Need suggestions for inexpensive spray proof live traps for skunks. Cage traps , even when covered do not stop them from spraying

I cover many cage traps and never had skunk spray. Can you re-create the situation (skunk spraying in covered trap) here for us to understand what happened?

There's no such thing as "spray proof" when it comes to skunks.

Phil, I will, I will. Customer; " I did everything just right. I wrapped the cage in a blanket, put in my trunk, everything was going great, then I hit a railroad track!

Sorry Paul, I don't buy this. Maybe WI rr tracks are more bounc and PA rr tracks are skunk-friendly. It may be that skunks just think I am a loser not worthy of their precious spray. I am not the only one here who talks to them.

Phil, I'm with you.....need more explanation on this one.

I've told this many times to folks stopping at our booth at tradeshows, but of all the skunks I've handled...10+ years doing full-time wildlife control work I only got sprayed TWICE. And I never had a skunk spray in the truck for no reason.

Once, I slipped on the ice while walking with a skunk in a cage, both feet went out from under me, cage went with me, and skunk sprayed. The other time, my own fault, I was talking to some little cutey skunks in a cage. I saw the yellow stream shoot towards my face...I tasted skunk essence that time.

Anyway, if someone is chronically having skunks spray...for no apparent reason, there is more to the story. If you're gentle with them, they'll be gentle with you !!

I couldn't agree more.

You guys got an entirely different animal than we have. Our adult skunks can almost be picked up by the ruff of the neck without spraying but some of those juveniles will shoot you on site.

I had one first year skunk spin around in the cage and nail me with one huge drop right between the eyes. The distance was incredible. You skunk whisperers would have had to yell for him to hear you.

I'm goin with Alan and Phil on this one. I've never had one spray in an enclosed trap whether it was covered or a palstic one. I'm sure there may be a renegade skunk out there or he could be old and the stuff is just leaking out. I'm not that old yet but I have heard of some old trappers having similar issues particularly in northern states that start with a W.

That may depend on personal opinion of "expensive". I have used every type of trap imaginable for skunks, and don't have problems with them spraying.... ALMOST never. The only time I had one spray was in a skunk-sized Plasti-catch (9x9). I had been using the 6-inch PVC traps for my primary skunk traps for YEARS, and the FIRST time I tried a Plasti-catch the skunk sprayed before I was within 10 feet of the trap. However, they are often very excited and perform a lot of foot stomping in ANY larger sized cage traps, covered or not. IMO nothing works better than the PVC traps (snare shop old style). Never had one spray, and they don't even get excited when moving them around. I replace the solid metal back cover with heavy wire mesh to provide a "see-through" trap, and it makes a big difference on skunks entering without hesitation. I've noticed a lot of guys claim to do better with larger sized traps for skunks, but I've caught hundreds in the PVC traps and even the biggest males seem to go right in, maybe due to my mods.

OKAY, SO THERE IS NOT SUCh A THING AS A SPRAY PROOF LIVE TRAP ,

but I believe that are some that are better, than others, at protecting the trapper from getting sprayed. Guess I'll ask the question some place else!

Well, in the last week I have caught 4 in a cage traps and just covered them with tarps. Id leave some part of it open and look at them in the truck bed and they seemed happy as can be. One stomped for a second when I was walking towards it at first, but I talked calmly to it and he let me walk right up to it in plain sight. Seems they dont want to smell like a skunk anymore than we do haha

Okay, I may have gotten off the beaten path here. Although I don't think skunks are plum crazy about going into them, I certainly have never had a skunk spray while in a Plastic Catch.

And I probably should mention that in our best year ( over 500 ) we didn't have a single skunk that sprayed. We had a huge die-off several years ago and they've never really bounced back but right now we have a few jobs going.

Skunks won't spray around their young and you're absolutely right Justin, they can't stand their own smell. ( Okay, sometimes I can't stand mine either.)

Yep Havaharts,,,,,,,,.baahhaahahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaa

this picture is just amazing to me... I haven't caught a skunk "proffessionly" yet, but have in the past in cage traps. I could smell them before I got there... but that was long ago, I don't know the details of the catch.. thinking back, maybe my trapping dog prolly found it first. and riled it up.. .

LT is Amazing.............. (pictured)

When I was young and stupid ( as opposed to old and stupid ) I am ( not so ) proud to say I got completely sprayed at just the distance that LT is holding that skunk.

When I say completely I mean eyes, ears, nose and throat. I was pretty scared that I would never see again but God makes some interesting stuff and skunk essence is one of those things. Entirely disables you while leaving no permanent harm. ( Okay, I'm talking physically not mentally )

Is there a story behind why it sprayed? or just not a good time...

DaGriz did seem a little grumpy but I guess getting sprayed would do that to you.

But while we're on the subject...What is your favorite skunk trap?

I've been using the 6x24 tube traps, 7x8x24 cages and 11x12x30 raccoon cage traps. I think when all is said and done, I like the 7x8x24 cages the best. Although I must admit that the skunks seem to like the raccoon traps the best.

bihg bing bihg bing........the Skunks win!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sgs. I had to go and measure my Safeguards and yeah, they're my favorite skunk trap too. And I don't know why either. If you set the 20 inch Tomahawk next to them, they'll usually go in that one first because the bait is closer. The 32 inch raccoon cage is usually the last one to catch a skunk.

Justin, the skunk sprayed because it was looking at the barrel of a .22 caliber Harrington Richardson revolver. It shot me before I shot it! ( I hear a lot of cheering from the animal rights people that read this )

I may have not caught some of the numbers of skunks that some of you have, but I have caught my share. It is my experiance that when handling skunks it is the majoriaty of them can be handled with very little chance of being sprayed, but there is Mr. Exceptional out there that is going to spray in a heartbeat & there isn't a darn thing you can do to stop him. The good part is this may only happen once every year or so. The age of the skunk makes a great difference. Most of the time when a spraying occours is when I got in a hurry, lesson learned.

I besk the skunk didnt play by the rules for the duel.

Paul-whaddaya mean, "no physical damage"? You lost your hair, didn't you?

Dave, I kinda blamed that on marriage.

I set my coon traps out with burlap drapped over them an can walk up slowly and pick up the trap and skunk and so far have not gotten sprayed --the next skunk job I will get it now for bragin

You'll do fine wamp. Just stick to the guidelines. It's when you get to showing off that you'll run into trouble.

https://www.dwlbrand.com/store/index.php?section=7
Make sure you watch his video on the skunk traps LOL

Still don't get why some guys have a problem with skunks entering PVC traps.... typical skunk call a few days ago: Lady has a mother skunk with young in a large metal horse building. Set 7 PVC traps.... first night caught the mom and all 4 young. Had mom and 3 young when I arrived in the morning, and while carrying the traps to the truck the last kit popped out of the den hole and went right into the trap near the hole...while I was standing 15 feet away watching. You can see one reaching out of the hole in the trap in the second pic.

Ron, is it possible for you to send some of those dumb skunks up here to breed with our smart ones. We have a hard time getting ours to go into a plasti-catch with a screen on the end.

Paul.... just a thought here (third one today!).... I noticed if I use both types of traps (open cage and PVC) when setting, the skunks will usually be in the open cage trap. I think it is because they see the bait easier.... same reason you have for catching them in "shorter" traps.

However, that was before I owned enough of the PVC traps to set them EXCLUSIVELY at a site. I'll catch the skunks in the same amount of time using only PVC traps..... as the bait still gets them to go into the traps. I have watched them enter PVC traps many times.... even the large males cruise right in without hesitation.

I've never modified the Plasti-catch traps, but only have a few of them. I use them on rooftops for coons, as it's much faster than using plywood bases to prevent damage. I know you have been using the 1/2" wire models to allow quicker set-up times also.

Note to some newer guys: Plasti-catch and PVC are completely different traps.

Ron mind showing a pic of your mod to the back of the trap with the screen ? I never liked pvc traps but normally had reg wire traps with them , now it makes since why I never caught one in a tube.

By no means am I a big time skunk trapper but seem to catch the ones Im after and then some.In the past week Ive had a few skunk jobs going and it seems that Im catching 70% of my skunks in my 9x9 plasti catch traps. The rest in cage traps. The traps def. have a distinct skunk odor which I think helps in the capture.

I am betting your right Bud. I have never had alot of luck with plastic catches but mostly used them on coon. I like using them on roof tops but lately have went to luggin plywood up there. I allways felt they held odor too well and that at times could spook critters. I had this in the wrong thread at first

I set three traps for skunk last night all within eight feet of each other. A pvc tube trap, a 7x8x24 Safeguard and a 11x12x30 Safeguard all baited with the same cat food and sardines. As has been my experience, this morning the skunk was in the biggest trap.

I really don't know why I do better with the larger traps. I've been thinking it's because it's more open. Not as confined. But I could be way off in that thinking.

I agree with Ron that they will readily go into the pvc and smaller cage traps but it seems if they have a choice they prefer the luxury model.

I think the 6 x 24 tube traps are the best. Have caught many skunks in them over the years. I did have one spray when I inadvertently turned it on end. The skunks sure seem to like the wire traps best but they tend to be more problems if you are required to euph the animal which here in Colorado is the law.

Dura Poly Enclosed Traps

These traps have always worked for my dad and I, Have never had one spray!! In the last 2 years I believe we have caught about 30 or more at his house. He did have a lot of chickens and ducks running around the yard. Never had a full size chicken or duck eaten but the skunks kept coming in eating the eggs, so that is what we Always use for bait works every time.

We have gotten our baby ducks killed every year though. But we just took care of 3 coons that have been coming in also so we will see about next year if we can keep some babies again.......

Hope these traps work for you like they have us. Kind of expensive but well worth it so you don't get Sprayed!!!!!

Never had a skunk "spray" in a trap but I have had a bunch give off a nervous "Toots" :-) I use a Safeguard 50063 size traps with a rear door release. I have made aluminum covers that fit over and covers the trap that makes them user friendly. Been lucky this week taken 9 skunks with no "Toots"

Hi Ron, which of these types of the PVC traps do you like the best. I have been using the ones with the guillotine type of door that rests on the top of the tube. Need to pick up a few more of them and was wondering how you like the other type you have shown in the photos???

The old style like you have are the best. The "new and improved" style are junk. About every third catch the animal (whether skunk, small/medium coon, 'possum) will break the metal strip that attaches to the pan. I spend way too much time in the shop repairing the pivot-door style traps. I bought a bunch when they first came out, but within a couple weeks I knew it was a mistake. The Snare Shop is one supplier that has the guillotine doors. They are made TOUGH and the only drawback is they will set off in windy conditions.

Thanks Ron. That seemed to be the case with the ones I used as well. Always good to have multiple opinions

I have yet to be sprayed, had one spray in the cage trap the other day while I was picking others up. Never had one spray in a tube trap. I usually cover traps anyway. I agree with the majority treat them nice and they are the same to you. EXCEPT the little ones they have something to prove.