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Advanced trap makes a double door non treadle trap that is really good

I have some of these. They are a double-door with a wire trigger like a conibear trap uses. My first choice when setting skunk jobs, usually posi-sets, but also work great along foundations or in any pinch points in a travel route.

Ztraps has two sizes 6" ans 8" tube traps

http://www.ztraps.com

The best bait you can get is a coon in a trap. Gang set. To get the first one use a positive set. Advanced traps can be set with gloves on

Skunks aren't picky. Use what you have. Don't worry about it being spray proof. And I've had them escape from pic traps while in the back of my truck.

Don't over think this. I guarantee the skunk wont.

Why not? Preference? Or low catch rate? This is what I use for skunks. Serves me well and makes money. I don't feel the need to have front and rear flaps on the trap, but easily added when making the sleeve. JMO, skunks are one of the easiest critters to trap. Biggest problem I see when it comes to skunks is the mishandling by the techs which most times results in a dose of pew. No such thing as a "spray proof" trap.

The issue with tube traps is that they are more a less a trap designed to take one species, skunks. We still use short 18 inch double door cages with a solid nose cone at den sites for skunk that also provides a sprayless environment. The same traps can be used for woodchucks and a slightly longer 24 can be used for armadillos. If you go to a 30 inch covered trap you will have a trap to that will take skunk, chucks, armadillos and 'coon.

Jims right.

And if you go to a 12x12x32 powered guillotine doored trap you can catch all of those plus beaver and otter on land or under water.

Try working the various traps with gloves on. Real difference. With rabies and distemper etc you should be using gloves

You need to decide WHY you are choosing a certain trap over another for skunk work. If you're simply catching skunks on a farm or other open area, trap style is not important. However, on 95% of my skunk calls, they are living under a porch or in an urban setting, and the number 1 concern of homeowners is spraying. It's basically the main reason they want them gone.... they do NOT want to experience the odor issue.

It is that reason I choose the PVC traps. Using an open-wire cage, you are is far more likely to end up with a skunk spraying all over the side of the home, or wherever the trap may be set. This is due to raccoons, foxes, dogs, cats or other animals (or people) messing with the trapped animal. The reason I use the PVC traps is to greatly minimize the chance of a captured skunk spraying.

Anyone who thinks the PVC traps are necessary to prevent YOU from being sprayed has obviously not handled many skunks. During fur season, I release all my skunks caught in DP traps on the coon line. I do this by hand, using NO type of cover over the skunk. I've done this for years, and have never been sprayed (yet). The point is: trap choice should be decided by what your goal is. Mine is solving the problem (removing the skunk) without the homeowner experiencing what they called me to prevent. Trap style (for me) makes no difference in regards to how I personally deal with the skunk.... it is chosen to provide the intended result for the client.

I have a couple of sheet metal cages that work very well.Don't know if they are made any longer. You can also set the cage covered by a blanket to avoid spraying. I too have been able to release accidental skunks from skunk traps. No sudden moves is the key.I have never been sprayed.

While I can see some advantages under certain conditions/circumstances for using two door cage traps, they were not around when I got into the ADC industry. I started with single-door traps and never changed. I have never used any two-door cage traps, except for beaver. Hundreds of skunks have been caught in single-door cage traps and Dura-Poly Plastic Catch traps. I used the same 10”W X 12”H X 32”L cage traps for armadillos, skunks, fox, cats, and a few other miscellaneous critters; even caught a couple of bobcats in them.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b&ei=se4NW__uIMj4jwT247vIDQ&q=oil+filter+pliers+picture&oq=oil+filter+pliers+picture&gs_l=psy-ab.3..33i21k1.7098.9983.0.11286.7.7.0.0.0.0.106.651.5j2.7.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.3.290...0i13k1j0i8i7i30k1j0i13i5i30k1j0i8i13i30k1.0.0wfom0jlTm8

A pair of oil filter pliers work good on a dog proof. Get a set that "lock" at rite size so that you are not adjusting them. Easy to remove trap from a catch.

It's a skunk folks! My biggest worry is how to get the pole into the trap and remain up wind.

If there's more than one, here's my choice. http://www.livetrap.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=33066