Holes re dug by skunk

[dudes2112]

Had a rather bizaar experience I thought I'd pass along...

Went up to a fishing camp in Canada for a week and had permission to detect around our cabin. Pulled a couple plugs and neatly replaced them, couldn't even tell I was there.

The next morning I see one of the plugs laying about 3 feet from a hole that has been dug in and there is dirt all over the place. I tried to sweep as much dirt as possible back into the hole and put the plug back in place. I didn't give it much thought, figured someone that was with me was playing a trick or something.

The next morning roles around and there are 7 plugs out of the holes! That evening, while coming back around 9:30 PM, just before the mosquitoes killed us, we saw a skunk digging on one of my holes.

Couple theories:

Skunks eat grubs, maybe I smell like a big grub!
or
I may have had a fish smell on my hands from being out earlier in the day and the skunk could smell that??

Never seen anything like it before!!

Dudes

 

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[rusty nails]

i use to trap coons , rats & possums - theres a set that called the dirt hole set - you dig a hole put bait in it than put the trap in front of it - i had a trapping partner who caught more skunks than anybody - believe me - and just as a sideliner tomatoe juice and it takes allot to soak a winter coat - does nothing to mask the stench of a skunks direct hit - LEFTY EX TRAPPER - Dirt hole sets r mainly used for fox - did you ever notice when you dig up something in your yard - say planting flowers or a tree - as soon as you r done and away from it - the neighbors cats r over there checking it out - scratching at it - rolling on it - wizzing on it - same thing - LBP

 

[Harley digs it]

skunks also have excellent sense of smell and hey why not dig a grub that u unearthed for him, u already did the hard part hehe.

 

[bk]

Thats what ya call getting skunked!

 

[FLauthor]

I hunted a park one day and some old biddy started to razz me for all the holes that were dug. I politely informed the old bag :P that those were ARMADILLO holes and not mine as I filled mine in so no one ever noticed. I sure wasn't go to fill that critters holes as there were hundred.

Harry

 

[surfrat96]

Thats what ya call getting skunked!

LOL!

 

[rusty nails]

i had a guy that let me hunt his yard - he actually told me to - i didnt ask - i filled every hole and did not did holes u could fit a body in - he told me i tore up his yard and pointed to all this damage - guess what i never dug there - it was the damn squirrells burrying their nuts ! or whatever the heck the skunks and them do !
i see holes in the park that bum me out because i know the squirrells (sp) did it -
probably one old biddy away complaining (that gives$ to the park) and we are outta there !!! i dig big holes - i replace them immaculately - i am a pro - at digging and filling holes ! that way u dont cut the roots.

 

[dudes2112]

Never noticed the cat thing! They can take their wizzing somewhere else!!

Dudes

 

[Monty]

My stupid dog (or very smart dog) that ran away would always find where I had been digging and dig about a six inch hole on top of it. He kept digging up my coin garden! I would think it is some kind of animal instinct or survival thing? JIM

 

[GarrettDealer]

Had a rather bizaar experience I thought I'd pass along...

Went up to a fishing camp in Canada for a week and had permission to detect around our cabin.? Pulled a couple plugs and neatly replaced them, couldn't even tell I was there.

The next morning I see one of the plugs laying about 3 feet from a hole that has been dug in and there is dirt all over the place.? I tried to sweep as much dirt as possible back into the hole and put the plug back in place.? I didn't give it much thought, figured someone that was with me was playing a trick or something.

The next morning roles around and there are 7 plugs out of the holes!? That evening, while coming back around 9:30 PM, just before the mosquitoes killed us, we saw a skunk digging on one of my holes.

Couple theories:



Skunks eat grubs, maybe I smell like a big grub!
or
I may have had a fish smell on my hands from being out earlier in the day and the skunk could smell that??

Never seen anything like it before!!

Dudes

 

[rvbvetter]

Y that little stinker!!

Around here sometimes you'll see a 1 foot section of lawn here and there peeled back from raccoons. There pretty neat about it though, because it looks like sod you roll out to start a new lawn. And it's usually attached at one end, so you just lay it back down and it keeps growing. HH

 

[wmas1960]

Just found this and am going to read the rest of the replies.? Off the top of my head, I recall it explained that some animals, often squirrels, will smell the fresh dug earth.? They think that another squirrel or animal burried some nuts or something and pull the flaps, sod, plugs... out,? looking for food.? ?I would assume, as you mention, skunks might think the same thing.? Going by scent of the earth, they might think there are grubs down there.? If it is skunks.? Raccoons would certainly have the dexterity to pull a plug out also.? ?Also trying to find food.? ?

I hear of this from time to time. Might be interesting to do some tests or research into, if there is something one can do to mask or eliminate the smells that the earth has been freshly turned. Sounds from reading the rest of the thread that there are lots of animals that are capable of pulling your plugs out. From Dogs and Cats, marking terratory or looking for a fresly burried bone, to squirrels thinking that you just burried a nut.

Maybe the urine or scent from another animal sprinkled over your plugs?


But then, that could backfire. A neighbor of our had new bushes put in their back yard. The deer came in and ate the bushes. Their Nursery put in new bushes and told them to spray Coyote urine on the bushes. It worked. kept the deer away. A couple days later, the homowner looked out in the yard to find a bunch of Coyotes hanging around.

 

[dudes2112]

I've heard of the various types of urine being used to keep certain types of animals away. My dad has a chipmunk problem and the garden center guys said to get fox urine to keep them away. Seems to be working so far.

Dudes

 

[leadsman]

How do they collect fox and coyote urine, exactly? That is an impressive job title!

 

[jeff of pa]

How do they collect fox and coyote urine, exactly? That is an impressive job title!

You gotta be able to run fast, while in a stooped over position, and your arm outstretched
with a glass in it.

 

[dudes2112]

That profession does beg a bit of investigating! Although at the prices they charge for that stuff, I may be looking into a possiblt career change!!

Dudes

 

[rusty nails]

they collect the urine by having the foxes caged up high and use trouphs (sp) with funnels going into collecting bottles - they than process it by screening it - old fox urine in a bottle is nastly stuff -
i trapped allot back in the early 80s and kept all my stuff in a wood cabinet in my moms/dads garage -
they sold their house 2 years ago - guess what that cabinet still smelled like fox piss when we threw it out - PEEEEEEEEU - no pun intended - ID RATHER METAL DETECT !

 

[rvbvetter]

I wonder. If you spill that stuff on you, do you have to watch out for romantic foxes? HH

 

[dudes2112]

You guys ever see that video of the guy who put buck lure on himself and then got attacked by a buck that kept trying to kick the crap out of him?

Dudes

 

[rvbvetter]

Yeah!! It was great!! I rooted for the deer. Afterwards the guy looked dumb founded.
Like, why did it do that? Wasn't surprised though. Putting that on doesn't require intelect. HH