Do Skunks Get Trap Shy?

Do skunks get trap shy?

Woke up this morning to a skunk waiting in a cage trap. Wasn't expecting that, and it was sort of good thing considering one has been squirting around the neighbourhood for the past two years. It was my first caged skunk and luckily, info learned here over the years prevented an incident, but not so good was that when I was trying to transfer it from a large cage to a smaller one, I wrongly estimated the size of hole it could get through and it squeezed out between the space between the cages and made it's escape.

Just wondering how it will react to the cage next time it's back (and any other advice). Cage was baited with marshmallows. Skunk was calm.

Yes, they get trap shy real fast.

Yes the stupid animals get trap shy and turn into some of the worst geniuses in avoiding traps. Some of the worst ADC problems I have had were animals that were captured and turned loose by some caring soul, who thought their vermin had a right to live in destroying other people's property. If you catch cats a few times, they will never go near a box trap again.

Been lucky to get but one bad one in many years, but any animal can get wised up and turn into a nightmare. Would not go into a positive cage set, but dig next to the cage. I would move the trap, he would dig next to it. Put out an old large pan trap with baits. Would not go near it. Camouflaged a 160 in a positive set, ended it, but he sprayed. Woke everyone up at 2 a.m. It was a no win from beginning to end, way too much time.

Skunks are trained to come running to the trap.

I've seen some traps get skunk shy!

That is unfortunate. I was hoping that their gentle manner, the general distance other animals give them, and "don't-mess-with-me" back end would give them the bit of sass to enter a cage again.



Well, me too! When I signed up for my trapper course and told the instructor why I wanted to take the course (to trap animals causing problems on my property), he said, "Well, if you catch a skunk, DON'T CALL ME!"

I have a deep appreciation for those of you who trap skunks or release the bigger wild animals from footholds!

Do you think a skunk would react differently to a different trap? Was a 12"x12"x32" cage trap that it entered, but I have a couple of tube traps. Only thing is, I don't know where it dens. Has to be close as it sprays about 6-8x per summer.

Can't use a conibear for the neighbours' cats (one of which I like). Was considering a foot hold of some sort, but am concerned about the smell. I've had one spray close to the house before and it took three days before you couldn't smell it inside, any more.

Not sure what you mean, John. Do you mean to set up fencing to bring them into the trap?

Skunks are directly related to otter and badgers. Otters and badgers can detect magnetic field of a trap. If that trap has a positive reading going into the trap you’re going to get refusals. So any trap that you use as a baited set to work best Should have a reduced intensity in order to make the best catch.Cage traps or traps with positive intensity readings going into the trap should be set as positive sets or forced sets in order to be the most productive.An example of a forced set would be a trap set over a hole.If you’re 12 x 12 x 32 trap has a negative or reduced setting going into the trap and through the trap it would be a good candidate to catch the hard to catch skunk.If a double door trap has a reduced intensity going through the trap it would be more likely to catch the animal than one that has a high intensity rating by far as much is 3 to 5 times better chance. Test your traps for magnetic field intensity so you know which is the best set for the trap.

Why not try a DP with a golf ball or plastic cup over the top? Less chance of catching a cat.

That should work. Animals will work the outside of a trap that emits a magnetic field. Such as a digging response from a coyote or a dog. A beaver will work the top of the 330, Where the field is emitted. I would think you would have more of a problem getting him out of the set than with a cage trap.
He would also be more likely to spray.

Again, I have experienced but one notable skunk refusal to a cage in 25 plus years out of many hundreds, indicating that whatever I have been doing has worked .9999999% of the time, not really a time to shift gears and change approach to read in and seek out manufactured non-existent problems, same goes for woodchucks and others too.

I'm with Jim on this.

Food and sex are the primary driving force of all animals. Eventually they succumb to those two things. Even a coyote and red fox are caught in cage traps at times. Not often or easy but it happens when they are hungry enough.

Keep the traps baited and ready, it will end up inside another one sooner than later.

I live in an urban area. I know that a skunk can spray when caught that way--was trying to avoid that. I have a skunk pole, but having it in a cage gives me a few more options after it has been trapped. (No intention of making it someone else's problem.)

Thing woke me up today at 5:30 AM with the stink. I have no idea why neighbours haven't said anything. Something or someone is getting sprayed.

I've also learned that you can, in fact, catch the neighbour's cat in a DP. No damage to the paw, thankfully. It was the 'good' cat. He was very good about it!

Well, I'm willing to provide one of those things. Food, that is. I don't want to catch it that badly!

Kirk De what are you talking about. Because I am reading what you are writing but not comprehending. How do I reduce the positive intensity of my traps. Trying to wrap my head around what you wrote

I wrote a short book that explains that animals are detecting the magnetic field of your traps no matter what trap device it is. Here’s a short video.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lvq0aDTQz4c

Kirk De how does one go about reducing that magnetic field in a trap to make the animal feel comfortable. I am many others would love to know the answer. If you would be so kind as to share it with us thank you in advance

Yesterday in ADC work was an example of what is common with 9 cage traps and one conibear in a mere 3 hours of checking. Of 9 cage traps there were 7 catches made, beaver #1393 caged, 5 woodchucks and a jumbo skunk in an 18 inch long trap with one beaver in the conibear, not unusual, just a good day related to the availability of the animals that required catching. If they are there, they get caught quickly. I find the biggest stressor related to animals getting educated is due to experiencing the capture of mom, dad and their brothers and sisters, seeing the others day after day caught in cages or conibears. Once they see 2,3 or 4 of their family group in a trap for several days in a row at a location they sometimes become both trap and location shy. Anyone using conibears for beaver over the years has seen it happen, even with "perfect" sets. If this occurs, at that point a change up approach is all that is needed to pick up the last hold out animal, with a different trap and location. The number of variables associated with animals being caught or not on a given day are numerous, difficult to isolate and explain, often solved by changing from a highly visible trap like a conibear or cage to a foothold, Bailey or snare that can be blended or hidden, just a question of keeping the trap out of sight.

I usually have a camera on my traps and have only seen one animal not go all the way to the back of the cage to get the food there, so while it's possible that animals detect magnetic fields (migratory birds apparently use them to navigate), it would be my guess that when encountering a different magnetic field for the first time (a cage), if it wasn't educated, it would be thinking about the food, first. In the wild, this may be more important that in urban settings, but in urban settings, with all the cans, cars, piles of junk, metal posts, fences, electrical fields, I'd think that this information wouldn't be as useful to an animal. In the wild, a metal object would be seen as foreign, but in an an urban environment, it's just part of the environment. In the end, as long as I'm catching what I see on my camera's, I'll keep it simple.

I do try to set as many traps as animals I think are there. It simplifies things in the end. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that raccoons travelling in groups will hang out for a bit waiting for their trapped buddy/family member. If there is another trap, it seems a good chance that if you get one, you'll get another--has this been your experience?

It has also been my experience that if you know where the animals are, they are generally pretty cooperative in doing their part.

You’re right except a raccoon Doesn’t have the ability to see A magnetic field. I think he could feel it if it was Strong enough.

Well, turns out our neighbourhood skunk just couldn't resist more marshmallows. A few more modifications to my cage transfer device, and if there is a next time, all will go much smoother.

I was going to include a picture, but the stink....

For those who may want to know, I have the kind of cage where the front door swings open from the top and then swings down shut and is kept closed by two rings that slide down the front.

I'm going to make a barrier out of wood dowels or metal rods that I can slide down between the wire mesh to block off the door so that when I open the trap door, I don't have to worry about the next skunk escaping when I lift the rings up out of the way (so I can open the door). My skunk started to push against the door, and I thought I was going to lose it again....

On the tube that I transfer the skunk into, I have to modify it a bit so that it doesn't have to go into the cage at all, so that when the skunk goes into the tube, I can slide a piece of something over the end of the tube so that I can move the tube easily away from the cage.

Thanks all for your feedback. I am always appreciative of the feedback I get here!

I would suggest you test your trap to see if it has a positive or a negative field going through and into the trap. Duke traps and true catch traps have ring locking door traps that pass the test. There should be many others out there. That way you can compare as you’re trapping this next year.

Thanks for the suggestion, but for the amount of trapping I do, it's not going to to make much of a difference. Not including squirrels and roof rats, I trap maybe 6 animals a year. From the research I've done about animals that live in urban environments, they have very small territories. To rephrase Arnold Schwarzenegger, "They'll be back."

But, that said, I just purchased a discount raccoon-sized trap and, if it doesn't get destroyed by the exceeding large and fat raccoon I picked up on my camera the other day, I could do an experiement. I did modify the trap though, adding some 1/4" hardwire mesh to the back of the cage to keep the animals from reaching in, but still, two different cages.

Since I have two cages and have the time, I'm willing to experiment. Won't be entirely scientific as the cages are slightly different sizes, present themselves differently (barred-overhanging door vs aluminium spring door, one has been scented by other animals, not to mention any prior experience the animal would have with a similar trap, but it would be interesting to see if the trap makes a difference.

I'll put the cages side by side and see what comes of it. Assuming that the cages I have are different on at least polarity or field strength, could I put one cage right beside the other, to see if a cage makes a difference? Does the proximity of one cage to another make any difference? If not side-by-side, how far apart would they have to be?

You just need a trap that has a reduced field compared to another trap. Sitting in close together should not matter too much I think it would be better to be a few inches apart if one is of one field and one is another

Have you ever taken a magnetic reading inside of a galvanized culvert under a driveway? Would be interested to know since skunks certainly love going into them.

Read the information on my threads in the past year that I wrote. Take your own readings with your iPhone. If your answers are not clear read my book from beginning to end you may have to read it twice. A lot of it will be determined as to where you live material used whether it’s ribbed or the size of the opening. Even the contact material on the outside of the pipe. I would think because you’re in Canada it would have lesser of affect do the factors that I mentioned in the past.
Easiest most productive way is just to use one trap that has a magnetic field that is higher than the induction of the earth and another trap that the interior field is less than the induction of the earth.Just test them

Yes trap shy and trap smart, But also I see where they can get shy of anything near the den when they have young. By moving the trap away to the spot where they are coming from or going I have seen skunks go right into the same trap same bait when it was moved a distance away. .I call it den safety factors. I was going to give a cage trapping talk at the expo this year that I was going to cover this.

Good information to know. Thanks.

Ron, I find the same thing to be true with lots of animals! Set the cage out right in front of them and they are wary. Hide it a little, so that they think they found something, and they go right in!

I think it is better to let the animal to decide to go in rather that try to make them go in mind set in safety factor situation. It seems that a animal walking down the trail with no cares will decide to go into a cage easier than say a skunk coming out of the safe den with young in tow and this thing is right there that wasn't. Her behavior is protecting the young so avoid any negative in her face. Move it back a little and the safety factor is not and strong.

Had my cages out again last night. Tucked it away a bit. Caught another skunk. Can't believe it. Never smelled one for years in this area and caught another a bit over two weeks after the first.

Went more smoothly than the last time, but hope I don't have to do that again soon. It didn't spray, and I hope it's just my imagination, but I can still smell it....