I have several farms that I trap for skunk during the early season but haven't tried for them late season. With love in the air I figured and a warming snap coming,I thought I might put out a few live traps. My biggest problem is that most of these farms have barn cats that the farmers want to keep around. Any suggestions as to what baits or lures I might use to reduce my incidentals?

Marshmallows are golden sprinkle some outside the trap so the cats get their curious needs filled. I have 16 on the floor in the shed now to deal with. Yes they are hot now into next month then they drop off a lot.

Catch the cat In the live trap roll It around shake the crap out of the cat while In the trap. That cat will not go In that trap again.

Thanks Jerry, will give it a try.

Bev, I do that wherever I catch one but most farms around here have dozens of cats. By the time I educate every one on the farm the season would be over with.

There are plenty of ways to "educate" cats!

Trapping at a new place over the last few days the guy was using egg, he has 40 cats he said and there is a bunch. I said I use marshmallows he said they did not work well for him. I caught number 8&9 there today.

We will give it a shot tomorrow using your marshmallows and see what kind of results we get. I have used them before but never with good results but never this time of the year. Yukon, I agree with you on that answer. The one farmer goes through a 50 lb. bag of cat food per month feeding his mob. By having that amount of food available, not only do they not hunt but they have drawn all the neighbor cats in as well. Now one of his neighbors has had rats move in since his cats have left. Maybe with spring so close the eagles will help him out with that problem.

Skunks and cats are breeding here hang on the outskirts around the thick cover them cats will be busy making more cats, food comes in second to love now. LOL

Was hoping to find a secret love potion that someone was willing to share, one that would attract skunks but repel those pesky farm cats. What about some Gusto? Truck is loaded and heading out shortly. Weather guessers can't seem to get it right but hope to connect with a few while they are out.

You might try rotten eggs if the mellows don’t do the job but I’m stacking them up here using them I picked up 2 more today.


And one waiting for me tomorrow I got a call later today. The next warm day I’ll have 20 to peel so far.

Another 5 on marshmallows and carp if cats are not around.

Nice looking skunks Jerry! I wish we had some of your monsters! Weather has been nasty the past few days with no sign of any skunk or raccoon movement. I have about a dozen traps out on 4 farms but no action. At least I haven't caught any cats yet....

You need some of Bob Jameson’s Fireball.

To be fair, I’ve not used it around too many cats. I’ve used it in a barn with more than one cat and have not seen interest from the cats.

The cold shuts them down pretty tight it seems like in one place but not in other places it’s kind of weird. I hit one place with skunks under a house I set just as the cold set in then nothing got a week after a slight warm up I got 7 out of 6 traps. I pulled traps at another place but checked my game cams later after a warm up several skunks reset and never caught a skunk.

LD
When you set for skunks is it primarily just cages you use?

Yes cages are my #1 trap for them, it’s gotten to the point I have people call me that I don’t even know that catch a skunk and have no clue what to do with it my name is out there. Most calls before 10 AM are skunk calls but they come in all day it’s not uncommon to get 2-3 calls a day some days. I get the skunks and often rebait any cages that need baiting unless they want to do it themselves.

I have a few guys that have traps out all year or the better part of it they catch 15-20 skunks at their places. Most of the year round type guys are protecting either a wildlife area or some type of property or animals they are raising. I have one kid now that’s over 25 skunks so far I trade him supplies and traps and do the deed for him. I tried to get him into doing it himself but so far he’s not interested in doing it.

Nice looking skunks do you save the essence

Yes he does.

I don't know it this will be helpful to anyone. But when I use predator control groups the hammer (lure) I catch alot of skunks on it.