Well, it looks like a buddy and I will open the den up and try to extract a dead skunk - if that is what I have here.

Should be interesting one way or another.

Good luck. U have a good buddy 2 help u w/ that. Sure is cold right now here in western Wi. Might wanna wear goggles and a mask in case hes alive.

Saturday, Mike ( a.k.a. "Muskrat" here at Tman ) stopped in for the afternoon/evening and he assessed my situation and set two live traps at the den entrance under my concrete porch.

Didn't think the smell here could be associated with a dead skunk (as a few of you have suggested), but Mike wondered the same thing and I reckon I'm learning more and more about this conundrum.

Warming up today and more tomorrow......hopefully the skunk will come out.

Good luck. Ive been wondering.

Keep us informed.

Update on my skunk problem(s) ;

My buddy Mike referred me to another trapper friend and it turns out this fellow traps 50 plus skunks a year as part of his nuisance trapping business.

He recommended I dig out the hole the best I can with the current frozen conditions, spray good bleach ( Chlorox, Purex, etc ) into the hole, then rolling in 3-4 8 oz plastic bottles filled with bleach ( tops off of course ) into the hole/tunnel. He said skunks hate the smell of bleach.

I started this regime three days ago and once I get the bleach into the tunnel, then I place the two live traps in position with bait (cans of cheap cat food) and also a trail of small marshmallows up to, and past the trigger. Friend said that if the protein won't attract them the sweets will and the small marshmallows are the best.

I have to remove one of the live traps to work the entrance hole with bleach and when I'm done with that, then I place the live trap into position again. Both live traps are covered with canvas tarps so the traps mimic a den hole. Pieces of firewood are placed on the slack parts of the tarps so any wind doesn't cause me problems.

If/when a skunk comes out, the only choice they have is one trap or the other.

The last two nights have yielded nothing, but it is colder again and they usually stay denned up. We will warm up into the 30's by Sunday. Friend said that if they're not moving by Tuesday or Wednesday, close the hole up and watch for activity and tracks. They are heading into the mating season and the females will be trying to get away from the males.

Yep - the learning curve is pretty steep here. This will be a long process....at least into the spring thaw.

Regards, Vic

Thanks 4 the update. Is it still stinking terribly?

It varies each day and can vary within the day and in different parts of the house and garage.

My trapper friend and mentor ( coach ) says skunks are the worst nuisance critter there is. He also said to use 22 shorts only - when dispatching them with a gun....revolver. The 22 short cartridge is very slow and does the most damage inside the skunk. Don't us 22 LR and/or high velocity anything.

This time of year male skunks begin to search for females to breed with. When a female rejects a male she sprays him...this could be what is happening!

This is exactly what my friend is saying as well. Looks like we have both denned up in the den under the porch. After chores this morning I checked for fresh tracks and any new holes and no changes.

While checking the traps at the den entrance hole, there is a strong skunk smell emitting from the hole. Later today, I'll move one trap away so I can get in there and work. I'll be pushing 4-6 8 oz bottles of Chlorox bleach (what we now refer to as skunk bombs or grenades) into the tunnel. I'll do this daily until I close the hole next Tuesday or so.

And I thought rejection in the human dating game was bad.

Pest control company attempted to remove this skunk with chemicals. Client said traps closed prematurely, and when they called the company to let them know, they said they would come and reset. They came and reset two days later. The shed is right up against the garage so the odor was penetrating through and up making its way into their vehicles. They ended up using chemicals on the job and closed up the hole using bricks that were on the property to block the hole. The owners ended up having to park their vehicles in the drive due to the odors intensifying. When I got there I could smell it as soon as I got out of the vehicle. Ended up removing their contraption setting up two traps, double door and a single. Normally drape a piece of rubber over the trap but the plastic did just fine. Imo trashy sets are skunk magnets. I've never had to use a chemical to remove a skunk, the home ownsers always beat me to it.

That's because a commercial wildlife control company knows it is illegal to use chemicals for animal control. The label is the law. Positive sets work on their own. Liability issues with any chemical application are high.

Exactly, which begs the question why so many recommend it. Most of the home owners who've I spoke to that had skunks, but at the time couldn't afford or had a reason not to have them removed, or just wanted to attempt the process themselves admit to using bleach, etc because thats what was recommended. IMO complete waste of time, even if the animal is booted out of that den, if the property is appealing 9 out of 10 times it will seek an alternative means to regain residency on that property. I tell all my clients, the absolute best method is removal. It scks and could be pricey, but long term it's worth it. Those people paid 400+ for a company to spray around a shed, seal up an entry hole, and never resolved the issue.

Come on fellas, don't leave us hanging. What did you find?

We've been havin the warm weather u wanted Vic.

Yes we have and I have three cage traps out....still zippidy do dah ! I must be doing something wrong.

Could have run one over with the car the other night driving back to the farm from town. Didn't want to stink up the car also. Darn thing probably lives under my porch too.

I'll have a fourth trap out there later tomorrow. Bought two cage traps from a retiring trapper down south. Mike ( aka "Muskrat" ) and I are meeting in LaX for coffee, eggs and smart talk tomorrow morning. He's bringing the new ( used ) traps with him and I'm returning the one he loaned me several weeks ago.

Sooner or later, I'll get smart and trap the little "dears" as I've heard them referred to.

Regards, Vic

Update

Trapped a skunk this morning in one of my cage traps while in town at church and running errands. I always check the traps first thing in the morning around 5:00 since both traps are right off the side of the front porch.

I had just rekindled the wood stove and glanced out the window and noticed the trap door was down. First thought was one of my black labs had nosed it and released the door - again. Stepped outside to peer through the open end ( there's a tarp over most of the trap to imitate a den hole ) and by golly there was a skunk in there.

So, the skunk came out of the den entrance in sunlight and temps today are mid twenties. Didn't expect to see this today, so I am a bit surprised.

The skunk is dispatch with a 22 short just behind the front legs, no spraying. The rifle barrel just fit through the 1" x 1" wire cage so I could put it up against the skunk.

I don't know how many more are in there, but we'll see. Yesterday I purchased two more ( used, but v good condition ) cage traps and will get them set up tomorrow. I'll then have four traps set up around the place.

I forgot to mention that when I checked the traps around 5:00 this morning ( pitch dark ) they were empty. I checked them again after I got home around 1:30 this afternoon.....and that's when I found one trap occupied.

Male or female. Helps to know what is going on.