
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: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7608989
06/20/22 01:27 PM
06/20/22 01:27 PM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207 Western New York
dinorocks
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207
Western New York
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Thanks! And good thinking regarding staking the tube trap! I’m heading over to optimize the traps this afternoon.
Take care! Dino
"Speedy arrow, sharp and narrow" GD
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7609303
06/20/22 10:43 PM
06/20/22 10:43 PM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207 Western New York
dinorocks
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207
Western New York
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Interesting point regarding tube diameter…the skunk in the photo looks like he can’t quite squeeze into the trap.
I only have that one tube trap and I have never actually caught a skunk in it. Are the tube traps efficient as the mesh box traps?
Thanks!
"Speedy arrow, sharp and narrow" GD
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7609391
06/21/22 07:29 AM
06/21/22 07:29 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,244 West Michigan
Getting There
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,244
West Michigan
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I have never had good luck with a tube trap, but mine is only 6 inch. JMO
To Old U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7609487
06/21/22 10:25 AM
06/21/22 10:25 AM
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 5,547 West Central MN
20scout
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 5,547
West Central MN
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I've caught baby skunks in 6" traps but never a full grown adult in anything less than an 8" tube type. Have had better luck with cages, BG's or DP's. Dealing with one myself now than seems to be cage shy but will keep tying different things to catch'm.
Common sense is a not a vegetable that does well in everyone's garden.
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: Bob Jameson]
#7611189
06/23/22 07:04 PM
06/23/22 07:04 PM
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Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 186 Tennessee
TNADC
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 186
Tennessee
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Drift fencing can speed things up. Best to use 2 door trap if available. Set trap at point of contact - attraction as you are doing. Or set two single door cage traps back to back. Solid traps many times don't work well for some animals I have found. Others don't seem to mind. After reading Bob "The Scentman" Jameson's post about traps back to back, I tried a four trap setup where I set two large and two medium Duke traps back to back. I pressed marshmallows from the bottom up under the pan area and then sprinkled some dry cat food around the back of the traps. This morning I was greeted by one trap with an adult skunk, another trap with a single juvenile and a third trap with six juvenile skunks. The customer is still convinced that is not "the" skunk she is after so the search continues.
Last edited by TNADC; 06/23/22 07:05 PM.
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7611462
06/24/22 05:24 AM
06/24/22 05:24 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207 Western New York
dinorocks
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207
Western New York
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Wow, interesting set up and congratulations on all the skunks!!
As a follow up to my original post, I caught both skunks I was after…both in the tube trap!
Thanks again for all the input!
"Speedy arrow, sharp and narrow" GD
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7611464
06/24/22 05:27 AM
06/24/22 05:27 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207 Western New York
dinorocks
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207
Western New York
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…another potential skunk question. Below is an email I just received (I have not yet been to the property)…I’m thinking skunk. What are you thinking? Thanks!! “Hi, Dino, I am hoping you can help me. I have about 30 holes like the picture below in my front lawn. Last week I had one. I don’t know what’s creating them or how to stop it, if I can. You helped me a couple of years ago with raccoons. Now here I am again. I don’t want to harm whatever it is but I do want them to go make their holes somewhere beside my front lawn. Thanks for any ideas. Marilyn“
"Speedy arrow, sharp and narrow" GD
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7611483
06/24/22 06:31 AM
06/24/22 06:31 AM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 774 Schenectady, NY
EatenByLimestone
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 774
Schenectady, NY
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Depends on it's size. Animals I've seen dig lawn are raccoons, opossums, skunks, squirrels, crows, dogs, and cats. Undoubtedly there's more I haven't thought of, my eyes are just opening up today. Skunks are a main culprit, but so are squirrels. Can't tell scale in that pic, but it looks like there wasn't much excavation, which often means squirrels.
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7611503
06/24/22 07:04 AM
06/24/22 07:04 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207 Western New York
dinorocks
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207
Western New York
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Sorry about the lack of scale…it was a photo that was sent to me. Thanks for the clues for me to look for…very helpful!! Any other items I should look for when I meet with the lady would be greatly appreciated.
Have a great weekend!!
"Speedy arrow, sharp and narrow" GD
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: dinorocks]
#7611786
06/24/22 12:55 PM
06/24/22 12:55 PM
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Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 186 Tennessee
TNADC
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 186
Tennessee
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…another potential skunk question. Below is an email I just received (I have not yet been to the property)…I’m thinking skunk. What are you thinking? Thanks!! “Hi, Dino, I am hoping you can help me. I have about 30 holes like the picture below in my front lawn. Last week I had one. I don’t know what’s creating them or how to stop it, if I can. You helped me a couple of years ago with raccoons. Now here I am again. I don’t want to harm whatever it is but I do want them to go make their holes somewhere beside my front lawn. Thanks for any ideas. Marilyn“ Skunks make a hole that resembles an ice cream cone; big at the down to a point. Depending on the soil type, they may be 1.5 to 2.5 inches at the top. 30 in one area is probably a skunk especially if that is a rather moist area. They are looking for grubs.
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Re: Help with a smart skunk
[Re: TNADC]
#7654865
08/21/22 06:21 PM
08/21/22 06:21 PM
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 849 Washington
wildflights
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 849
Washington
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thanks for the rotation. I was not sure how to accomplish that. I often gang set cage traps although I always seem to place them SxS often with doors facing opposite directions. I'm going to change it up and try a TNADC intersection.
Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire. -Gustav Mahler
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