"Almost" a stinky scare

[Les]

Got up at 5:00 a.m. and took the pooch out to do her business.  She is such a princess, she does not like to get her feet wet and we had downpours last night.  So, she tries to head for under the deck.  I am focused on keeping her out from under the deck and out of the corner of my eye I spot a skunk heading right towards us. 
Lizzie spots her the same time and there is no stopping this little 10 lb terrier mix.  I am yelling at her to come (no way) and also trying to stay away from the skunk's back end.  Ken hear's me yelling and he comes flying out the back door (in his undies  ). What a scene!  The skunk high tails it for under our shed and we finally snag Lizzie.  This was a very young skunk and I think it's scent glands were not developed or it could be it could not produce enough from the previous night's squirt in the woods.  Lizzie has no idea how lucky she was.  Needless to say, this stinker is not welcome and the Havaheart trap is going out tonight.  I have visions of this little skunk making a nice treat out of my bees!!!
Life is never dull!

[Knucs]

Whew, dodged a bullet there.  If your bees are cranky, you'll know they were being harassed by the little stinker but should calm down soon.  Haveaheart trap, how do you stay stink free?

[Les]

Havaheart's website indicates to approach the cage with a blanket in front of you and then drop it over the cage.  Apparently skunks do not like to spray targets they cannot see.  Fingers crossed!!!!  I can't have this little fellow around with my hives right there as a temptation!

[Knucs]

Ahh, I see.  Good luck!

[Chip Euliss]

As strange as it may seem Les, skunks like to be talked to very nicely when you're walking up with that blanket.  I have 2 friends who handle lots of skunks:  1) is a researcher who studies skunks and 2) a professional trapper who collects skunks for rabies surveys.  They both say to talk "sweetly" and the skunk won't spray while you get the blanket in place.  My voice, even when I try very hard, must not be very "sweet" because most of them spray!  I solved the problem by tying a small rope about 15 feet long to the live trap.  I've found that when you drag the skunk along the ground, they pay more attention to the ground moving by than another person who places the blanket over the trap.

[Les]

I heard that if you humm or sing softly it works. 

[Les]

We doubled up chicken wire and laid it down in front of the hives.  I read that skunks won't walk on it.  I think
Ken is reticent about using the Havehart, he keeps making recommendations to get rid of it that won't work.
I know who will be the one removing the cage if we catch the stinker ...... It won't be him.

[Chip Euliss]

I just bought a couple of skunk traps from a fellow in Georgia but they haven't arrived yet.  They are suppose to be the best trap for skunks.  They are solid tubes with doors on both ends--skunk trappers swear by them.  They are nearly spray proof since the skunk can't see you and they are easy to pick up and haul away.

[lazy shooter]

I just bought a couple of skunk traps from a fellow in Georgia but they haven't arrived yet.  They are suppose to be the best trap for skunks.  They are solid tubes with doors on both ends--skunk trappers swear by them.  They are nearly spray proof since the skunk can't see you and they are easy to pick up and haul away.

Chip:

Would you please post the website of the Georgia skunk traps?  Thanks in advance.

lazy

[Chip Euliss]

Here you go Lazy:  http://trappintales.com/AT/product/4-double-door-tube-trap/?v=400b9db48e62

They also make a single door model but the trappers I know like the double door model best so that's what I ordered.  Kirk doesn't keep all his items in stock but it only takes him a day or two to fabricate one for you.  If you have a spot they are walking along a line, you can use the trap unbaited, just place it in the trail.  If you bait, fresh eggs (in the shell) with a few of those small marshmallows make a good bait.  Sprinkle a few marshmallows outside to give them a taste.

[neillsayers]

I have heard that if they can't get their tail up, they can't spray. True?

[Wandering Man]

One of our dachshunds had an encounter with a skunk.  Twice!  Both times, he ended up sharing his experience with us in the house because of our doggie door:
https://30yrsdog.blogspot.com/2015/06/post-27-skunked.html

It was not a fun experience.

I caught a lot of skunks around our yard with a standard skunk trap.  The city animal control officer came out to collect the skunk for us most of the time.  She never got sprayed.  She moved slowly with the blanked out in front of her, gently draped the blanket over the cage, and then carried it to her truck.

I tried the technique once, using a plastic tarp. I was able to get the tarp over the trap, but the skunk sprayed as soon as I picked the trap up.  The tarp kept me from getting hit, and contained the spray, but I wish I had the animal control officer's technique down.

Maybe because she used cloth and I used plastic?

-WM

[Les]

Skunk not a problem any more.  It wandered into my neighbor's backyard.....did I mention they have two Mastiffs and a St Bernard.  They woke my neighbor in the middle of the night and by the time she got outside it was a pizza skunk.  St Bernards apparently pounce on it's prey till it is dead.  Nuff said!

[apisbees]

How does the neighborhood smell?

[Bakersdozen]

Au Revoir! Pepe Le Pew!   

[Les]

Apis, fortunately only their back patio smells. Whew!

[Chip Euliss]

I'll bet their pooch smells too

[apisbees]

Knew a girl and she, her girlfriend, and her little dog were camping across Canada in a camper on a small pickup Near Thunder Bay Ont. they let the dog out and it got into a battle with a skunk under their truck They couldn't drive fast enough to get away from the smell. 2 months latter you could still smell skunk if you got close to the truck

[rwlaw]

The best bait for skunk trapping is a hunk of drone comb, they go nuts over it (and less catching of the neighborhood cats). Hang it up at the top of the box so they're looking down and not the trip pan, otherwise I use a couple marshmallows with maple syrup drizzled on them.