Skunk removal (houses, water, chickens, homes)

[cleobarker]

I believe there's at least one skunk living under my shed. I need to access this shed frequently. To date there have been no sightings or sprayings, just a persistant smell of general skunkiness in and around the shed.

I don't want to trap the skunk(s) as I think I'll probably definately get sprayed when I try to move the trap plus I am NOT putting the skunk filled trap in my car to relocate it. I don't want to shoot the skunk as it's got a right to live it's own life. I just want to encourage it to find another place to live.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Cape Cod Todd]

We had a strong skunky smell comign from around a addition on our house that is on sona tubes and it turned out to be possums. I borrowed a have a hart trap and caught 2 babies and mom over 3 nights. I'm so glad it wasn't a skunk but those possums were nasty looking and smelled. I read somewhere about catching skunks that they use low traps that won't allow the skunk to lift its tail to spray. If you don't have a skunk trap take a old blanket and soak it in water and place it over the regular trap then at least the skunk won't spray you when you go to move the trap.
Call a friend with a pickup truck or call a pro to get that critter outa there. Good luck

[RyanR]

There's a ton of approaches. Here's an easy one.

Using chalk or flower or something similar, spread it around the perimeter of your shed. Daily, check the powder for it being disturbed going under or out of your shed. Once you know where they're going in and out, wait until night (since skunks are primarily nocturnal and hopefully won't be under the shed at the time) then block their entrance. Voila! It should then move on.

[factoryrat]

My wife and I were looking at houses in AZ about a month ago. One house smelled strongly of skunk outside but when we tried to go in the smell was too overpowering. The skunk(s) was under the house! Now there are people with a problem.
My dad (in MI) used to trap them all the time and he never got sprayed. Put a lot of food in the live trap and they get fat & soggy, sort of sedated and just sit there.

[High_Plains_Retired]

If you can stand the smell of moth balls until they evaporate, throw a few balls under the shed. It works on the skunks here in west Texas. They leave fairly quickly.

I had one skunk crawl under my farmhouse then die under the bedroom floor. Luckily I was still renovating the house including the flooring and was able to get to the guy through a small hole I cut in the old flooring. As I drew him through the hole and into the room, I had an open garbage bag ready but to say that little guy stunk to high heaven would be understatement.

[Cinebar]

I livetrapped a skunk once. We covered the trap with an old blanket and were able to get it into the back of my truck. We drove it down the road a few miles, away from any farms or homes and near a water source (creek), and let it go.

While no one got sprayed, my kids swore they'd never help me do that again. lol

As for 'possums - I just leave them alone. They tend to be pretty transient and I've never had one hang around here more than a few weeks. Also, I have chickens and ducks and I have never found 'possums to be the evil killers that people seem to think they are. In fact, I think they get a bum rap - blamed for killing stuff that is more likely killed by 'coons but when the 'possums, being the scavengers that they are, are seen cleaning up the kill, it is assumed they were the culprit.

But, if your problem is 'possums, you can livetrap and move them really easily.

[brokencrayola]

Maybe combine what 2 people here have suggested. 1. Spread flour around the shed and then look to see where the skunk is going in and out from. Then wait until awhile after it is dark (so the skunk won't be home) and drop some mothballs in where it sleeps.