I am new to this skunk trapping, and while I can catch them I can't seem to get them dispatched without them spraying. If you have any tips I'm all ears, also, if or when they do spray, do you wash them thoroughly or just bring them to the fur buyer with their lovely smells?

I usually just dispatch and leave them lay for a day to air out. Then maybe let them hang outside another day after skinning. Then freeze or put them up. There is usually still some odor, but its bearable.
Some guys wash them in that baking soda-peroxide solution and say it works well. Haven't tried it myself.

Washing them in baking soda, peroxide, a Dawn dish soap works. I won’t do a skunk without washing it first

Thanks guys. I'll wash him up before I go any further!

Skin and flesh or skin freeze then flesh later. Never washed a skunk unless ot was a mud ball. And then I just washed it in the crick. After fleshed and dried they barely smell.

when you head shoot them they seem to spray everytime if you dont want the smell use the poke-stick method with acetone like LT GREY suggests
if you do end up shooting them put a 22 short behind the shoulder but be sure to not hit the scapula

I've gone to rubbing alcohol and a thumb push pole, caught 153 skunks and had 4 that I needed to swish around in a bucket of water with the peroxide - baking soda - dish soap mix. No scent issues after the treatment. I have used a quiet pellet gun in the past with no issues as well. The rib cage is the target.

i started using the skunk sleeper method this year, works great. Before that i would dispatch and most sprayed, i would hang them up by their back foot for 24 hrs to air out... hanging by back foot i never had any seepage from the scent glands. after 24 hrs id use the baking soda peroxide method then skin.

I’ve used acetone in a syringe on a pole and it works well.

Some bait makers have suggested I use vodka instead of acetone. This apparently, is because as the skunk goes down, it’s circulating the acetone in its blood to the flesh. If those skunk carcasses are going to be used in bait making, they can smell it and believe future canines can too.

For this reason, in 2026, all my skunks will be given vodka instead of acetone.

I've used acetone and everclear with good results in the past. I switched to rubbing alcohol for a couple reasons and I may be wrong but my thought was it would evaporate or not have a negative impact on any critters that may consume the carcass. I wasn't keen on carrying around a "open" container of everclear and acetone can be used to make meth so I was leary about having that with me as well. I have always been on the up and up when stopped and the CO or Deputy has gone through the truck checking weapons and looking at trap tags, it was just 1 more thing I didn't want to have to explain or be questioned about. A new officer can get a little excited when they come across a few syringes and needles.