I setup a skunk job today and all I had available were standard single door traps. The customer, a self described tree hugging animal lover, wants the skunk released unharmed.

So any suggestions on how to do this without getting sprayed? I might have to buy a PVC rain suit to wear for the release!

Approach slowly while talking in a low voice, cover trap with a tarp, transport to a far away location if legal in your state, open door, remover cover, wait till skunk leaves, send massively inflated bill to dufus customer.

how do you open the door and latch it without getting sprayed?!? reach under the blanket? (I use burlap it's disposable)

Listen here. you walk up to the trap talk to it or sing it a song. reach out and let it smell you =) it will ignore you and try and get out. tip the cage up open the door with your left hand. grab a handful of dirt ( this may take several handfuls) sprinkle it on him. he will start to try and dig out of the bottom of the cage and his tail will come up. grab him by the tail and pull him up quick. =) hold him out the window until you're 5 miles down the raod and drop him going abotu 10 miles per hour =) and then you can be like me the skunk whisperer

but look, if you want to be a sissy. just do as bob said and open the door slowly i promise it wont spray. it only will if you move fast or make a loud noise. good luck =)

I just open the door and shake him out, He will hit the ground and take off.

Yall are too much!! Great start for a Friday!

If you use a cage like a Safeguard, with a spring loaded door, I use a screw driver and when the door is in the up,and open position, insert it at an angle going up through the side of the cage,by the extreme front,and through the door. This will hold the door in the open position. If it remains in the cage,pull your cover off it with a set of snake tongs gently,and it should leave. I transfer many skunks from cages that homeowners have captured ,into mine for euthanizing,and the screwdriver in the door works well. When they are into my cage I remove it and the door closes behind them.

Can you legally release a rabies vector animal in your state & county?Do you have insurance? If someone sees you release that skunk you may need to find out how good your policy is.Most DNR have strict rules that govern licensed Damage control personnel. AR people just love too cause trouble for trappers,be careful!
bob evans

It's not legal to relocate wildlife in Va. as a WPCO. I tell the customer up front that I won't risk breaking the law for one job. Haven't lost one yet when they understand.

In Kansas we have to list on our permit which state controlled areas we plan on releasing animals it is signed by the director.As a courtesy I have called each area I plan to use and let them know what I am doing. We cannot release any animals with obvious signs of disease, but that is pretty subjective.

And, yes Bob, I have insurance. Would do this without insurance!!

Albert: yours is the most sensible reply yet!

Where's the guy who should have told him about the use of a garden hose or (at least) the adjustable "squirt type" spray bottle?
Come on!

I really enjoy reading about all the crazy state laws. In Kansas, they have a list of state controlled areas, where animals can be released. In Wisconsin, state controlled land is the one place where it is illegal to relocate egg eaters.(skunks, raccoon, opossum, foxes, etc.) I'm sure many of you think we're crazy too, but the only species that seems to have any rabies, is the bat, which we can kill, but don't.

Crazy laws? I can't really see the reason for some of them.My renewal just came and on it they say on line C "The licensee shall not take ,possess or transport any domestic animals pursuant to this license."?Line N "The licensee shall possess a fur-trapping certificate or a valid NYS Trapping license when using body gripping traps greater than 4.75 inches or when any foot hold trap pursuant to this license.All such traps must meet the provisions of EC law section 11-1101( 6 )Also paragraph on fire arms. New rules?
Guess we will see a few operations sending their staff to trapper training class And too firearms class?
bob

In kansas we can also keep the fur and meat from our ADC jobs. I think that is different from most states.

Seems our laws are more lenient than most, probably because we are still predominately an agriculture state.

in Indiana, we can only release in county of capture, with landowner permission. We are NOT allowed to sell, gift or barter with an animal taken under the nuisance control permit.

Here in the two counties that I service the only animal we can release is gray squirrles and even then the D.F.G. tells me where to release. Also, as an adc trapper, I can keep no part there-of of any animal I catch while doing adc work.

Bob

You might be releasing a disease vector into an area with a healthy population, killing hundreds of animals from disease. And for what? The Disneyland fantasy wishes of yuppies. Take it out of sight and kill it humanely. (Sometimes I think people want to be lied to so they can sleep at night or feel somehow not-responsible. The lying part is up to you.)

I personally believe it's irresponsible to relocate an animal that you haven't quarantined and monitored to a new area. For me, it's better to be safe than sorry. With skunks it's even worse. Scientists have no idea how long skunks can suffer rabies before exhibiting symptoms. It might take a 6 month quarentine period for a skunk to be safe, nobody really knows.
Maybe explaining that would do to convince them and you wouldn't have to lie.

edit: Bah reading that again it comes out too bossy-sounding, I didn't mean to sound so. What I really meant was, give the speech to your next customer, and you either won't have the problem or you can charge them for a 6 month stay in quarentine "skunk hotel."

can you please make a video of that technique. I really would love to see it

tHAT IS VERY FUNNY

Haven't been on here in a while, but I agree with Albert and with the lady. First, I would try to get the Customer to understand, and if not, yeah, I'd lie. Not afraid to admit it, as long as they are happy. They simply don't want to know about it really. I have long been the guy that tells them the laws and that I don't break them and refuse service to those that don't agree. Then I realized they just want to believe the animal is ok. They end up calling someone else who will lie to them anyway, so what's the point in giving them the money when you can do it for the C. In fact, that IS part of your Customer Service. Making them feel good about themselves... but if you need to get him out of the cage, Albert's advice works for me. Skunks are not as bad as people think. I've dealt with many and never been sprayed...

And when you've been shot between the eyes by a skunk that is truely one of life's moments that take your breath away!

HAHA! Yeah... That would be one of them...

In 18 year's, and thousands of skunk's, I have been shot twice, both my fault for getting too confident and in a hurry. The last time was in the side of the head at almost point blank range,gave me a real reality check on slowing down. Don't want to experience that again anytime soon.

Al,it burns when you get it in the eyes!And you are right it only happens when your in a hurry!Guy's ask him (Al ) about useing a bucket to remove a live one that was guarding a dead one in a yard? Talk about your fun gigs!
bob evans

Bob, a man's got to do, what a man's got to do, to resolve the situation at hand. LOL That sure was a mean and ornery skunk, protecting his dead buddy,had to give him credit for loyalty. I sure am glad you didn't have a video that day.

If only I could have? wonder if it would have won the $10,000.00 prize? It sure was hoot!
Our job has it's moments?
bob evans

in Louisiana you cant release coons or skunks and any other animals you release you have to have the property owner written permisson and has to be so far from anyone elses property and cant be on state land

if a skunk sprays in the woods and no-one is around does it smell?

I'm from Iowa we use wire for everything. open the door and wire it,

I agree with just taking out to where you dispatch other animals and kill it humanely. In VT it's illegal to relocate wildlife unless you are releasing on your own land and have a farm and permit for the animal. But we've had a bad rabies problem with urban skunks.

Just like Big Bob said. Approach slowly talking softly to let the skunk know you're a human ( and not a coyote looking for lunch), cover with a towel or tarp and transport. I used a spring clamp to hold the door open back when we were "encouraged" to release live. I also use plastic foldable trap covers, in black or white, that I have a plastics company build for me. Never had a spray in 2 years even from a juvenile. Has a back flap you can flip up to entice the skunk to try to walk through just like a tunnel.