Recently, a couple of skunks decided they like my backyard, what are some non-lethal ways to encourage them to move somewhere else. I live on five acres of mostly woods, and my wife and I enjoy watching the variety of wildlife we regularly see travel through our property. So, how do we discourage the skunks without harming or driving off the rest of the wildlife?
You need one of these...
He recently discovered a couple skunks in the bushes, and thought they were like his cat 'friends'...
He quickly learned they are not friends.
On the plus side, about 15 minutes after he got sprayed, they relocated into the neighbors' yard.
Sorry no useful advice, we're actually under siege from various wildlife this week. We've had deer, racoons, and skunks inside the fence for the first time in 20 years:
Non-lethal?
I got nothin'.
They seem to not be much into spicy food?
To me this read like the basis of pretty much anything I cook.
"Homemade Skunk Repellent Spray (a mixture of hot peppers, onion, jalepeno, cayenne pepper, and water, boiled for a few minutes and strained.)"
In reply to XLR99 (Forum Supporter) :
Great action pic
.22 to the head is clean and won't harm the other wildlife. Sorry.
Live trapping is a non starter because you WILL be sprayed. I have live trapped several opossums and brought them far away, but they are harmless.
Poison is bad for the other critters as well.
I appreciate the advice and the humor. My first thought was my 10/22, but because of my medical condition both of my hands tremor. This has dramatically decreased my accuracy, and I think the outcome of a miss would result in a smelly backyard. XLR99, your dog looks great. Our property is not fenced, and the wildlife regularly travel through to the neighbors property which is semi-wooded and has a pond. My wife and I get to see squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, deer, turkey, fox, bobcat, and now skunks. NOHOME, I wonder if the pepper would drive off the other animals as well.
Not necessarily odor free, but I wonder if paint balls instead of the 22lr would be a deterrent?
Definitely sting and leave a mark, and if you miss you just end up with colorful grass.
My first thought would be mix up something smelly, but what would smell to a skunk?
In keeping with the times and the widespread use of scare tactics to influence behavior, I'd like to point out that skunks are among the terrestrial animals most often infected with rabies in the United States.
Find out wht skunks like and put it in the neighbors yard.
noddaz said:Find out wht skunks like and put it in the neighbors yard.
A couple issues of skunk porn mags.
I've heard that coyote urine can be a deterrent but have never tried it as a 12ga has always worked for me. My general rule with wildlife is they can be ON my property, just not IN my buildings/vehicles/etc. When they violate that rule is when I make them leave.
In reply to John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) :
Thanks, its actually a clip from a video.
Even though ppl are terrified of him because "AAAAGH horrible pit bull!!!" he views everyone and every animal as a friend.
With mixed results, at best... He usually gets clawed in/near the eyes by the cats at least once a week.
One of my greyhounds was actually mellow and slow moving enough that the deer would hang out with him by the fence.
In reply to 90BuickCentury :
The coyote urine would probably deter most of the other wildlife too. I generally have no problems with wildlife on the property, but it is disconcerting to step out on the back deck and see a skunk 10-15 feet away. However, mice are unwelcome near my cars or house, been there done that, and it is not fun.
In reply to XLR99 (Forum Supporter) :
I have never had any problems with "pit bulls" being anything less friendly towards me, and the only dogs that have ever tried to bite me were little poodles. In college, we had a german shepherd mix that was 80lbs of overly friendly mutt who loved people, and she regularly intimidated new people with her enthusiasm to meet them. I can understand how 80 lbs if police dog looking enthusiasm galloping forward to greet you might be misunderstood, but she just wanted to say hello.
You pick the recipient of the projectile.
Pete
In reply to Snowdoggie :
While I regularly see or hear coyotes in the neighbors pasture, I do not think they will be that cooperative or tame, but is an interesting solution to the problem. However, most my neighbors tend to take a shoot first ask questions later when they see coyotes. They are considered varmints around here. I know several people who have lost chickens and pets to them.
Ok, honest question: Why do you want them to leave?
Why can't they just hang out?
(I don't have skunks - this may explain my question.)
In reply to NOHOME :
I like the idea, but I am not so sure on some of the details. The big question is how do I get the skunks on the catapult without being sprayed? I would probably choose the state land that borders mine, but someone told they had to moved at least ten miles away or they would probably come back. I might need to talk to some engineers to determine how much to upscale the design for that much distance. LOL
For what its worth, normally relocating a nuisance animal to some other property is illegal. Dealt with that at my grandparent's house with the damned peacocks that ignorant neighbors brought in as yard birds.
May need to get written permssion
In reply to Shadeux (Forum Supporter) :
We enjoy the opportunity to be surrounded by nature both the flora and the fauna, it is one of the reasons we moved out of town. The main concern is to avoid being sprayed when go out the door and startle the skunks. We usually go in and out the back door because it is closer to the driveway. Right now, we are cautiously opening the door and looking around before we go outside. We can continue to just avoid them and hope they move on to somewhere else, but if they do not want to move on then we might have to encourage them.
In reply to Mr_Asa :
I would need to check with local and state laws concerning relocating them. Maybe, I just drop them off at my sister's farm, it a few hundred acres of pasture, fields, and woods. I am sure she won't mind, she regularly gets new cats that way. Cat, polecats only little bit of difference. Actually, the hope was to encourage them move to a new location of their own volition.
jharry3 said:
Live trapping is a non starter because you WILL be sprayed.
Well...not so true.
My MiL is funny she was the first woman to retire from the Boston building wreckers union and is now a mid-Maiine self stylized farmer. She had it in her head that her older friend who is like a pioneer woman told her to just grab the skunk by the scruff of the neck at the same time as scooping the skunk's tail under it's butt and pick it up. Well her friend never told her that, but she has successfully done it about 4 times. My wife has seen her do it once. Tad bit touched haha.
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