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I'm not interested in trapping. I did that before and they came back. I'm done with being wildlife friendly and the "relocation" stuff.
No matter what you do others can come back and use the burrow. Killing them does not guaranty no other animal will move in.
Jack your shed up off the ground a foot or so. That would make it less appealing to them or others. Then flood the ground with a water hose, they'll leave.
With the shed up, you're problem will most likely be solved.
Obviously the best thing is to evict the skunks that are there first, then seal up the burrows and lay cement or bury wire they cannot dig through to create another. If you have any inclination to be humane at all, this won't be quick and easy. Even shooting them as they emerge to forage at night would be more humane than chemistry, but either way, killing them could land you in trouble with your state F&G department.
How to evict them? Make your yard less attractive: get rid of potential sources of food and water. Light up the place. Skunks avoid brightly lit areas. Make noise...loud noise...skunks hate loud noise. Your neighbors probably won't appreciate that. Observation will help you evict them. Put up a game camera to record their activity. Once you know when they tend to leave and return, you can make better plans to evict them.
Seal up all but one burrow entrance. Install a one way valve type excluder device: one that allows any resident skunks to exit but prevents them getting back in again. BIG caveat: the problem you have with doing this right now is babies...if you have a nursing mother skunk she'll do whatever she can to get back to them upon her return from foraging. Probably best to wait until any young are old and independent enough to leave the burrow with their parents. At that point, if your yard doesn't provide what they want, they'll tend to leave and go somewhere else that does.
2) I've read about the bright lights, the water, the music, the urine -- none of them are guaranteed.
3) Some websites say the skunks get used to the lights. One person on some website said the skunks looked up at his floodlight and walked right across the yard like it was nothing. I've turned on my floodlight and seen a skunk, and it's not like they scurried when the light came on. Didn't even seem all that bothered.
Another site said urine "might" or "should" work or is "supposed to work". But it also said urine could actually attract animals of the same kind of urine.
Now, granted, I'm in Philadelphia, so I doubt if I spread coyote urine I'll draw coyotes -- but the thought of even possibly attract some other varmint makes my eyes roll.
I had thought about trying the coyote urine idea -- until I read it could attract other animals.
I still might try it. Just don't know, to be honest.
I'm not doing the motion-activated water sprinkler. Just too much work.
As for the music, then I have to figure a volume that's to loud for the skunks, but not so loud the neighbors can hear it.
IF lights closer to the ground would work....
For example, I would get a set of solar-powered landscape lights and put them all around the shed. I mean literally an edging of lights around the base of the shed, so tight together they'd have to dig though the lights. BUT, would they be bright/strong enough to be a deterrent. If a flood light didn't do it would these? I'd even get 100 and put two rows all around the perimeter.
I'm just tired of smelling skunk spray. (Once a week or every two weeks maybe.)
It's not a constant permeation of the house. But if they spray near the front, the smell wafts into the garage and my car smells (windows UP and it still gets in), and up into the bedrooms.
I'm just over it already.
ALSO, IF we take down the shed, which has a resin floor pad flat to the ground that the skunks have borrowed under....how deep into the ground is their den. For example if we lift up the shed floor are they right under it near the surface....OR are they2-3-4 feet underground so we could take the shed down during the day when they're asleep and not worry about them rousting and coming out to spray us?
AND, if I get the predator urine can I just soak the ground near the shed, like with a one foot edge around the shed. I'll buy gallons of the stuff if I have to. Reapply once week until they get the message?
Eventually I may give the shed away, to anyone who'll come take it (they can have it). But once I tell them there are skunks under it a person may say "never mind."
Does anyone think the landscape lights idea in post #14 will work?
In addition to skunks, I also have cats/animals that poop in my front yard which is almost all mulch.
Would landscape lights keep them out of the mulch?
Thanks
Some websites way human urine can work others say no.
Some mention fox urine.
As for the coyote urine: "Coyote urine is most effective at deterring larger creatures that coyotes hunt in the wild, such as deer. Many gardeners claim that coyote urine also works to repel woodchucks, raccoons, skunks, foxes, rabbits, groundhogs, birds, possums, and other smaller mammals."
"Using coyote urine may attract actual coyotes and unwelcome dogs. Fox, Coyote, Raccoon, most other canines, and even bobcats may also be attracted by the scent."
Does anyone think the landscape lights idea in post #14 will work?
In addition to skunks, I also have cats/animals that poop in my front yard which is almost all mulch.
Would landscape lights keep them out of the mulch?
Thanks
Some websites way human urine can work others say no.
Some mention fox urine.
As for the coyote urine: "Coyote urine is most effective at deterring larger creatures that coyotes hunt in the wild, such as deer. Many gardeners claim that coyote urine also works to repel woodchucks, raccoons, skunks, foxes, rabbits, groundhogs, birds, possums, and other smaller mammals."
"Using coyote urine may attract actual coyotes and unwelcome dogs. Fox, Coyote, Raccoon, most other canines, and even bobcats may also be attracted by the scent."
I'd avoid urine. For everything it theoretically repels it will attract something else.
They can give you options and recommend a company to give you a free estimate and some ideas.
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