If you are in the adc field and don't have at least 1 cam in your arsenal you are losing money and time. Everyone gets a job or 2 every once and while where the animal just isn't interested in the setup, bait, lure or whatever else ya got set out for it. Cams will often give you a lot of insight on what is or could be happening at your location. They allow you to correct the problem so you don't have to walk around knocking on neighbors doors or leaving you scratching your head on whether or not the animal is even in the area or if the animal is visiting the set but not entering the traps etc. The whole avoid sweet conversation in regards to cats take with a grain of salt, if you've done any bait and lure testing on bobcat and "house cats" to get reactions you will know that there are sweet odors that cats will scale tall trees for.
Thanks for your pics and replies. Always appreciate hearing what you've got to offer.
I'm not in the adc field. Maybe considering it for a part-time hobby when I retire, so learning as much as I can with the limited number of animals available (rats, squirrels, raccoons and now the skunk)
My problem right now is I'm not being persistant and methodical. For a week I had an open tube (one I am converting to a trap) with a variety of food out, but all I ever saw was the same cat. I figured the skunk was gone, so took everything down, but then a few days later, I smelled the spray again and haven't bothered to set up again. Part of my procrastination is because of the nosy retired neighbors who are sometimes a PITA. The skunk has to be denning somewhere, and you'd think that the landowner would have a clue if a skunk lived there for more than a month. I know what attracted the first one, so I'm assuming that if I was near the den I could easily coax another into a trap and not have to deal with said neighbor.
Weather is changing here and depending on which way the skunks travel/disperse/are denning, it's anyone's guess where they may end up. This is the first skunk I've ever seen/smelled in this area so there can't be many of them.
Will take this all in and set up again. I think I'm good for what do do now just need to do it.
Thanks all for being willing to share your expertise.