How long can the female stay in the ground this time of year? I think I am dealing with a hole she has been in, which is still awesome for catching males. Don't know how long the customer will go for this arrangement, however.

Up here where I am, skunks can stay in their den for a month or more if the snow pack is deep enough. Down in VA I'd expect you're well into breeding season so they should be moving regularly.

Even if you have caught the female, every male in the area will still visit the den.

I've caught skunks on trail cam checking out a den that was trapped out, filled in and excluded three years ago. Seems every skunk that comes by still goes over and sniffs the old den site.

Definitely a great place to rack up the numbers.

I set positive and the first night I had a male and a dig out on the side. I set it back and have caught 3 more males and no dig outs. Exclusion is sold, just wondering when I should do it. We are having some 40 degree nights, my thought is she should have moved.

I can't picture four males in the same den during breeding season. Are you sure there isn't another entry?

If you're setting positive and haven't caught anything for five days I'd feel secure the job was done.

The four males were on different nights. I should have mentioned that. Two entrances, both covered with a trap.

X2

Most likely the female dug out, the smell of a hot female is what is bringing in the males. cover the hole with enough soil to close the entrance. if hole opens up next day see if the soil was dug out or in. if you don't care to catch anymore then put a one way door over the entrance and get the job done. in my area the female may come back on the next circuit round 5 to 8 days for me.

I once taught 6 males and a female coming out of a boxed in hole under a porch. The skunks didn't smell too bad but they should have bulldozed the house.

I removed 9 males and 1 female out of a crawlspace.Nice house but one vent was missing.Its breeding time here so Im sure you will rack up the numbers they are laying dead everywhere on the roads around here.