Earlier this fall I tried a skunk-specific 120 line. Although it wasn't as lucrative as I had hoped, it was still fun. Hopefully I can learn more for next year.

My little coyote line had some success before the post-deer season lull descended. For running an average of around a dozen sets, I was really happy with the number of visits and catches they received. I didn't post all my pics but rather some of the more interesting ones.

There is also a pic of a real OG skunk as well. That was definitely the longest stand-off I've had since I started vaccinating with acetone. Thanks for looking.

Very nice young man!

Great work, Alex! Beautiful animals and beautiful pics. What brand of 120's were you running? With that, how full were the contents of the pods? Your friend to the south and I had a discussion or two about the coni size and brands we were using. I wonder if size and brand of trap had anything to do with how quickly it put down the skunk and if there was any essence lost due to this. I was running Duke 155's this fall and had all neck and suitcase catches but was disappointed in the lack of essence I was getting. Again, nice job!

Great stuff Cedar! Nice color on the one dog...

Osky

Looks like your having a good year so far! Keep up the good work!

Looks like Belisle traps, what was the trigger placement ? Thanks

Try a 2x4 three inches infront of the tubs and a pan on the triggers. Their front feet go between the 2x4 and tube and a perfect neck catch, when the chin hits the pan; no feet are in the trap that can block the pressure on the wind pipes.

Nice pics.

What where you baiting your boxes with?

Nice pictures. Good job

Great pics. Good job

Thanks for sharing,that one coyote is very nice.

nice skunks an yotes ,

These were Belisle 120's that he convinced me I needed. Regardless of trigger placement, I did have a few spray, but only a few. Those sprayers didn't have their picture taken! I tried to extract the essence on those early skunks without skinning or removing the pods. Although that works, in hindsight I believe I missed out on enough mL's to warrant removing the pods every time in the future. I'm sure most brands when they're new could eliminate spraying, but I bought the Belisles hoping they'd stay strong for a long time. The Belisle 160's I bought years ago are still as strong as the day I bought them.

I'll admit I had no idea what I was doing starting out. I began with triggers on the top and eventually switched to triggers on the bottom, lightest setting, and bend slightly inward toward the bait.



I was trying to avoid raccoons, possums, etc. I started out using bananas and that was a waste of time. I ultimately switched to cheap, frozen, skinless chicken breasts cut into thirds. I stabilized them (more or less) with sodium benzoate. Fresh (without SB) was best, but they would rot out so quickly it wasn't cost effective.



Awesome. That is the type of thing I need to play with. I have access to skunks, I just need to get more of a system in place. Thanks

Had to have skunks scent free for museum specimens that is why I developed a method.

Next time if Rally does a beaver presentation at a Minn conference side track him and ask him some of his methods.

Some of the lure dealer do buy the skinned out pods because they use them ground up.

Thanks for the info. I think he's also convinced me to try a dozen Belisle 120's. I like that 2x4 idea as well, Northof50. Something I noticed this year and last was that the more I caught in a trap, the more effective the set seemed to be. I'm thinking it had to do with the scent/spray left behind from the previous catch. It made me think that next year I'm going to use some sort of skunk based lure or Gusto or something at all of my sets. Fresh, frozen beaver was my bait choice as this resulted in virtually no coon.

If you watch some of Ryan's D old youtubess he has the same set up but his boxes were on 2x4's.
Principal factor is to have the belly rub and the back feet don't touch the ground as hard.
skunk lure does bring in their partners
find their winter dens and you will really cash in to 8-10 animals, then you need several traps set.
Be prepared for a fox to stick it's head in after one is caught.

Ryan Dem.'s videos are where I got most of the methods I used. As you said, North, he seems to have it down. And it sounds like you do too. North, what is your trap size of choice? 120's or larger?

120 besile, you do not want to go larger
Really nice ones to use are the Koro # 1 or the rat trap size, but for museum specimens the skulls are ruined.

Ryan use to just set on approaches to fields and spray the grass down with skunk/ water mixture, so anyone going to steal his trap was marked. He would lay down a walking board to go to the trap area and advoid the perfume on the rubber boots. Farmers welcomed him with Open Arms and many times told him where the dens were.

The Sponsor to this forum page; Tim from Minn Trapline Products buys a lot of skunk hides and yours have some good patterns. Does he not usually go to the Winter meeting you could sell them then