# Skunk dispatch



## Traper109

I was wondering what is the best way to get a skunk out of ones trap? Is there way to kill it and it not have it spray uke: . Also is there a way to skin one out after it sprays? I would like to try to skin one out but cant stand the smell.  Any help would be great.Traper109


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## nytrapper16

you can shoot it thats probly the only way for them not to spray..if they dont spray when you shoot them you shouldnt have a problem skinning them out you just have to be carful about the sacks that hold there scent dont pop them or you will have a mess and it will smell awful


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## Trapper25

Every skunk that I have shot in the head has eventually sprayed. I don't know if it is the muscles relaxing after they are dead or what. I have heard that a skunk trapped in a cage can be carefully dropped into deep enough water and drowned without it spraying.


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## nytrapper16

yea its probly there nerves that do that. about the drowning i have heard of that method


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## Traper109

You see they spray once i shoot them in the head! They keep getting into my foothold traps so i cant drown them( although that sounds like it would work if they were in box trap) Any other ideas would be great.Thanks Traper109.


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## rangeman

Skunks are usually pretty relaxed at the set, mine are usually curled up taking a nap. They make syringe pole about 4' or 5'long I think. I was told that if you eased the syringe filled with acetone through the ribcage that it was about a 15 second dispatch with no spray....... I know they sell the poles , but I have never tried it. Good Luck...... Rangeman


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## carp_killer

shoot it in BOTH lungs with a .22 the key to not getting a skunk to spray is dont try and kill it fast like you would think if you shoot it through the lungs odds are it wont spray you cold also inject it with lighter fluid with a syringe on a long stick remember if your quite you can get fairly close to a skunk they cant see but maybe 10 ft infront of them


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## Traper109

Thanks for all the info. Is there a way to make one of those sticks that you mentioned? If so wright back as soon as you can so if i get another one i can maby skin one out. Thanks again.Traper109


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## Traper109

Thanks for all the info. Is there a way to make one of those sticks that you mentioned? If so wright back as soon as you can so if i get another one i can maby skin one out. Thanks again.Traper109


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## carp_killer

a broom stick would work i just shoot um in the lungs normally


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## tfrost808

As stated before the only way I have heard of having a skunk not spraying is the syringe way.


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## coyote_buster

When i let them out I jst slowly walk up to the box trap and open the door all while talking firmly and I haven't been sprayed yet, if you can find some sticks around that helps.


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## ND trapper

I shoot mine through the lungs with a .22 and have not had one spray. Yet.


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## Trapper62

It takes a little while to load but it is a good video on skunk dispatching that a friend of mine is in the process of making. No audio yet just video.

http://www.adamisaak.org/skunk/


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## rangeman

I guess I could look it up, but just exactly where would the lungs be located? And would a 22 short work for this? Thanks! Rangeman


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## Traper109

Thanks for all the info guys it all helpted. Season is over here but i will try some of the things next year. Thanks again. Traper109


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## zukeeper

shoot them through the body just behind the front legs ( I've never tried a .22 short but I imagine they will work). A head shot will almost always make em spray


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## Horker23

gosh i dont know if i could do what that guy does in that movie, he nuts. I would just shoot them and get it over with. you win some you lose some!


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## sixgunslinger

Traper109 said:


> Thanks for all the info. Is there a way to make one of those sticks that you mentioned? If so wright back as soon as you can so if i get another one i can maby skin one out. Thanks again.Traper109


Here is a link, for making a skunk dispatch pole.

http://www.traps4kids.com/Skunk-Pole.html


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## WhoaThereBigFella

An old farmer once said that if you shoot them in a way that breaks it's back then the nervous system telling it to spray won't work. I know from experience that when trying to double lung or back break shoot a skunk they are pretty small to be able to do that........they have always sprayed when I have ever taken any.


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## carp_killer

most people think that the faster you kill a skunk the less apt it is to spray this theory is WRONG a lung shot with a .22 is the best way to not have them spray every skunk i have shot anywere but the lungs has sprayed and i have tried with a .22,.22 mag,shotgun (i was pheasant hunting at the time) and a few others and have tried to shoot them in the head backbone neck everything i had heard people say. the only thing that worked was in the lungs


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## Terrierman

Had a skunk filled weekend here in Colorado. My neighbor called me to complaine that some skunks had moved into a fox sette under her garage and wanted to know if I could trap them for her. Well she is a 70 YO widow and I wanted to help. Her garage was smelling very bad when I went over there. Set a large box trap the first night using some old meatballs for bait. Nothing the first night. Left the trap and the second night got one of them. Was not sure how to manage this think in a large **** sized box trap, so I called upon my excellent long range shooting skills with a .22 rifle at 50' and shot him in the head. He fell like a rock but not before he sprayed a good dose of green/yellow spray and made a big 6' spot in the snow. :sniper: 
Skunk spray all over the damn place. I went home stinking to high heaven.
A friend of mine that has done some trapping said to set a smaller box trap in a trash can and that way they won't see you walk up on them and you can put the lid on it and fill it with water.
Well I went right ahead and set one of the double door Havahart traps in a trash can. The next morning I checked it and sure enough there was another skunk. Well I went to tip the trash can up and neglected to notice that the trap was about 3" longer than the trash can. The minute I tipped it upright the darn skunk sprayed. Could not get the lid on the can and things got real stinky right off. Stuck a hose in the can and when the water started to fill the panicked skunk sprayed again. Things were really smelling bad now. With this fine Havahart trap on end, I failed to notice that the bail that holds the door closed had lifted off the trap door and now the skunk was climbing out the now open door. I taped the door closed and back in the water it went. Not discouraged by my tap on the door, it made it's way back out again and this time I tapped it in the head with a piece of steel flat bar that was laying on the ground. It fell into the water and showed me that skunks can spray even under water. A big oil slick came to the surface and the minute it hit air, seemed to atomize and this is now the third time this critter sprayed me. Did I mention that the temps were at about 20 degrees F and the wind was blowing 35 to 40 mph Just to make my morning more pleasant? Am sure the last love tap dispatched the skunk. I put a log on top of the trap and left it to turn into a large ice cube. Will deal with it later today. My wife would not let me in the house. Had to shed the skunky clothes in the garage and run to the house and shower in this fine weather in my shorts.


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## Terrierman

Well, have set the box trap 7 days in a row and have caught 7 skunks. Have had 3 spray even with a heart lung shot. :sniper:

The interesting thing if you could call it that is 6 out of the 7 have been males. They must be on the hunt for females this time of year.


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## vinces

Good info. here. Have a neighbor that leaves food out for stray cats and that has been bringing skunks around like crazy. They end up digging under our mobile home and when there are 2 under there they either fight or mate and one sprays. We have trapped easily over a dozen skunks. (unless we are getting some more than once) I was driving them about 6 miles away to release but more came to replace those. Now I really want to just kill them and once I am sure there are none under our trailer try and make it harder for them to get in. I can't do that until they are not there though. I thought of the water in the trash can idea and I may try it. Had an idea that maybe putting the trap in a large yard bag and sealing it so the skunk would suffocate. Figured even if it sprayed the smell would be sealed in but also figured they would claw holes in the yard bag. I am willing to try anything but I don't want neighbors reporting me for animal cruelty either. Not sure if it illegal to suffocate a skunk. Hehe. They have made me not want to breath I can tell you that.


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