Skunk trapping

I have trapped 4 skunks in about a week; taken them out of the valley and let them loose. They have been harassing my dogs (I'm a master at getting the odor off!) for years. In the metal trap (borrow from Fish and Game)I put dry cat food with a piece of cooked salmon skin (left over from dinner) in the can hooked to the trigger. I also wipe some areas in the bottom of the cage with the skin then sprinkle black oiled sunflower seeds and a bit more cat food. I have tried many "recipes" for several years and this works like a dream. The "riper" the skin the better.

Sheesh! Tha menu sounds like whay my ex-wife used to cook, and serve!

By the way, dont those skunks try to spray ya when you approach the trap? Or in the truck as you are taking them away? Always wondered what I'd do if I caught a skunk in one of my rabbit boxes.

Oh man!
We had a skunk (last year) in our live trap inside our barn.
My husband had set it to catch a woodchuck, and boy, was he ever surprised when he found a skunk in it. E'gads!
Thanks for the "recipe", Linden.
I'm keeping that recipe on file in case we ever have any more troubles with them.
OD :-)

Horseshoe: The metal trap is not tall enough for them to get their tail up and squat down on their front feet, therefore they can't spray. When I take the trap out to dump the skunk, I just place it in the direction that I want the fellow to go and pull the lid up. I do step back, however, in case he wants to get even...

A great skunk odor eliminator for a dog that has been sprayed is 2 quarts of hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 cup of baking soda and a teaspoon of liquid dish soap (Dawn, etc.). It works much better than the old tomato juice recipe.

Ohhh...didn't know they had to get into a posture such as that to let one rip~. Thanks.
I better save that recipe...I may need it someday.
Much obliged.

Thanks, Linden! I may need those recipes, too ~ both the skunk supper and the odor eliminator. Just about how short must that trap be so they can't get in the posture to do a stink shoot?

If you put a cover over the trap they won't spray either. The cover holds the smell inside, thus they wont' spray because it would get on themselves.

Cala!...Thank You! Thank you! THank you! Makes perfectly good sense to me! How many of us would wanna, well, "spray" ourselves on purpose?

This topic is getting my attention cuz we seem to have so many skunks coming closer and closer. I can just envision the day when there is a colony under the house.

Wingnut, My trap is metal, sliding door(up and down)on the front, 2 feet long, 1 foot high and 10" wide. And I've also heard that if you put a cover over them, they won't spray. But I have never been sprayed.

Incidentally, I just got #5.

Thanks, Linden. I think ours are taller and wider than that. We'll get a smaller one or cover it if we need to do this anytime soon.