Question: What is the shelf life of skunk essence? It if is stored in a cool place in a glass bottle...does it "go bad"? Would 10 year old skunk essence sell for the same money as fresher skunk essence?

I have several glass bottles w/plastic caps from about 20 yrs ago that still stink just fine! I bought a case on sale from Pickards to use a cover scent while Deer hunting, stored in a cool dry basement.

As long as it's dry and capped to exclude oxygen and dark to exclude sunlight it will keep just about forever. It should be clear and yellow, not cloudy. If it is cloudy or hazy, then it is wet, and if it is wet bacteria or mold will eventually grow. If it's cloudy, filter it through a plug of cotton. The cotton will absorb the moisture, and it should come through crystal clear and yellow.

Thanks very much!

I have skunk essence from a few years back, I store in amber bottles & in a non working fridge with other scents.

My thinking is that I can harvest a little at a time and, at some point, maybe ship some to a buyer. I don't catch enough skunks to stockpile very much essence in one year. My hope is that maybe in 3 to 5 years I'll have enough to actually interest somebody. I have never sold essence...I'm not sure how much a fellow would need to make it worthwhile to a buyer. Is it worth trying to sell small amounts, like 4 or 5 skunks worth? How many ounces do you average per skunk (assuming they do not spray)? Is it even worth messing with trying to harvest from a skunk that has sprayed? I'm not sure how much they tend to "leave in the tank" on average.

Also, does time of year matter? If I catch a skunk while nuisance trapping in June, is it the same as the essence you'd get in November?

Some buyers will take small quantities. I would talk to a few potential buyers in advance to find out what they want. To the best of my knowledge, essents is the same year around. No set rules on how much essent each skunk will produce, too many variables.