I've got critter issues and need help

[billyboyr6]

I'm out in the country and found a skunk coming and going as it pleases in and out from under my house. I watched it go in there one morning, so I left the rifle by the door for quick access to eliminate the problem it the next encounter. Well about a week later I was sitting on the porch having a drink and sure enough there it was climbing out from under the house. Once I was far enough away for me to move without spooking it, I went for the .22.

Problem eliminated right? I thought so. Well turns out it was a she and she had 3 babies under there too. The day after I shot momma, I come home to SUPRISINGLY find three baby skunks roaming around right where momma was getting in and out. And I didn't see them until it was too late. Once I saw them they also seen me. Being babies, they don't really spray, but they went back under the house and I want them out without any more skunk's air fressioner being let go.

How do I get them out? I have cat food outside the hole and a poison drink there for them, that once they have a drink, they never make it 2 steps away from and fall over dead. Any other ideas? They are in the crawl space but I'm not going in there to try to flush them out. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[mrjarrell]

The poison may not be a good idea, especially if you or your neighbours have pets. I'd suggest a live trap and relocation. Just head over to Lowes or somewhere and pick one up. Then set near the entrance and bait it. Since they're young you might get them pretty easily.

 

[45fan]

That sucks. Have you tried calling the local animal control? Ordinarily, I would try trapping them, and taking the offending animal somewhere it wouldnt be a problem, but in this case, I think I would call in the professionals, if for no other reason to avoid the tomato juice bath that is sure to accompany just about any method of getting rid of the problem.

 

[billyboyr6]

The poison may not be a good idea, especially if you or your neighbours have pets. I'd suggest a live trap and relocation. Just head over to Lowes or somewhere and pick one up. Then set near the entrance and bait it. Since they're young you might get them pretty easily.

I only have one neighbor and they are 1/4 mile away and have no pets. My dog keeps pretty much all animals away. But he's on a cable out back and cannot get up front to poison.

 

[mrjarrell]

I only have one neighbor and they are 1/4 mile away and have no pets. My dog keeps pretty much all animals away. But he's on a cable out back and cannot get up front to poison.

Do bear in mind that, when poisoned they are likely to wander back into the crawlspace. Then you'll have a dead, stinking problem on your hands. And you'll have to go under and drag it out.

 

[CombatVet]

Hobenaro/Jalapeno/Hotpeppers. Dice them up, put them in water, spray under your house. It's like pepper spray, but much nicer. I use this to keep cats out from under my house. Poisoning animals isn't the way I'd ever go. It's inhumane. Make it a quick kill if you're going to kill them, no need to make them suffer.

 

[! twitty]

They say that skunks wont spray when they are trapped, as the spray can kill them if they can't move away from it. Also, they say to walk a tarp up and cover them if you are afraid the might still spray.

 

[trophyhunter]

Moth balls and a few empty soda bottles. Poke holes in the plastic bottles and put some moth balls in them and the gas the bottles give off will eliminate any pest in any general area you dont want it to be in. They will break camp and go elsewhere.
Beats live trapping toothy pests as well, you dont have to deal with them.

 

[kickbacked]

toss in some smoke bombs and smoke them out, then be waiting on the 50 cal.

 

[jeep911]

i did some trappin in the winter for a guy who had a coon/yote issue around his place in carmel, he didnt have an issue after about 5 weeks of trappin. but those skunks can be mean. ive had 3 try to attack me when i was huntin in KY...10/22 fixed that real quick

 

[billyboyr6]

Smoke bombs ehh? Where could a guy buy some smoke bombs that don't have a flame to catch floor joist on fire?

 

[Rookie]

4th of July smoke bombs, the little round balls. They won't put off enough flame to catch anything on fire.

 

[AGarbers]

Yes, trapped skunks do spray. Just warning you.

 

[snapping turtle]

Yes, trapped skunks do spray. Just warning you.

+1
If you can get the neck shot right on the back of the head you keep them from spraying. Otherwise a trash bag and haul it away,

In a live trap the tarp and then submerge trap in water keeps the smell down.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I'm out in the country and found a skunk coming and going as it pleases in and out from under my house. I watched it go in there one morning, so I left the rifle by the door for quick access to eliminate the problem it the next encounter. Well about a week later I was sitting on the porch having a drink and sure enough there it was climbing out from under the house. Once I was far enough away for me to move without spooking it, I went for the .22.

Problem eliminated right? I thought so. Well turns out it was a she and she had 3 babies under there too. The day after I shot momma, I come home to SUPRISINGLY find three baby skunks roaming around right where momma was getting in and out. And I didn't see them until it was too late. Once I saw them they also seen me. Being babies, they don't really spray, but they went back under the house and I want them out without any more skunk's air fressioner being let go.

How do I get them out? I have cat food outside the hole and a poison drink there for them, that once they have a drink, they never make it 2 steps away from and fall over dead. Any other ideas? They are in the crawl space but I'm not going in there to try to flush them out. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Three live traps outside baited with cat food. Throw a blanket over the trap before you leave it so you can just drop the flap down over the door once they are trapped under there.

You need a tub of water deep enough to drown them in once they are in the trap.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Smoke bombs ehh? Where could a guy buy some smoke bombs that don't have a flame to catch floor joist on fire?

Smoke bombs inside or under a house is dumb idea.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I only have one neighbor and they are 1/4 mile away and have no pets. My dog keeps pretty much all animals away. But he's on a cable out back and cannot get up front to poison.

He'll be keeping animals away from as far as his chain reaches at best. You are only fooling yourself if you believe that.

 

[billyboyr6]

He'll be keeping animals away from as far as his chain reaches at best. You are only fooling yourself if you believe that.

It's not that I believe that he will keep them away, it's just since he's been out there, nothing has gotten into trash nor have we seen anything out there.

 

[Yeah]

Yes, trapped skunks do spray. Just warning you.

100% first hand confirm this.

Also, all that 'shoot them in the head/chest/face' and they won't spray: no. They might not as soon as you kill them but they will when you pick them up or otherwise try to move their corpse. Sometime they wait until they are in the back of your truck, so they can ruin it.

The only time they won't spray is when you catch them in a box trap low enough to prevent them from raising their tails.

I'd go with the moth ball idea, or the pepper spray. Either will drive them out.

 

[blackoak]

They say that skunks wont spray when they are trapped, as the spray can kill them if they can't move away from it. Also, they say to walk a tarp up and cover them if you are afraid the might still spray.

Well, they say is wrong, I have caught countless numbers of skunks that sprayed while in a trap[