MI Trapping -
The two most recent skunks inside garage type scenarios were as follows for me.
1) Skunk in residential garage, folks had left the door open overnight unknowingly and shut the door and went to the garage later to get something and saw the skunk.
Guy tried to scoot the skunk out with a long golf club before he called sending me to his house. The skunk had sprayed as he went at it a little too quickly otherwise like Josh says, and I agree you can move them just by being careful and slow.
Though it had already sprayed and the garage was completely filled with a fog of skunk cologne, I didn't want to add to it or bring more to the family, they were definitely not looking to have the skunk spend another night or even another hour there, so I borrowed a household spray bottle, filled it up with tap water and after setting up a basic funnel to the exterior of the garage a few light squirts to the hind end and we were off and moving, out the door he went, through the gap between houses and off into the greenspace.
(Total fluke of course, they never had one, never had a problem with one till this one, and thus any fallout of the skunk still being in the area wasn't a concern they had, as they also knew one skunk isn't the only skunk in the area (ever))
2) Small commercial warehouse distributor, maybe a 2,000 sq. foot warehouse space with a loading dock in the back. They realized the skunk was in there, had chased it around a bit (it had sprayed) before calling which sent me there.
Skunks was about 40' from the door to leave and both employees were wearing respirators (they sell commercial products some of which like we use in the industry), again I don't want it to spray but need to get it out, they aren't waiting or able to let it stay overnight.
They had lots of cardboard and lots of wood sheets, so again, made a funnel starting at the door and ran it to the skunk with no gaps, several squirts to get it moving (not a lot of water each time) and off we went out the door and on to the vacant field next door...
Again, in their case, this was a fluke, had never happened in 10+ years of the employees working there together and they had simply made an error of leaving the loading dock door open at the wrong hour...
I totally agree about the zero to hero if they spray, but skunks react to water like house cats do in most cases. Have used it to move them into a live trap too where needed when the site didn't work for the skunk making a run for it into the bushes, or such...
Just a good tool for the box when it has to move now...
We raised a litter of 5 a few years back now when policies were different on them in state, learned a lot about what sets them off, what you can and can't get away with. Has helped me a lot with skunks on residential or commercial accounts we have that are in tough to deal with scenarios.
The one under the guys rolling toolbox had already sprayed as well, but I couldn't see how to get it to move as there were about 5 rescue dogs barking, the guy was moving crud around on the porch while talking loudly to me and the skunks posture said, I'm not leaving without some gas....
By being slow and quiet with the fleece and bringing it up to the skunk, letting it smell it and be comfortable with it, I was able to keep moving it until it was covering him, which gave him protection and a feeling of safety (something that eye covers do with most wildlife capture for research I've ever done), then a slow but steady grasp for the nape of the neck, away we go up and into the box for easy transport.
Same with a noose pole with skunks in window wells, they don't seem to object to inanimate objects and being lifted by the front end and lowered into a live trap or xfer equipment.
I personally like skunks a lot, interesting animal, definitely misunderstood by most homeowners which is one reason they are such a popular target in our industry on top of the reality of the odor of course, especially on "fido."
Two of my school friends from back in the day have both had their dogs whacked this week by skunks....