There is a skunk under a deck that I have set a positive set (coon size) at the entry hole. The rest of the few openings, I see, are blocked off with screening, rest of deck has composite skirting. However, I set baited 7 x 7 traps with fish based baits near the deck just in case. 4 days nothing... Odor still very strong underneath, assuming she's still there. Unfortunately there is a deck built on top of the deck, the highest part of the deck 3' off the ground (at house) tapering to ground level. Had positive trip twice, baited one once. HELP!
Quick DRAW Mcgraw!

I don't know about the rest of you guys but the strong smell of skunk coming out from under a deck means one of two things to me: No skunks under the deck or a stinking dead skunk under the deck. Either way, your traps are going to stay empty.

The striped skunk has an excellent sense of smell which is why they "don't spit into the wind." Skunks feel the same way we do about skunk odor; IT STINKS!

A little skunk odor is not bad; a lot of skunk odor, forget it. They do not shoot at each other during breeding season because they like the smell.

Paul,
Does a dead skunk smell dead or smells skunky?
I mean decomp smell or skunk essence smell?

IT smells skunky and will get worse if rainy or humid

It smells skunky!
Thanks Mike!

It can be scary, but have you taken a peek under there?

Not yet, Throw Back, not yet.... Going to be difficult just to jam my butt in the entry area let alone wiggle toward the end. I am going to soon, was trying to get her first then go look for kits. The odor is more off and on, more intense in a.m. Maybe it is dead. Was never seen, only smelt. Morning air would have more density so smell would be more pronounced.

After you have been around skunks a while, you can tell/smell the difference between alive and dead. Not a decomp. smell, just different.

After a while it is easy to distinguish a dead one from a live by the odor. The best way I have to describe a dead and decaying one is it smells like a skunk that has caught fire, or a burning type smell. It really smells nothing like a healthy one that has sprayed.

Thanks Jim and Albert. The only thing worse than my hearing, is my sense of smell. Loss of hearing might be a huge detriment to my business but the loss of smell more than makes up for it! I wish I had a buck for every time my wife said, "You stink!"

Can you pull a deck board or 2 up and then look down under there?

I would pull the cages and put a camera on the opening under the deck. I have to check traps every 24hrs so when I have that issue the camera helps tell the story and saves me money in the long run.

If the smell is still strong after 4 days, my money is on dead skunk. Time to pull a board and have a look.

Yes, I suppose, but it's compost deck on top of wooden deck meaning decking, joist, decking and joist. Maze galore underneath. I am going to try an inspection cam.

Big Bear,
Been 5 days of stink.

Going in.... Will let y'all know soon!

Follow the flies. What's a "compost deck"?

Just had the same thing myself. I pulled up a few boards on the deck and found a "love nest" made up of everything under the sun and everytime it rained or the humidity changed it would stink even though I removed all the skunks. I pulled that all out and was able to see the whole underside of deck and vfy that there was no animal dead/alive.

My bad... Composite deck... LOL, sorry Dave!
Flies aren't really out yet here.

Love nest..hmmm... I was able to spot something like that..I'll be back.

when the smell never dissipates and stays for more than 3 days I start thinking dead skunk. when the customer tells me it has been spraying every day for 3 or more days about a hour after daybreak and then again an hour before dark I start thinking dead skunk. when the smell has a musky odor I start thinking dead skunk. when the smell is strong for a few days and the entry point is not being used, I start thinking dead skunk. when I am catching grinners and the smell is not going away I start thinking dead skunk.

Well guess what.... Dead skunk!
Dead between levels of decking. Found it with inspection cam.
After I pulled it out it "smells like a skunk that has caught fire"! Right on Albert!

You guys are GREAT!
Thank you!

Attaboy! Bet you're glad you had that extra two days to allow for seasoning..

EXACTLY! Always keep this in mind: Live skunks do not stink. They constantly groom their fur and are as clean as any domestic cat. Hold a skunk up to your nose and sniff the fur. It does NOT stink. Customers only THINK they smell the skunk "come under the deck" (or house) every night. And as Paul W mentioned.... typically if a deck or crawl space has a really strong skunk smell, you will NOT catch a skunk there.

LOL! Ummm, NO! What a unique awful smell! Just glad night before got below 30 degrees! My mouth started to water. I've gutted gut shot deer the day after and that smelled so much better!

You right Ron! Knowledge is key.... Albert Soady: "Give a man a little luck and anything will do for brains."