Learn Me how to remove skunks from my yard.

In reply to P3PPY :

I would prefer not to kill them, and our main concern is not to get sprayed. We would need a permit from the DNR to trap, move or kill them. We have decided to try to humanely encourage them to move somewhere else. One of our concerns, is that whatever we do to cause the skunks to leave, will cause most other wildlife to avoid the property. We do not have a garden to try to protect from other wildlife. Currently, we are trying to wait them out, and hope they leave like they showed up.

In reply to Chesterfield :

That’s my order of operations too by starting with ammonia. Since it’s not particularly enclosed I figure they can flee, and it dissipates fairly quickly. Making them WANT to leave seems most permanent and humane.

My trap in a bag plan is next on the list and also involves me not getting sprayed, if I can help it. Lots of people say even with a head/spine hit they still spray. 

Are you confident about your DNR rules? In MI, at least, there are exceptions for a number of pests to where any landowner can take measures to prevent destruction. 

I just came here to say my sister had ten move in under her farm house. (7 and then 3)  They had to shoot them one by one. That house reeked for months. She got a call from the school to collect her kids one day and they stunk so bad the school made them wait outside in the rain for their ride. We still laugh.

From the IL website https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/conservation/wildlife/Pages/Skunk.aspx

“A year-round hunting season allows people who have problems with skunks (killing poultry or causing other damage) to remove them without a special permit.” 

In reply to P3PPY :

Yeah, I read the dnr pages related to nuisance animals, so far, I have not noted any damage and we don't have any domesticated animals for them to bother. I know some of my relatives just shoot them, but they all live on farms.

I haven't seen mine in a couple days. How are your guests holding up?

I did not see any for a couple of days, but now I have 1 that will show up for a little while. It is not around near as much as before, I am hoping they are deciding to move along. I was a little concerned earlier today, the neighbors' dog was in the backyard barking like crazy. I couldn't see anything but the dog. The dog eventually left, didn't see or smell anything skunk related. I guess that is good.

What if you tethered  an inflated balloon that was smeared in cat food. Pretty sure the resultant surprise would make them wary. Course they might also aromatize your back yard as a reward.

If your yard is fenced, it is usually easy to see where they come in and locate these kind of diversions in the right place.

Edit:

for extra behavioral reinforcement, fill the balloon with cayenne and perfume.

My yard is not fenced, and between my property and the neighbor's there are probably 10 acres of woods around my house. That is not counting across the road or the nearby state property, and that all these properties border a national forest. 

I would be afraid the balloon popping would lead to a ver smelly aftermath, but the idea is intriguing. It might work if It was placed far enough away from the house.

spitfirebill said:

noddaz said:

Find out wht skunks like and put it in the neighbors yard.

A couple issues of skunk porn mags.  

Ya don't google/yahoo that.  

In reply to dean1484 :

I wouldn't dream of googling that, and it terrifies me about what kind of watchlist you would be put on for googling it.

dean1484 said:

spitfirebill said:

noddaz said:

Find out wht skunks like and put it in the neighbors yard.

A couple issues of skunk porn mags.  

Ya don't google/yahoo that.  

I got a good belly laugh out of that.  One night years ago just for shiggles, I searched the weirdest things I could think of on one of the more popular "adult" sites.  They had something for everything.  

I have not seen any skunks since the dog incident. Hopefully, they decided to move on to greener pastures.