Anybody have good ideas on how to get rid of skunks?

[CreakyDigger]

So we have an old 3-stall garage that is impossible to seal up tightly. It has standard garage stuff plus we keep packing materials for the business in it (pallets of boxes, packing peanuts, &c). Outside, against one wall, is our firewood, a couple of full cords stacked. This winter, for the first time, we have skunk essence emanating from the garage, any time we open it. We used to have problems with squirrels but we were able to close up the problems on the backside foundation where those were coming in. The skunks I think come in from the front - the garage has shifted over the years and now the three tracked garage doors do not evenly touch the ground, but are cocked with enough space on one side of them for critters to go in.

I live within town limits that would prohibit the use of firearms as a cure.

Any ideas?

 

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[Thomfitz]

So we have an old 3-stall garage that is impossible to seal up tightly. It has standard garage stuff plus we keep packing materials for the business in it (pallets of boxes, packing peanuts, &c). Outside, against one wall, is our firewood, a couple of full cords stacked. This winter, for the first time, we have skunk essence emanating from the garage, any time we open it. We used to have problems with squirrels but we were able to close up the problems on the backside foundation where those were coming in. The skunks I think come in from the front - the garage has shifted over the years and now the three tracked garage doors do not evenly touch the ground, but are cocked with enough space on one side of them for critters to go in.

I live within town limits that would prohibit the use of firearms as a cure.

Any ideas?

Pour ammonia liquid concentrate around the foundation. May take a few applications, but feel it will work.

 

[traveller777]

So we have an old 3-stall garage that is impossible to seal up tightly. It has standard garage stuff plus we keep packing materials for the business in it (pallets of boxes, packing peanuts, &c). Outside, against one wall, is our firewood, a couple of full cords stacked. This winter, for the first time, we have skunk essence emanating from the garage, any time we open it. We used to have problems with squirrels but we were able to close up the problems on the backside foundation where those were coming in. The skunks I think come in from the front - the garage has shifted over the years and now the three tracked garage doors do not evenly touch the ground, but are cocked with enough space on one side of them for critters to go in.

I live within town limits that would prohibit the use of firearms as a cure.

Any ideas?

A bright light or motion sensor light will likely scare them away. I think they dislike citrus smell. Moth balls may even work. I think stores like Lowes or Home Depot sell stuff to rid them. Good luck. If Elly Mae Clampit was still around, she would come catch it for you.

 

[CreakyDigger]

Pour ammonia liquid concentrate around the foundation. May take a few applications, but feel it will work.

Thanks, will give it a try, and welcome to TNet.

 

[CreakyDigger]

A bright light or motion sensor light will likely scare them away. I think they dislike citrus smell. Moth balls may even work. I think stores like Lowes or Home Depot sell stuff to rid them. Good luck. If Elly Mae Clampit was still around, she would come catch it for you.

If she was still around I'd be happy to watch!

 

[traveller777]

Thanks, will give it a try, and welcome to TNet.

yes or moth balls

 

[CreakyDigger]

I'm going to go run an electric cord out and hook up a radio...see if that does anything.

 

[traveller777]

I'm going to go run an electric cord out and hook up a radio...see if that does anything.

Put Biden speeches on a loop and the skunk will commit suicide.

 

[pepperj]

I can't say it will or won't help, but a neighbour used a repellent similar to this for coons getting in the fishing boat. It seemed to work pretty good.

 

[CreakyDigger]

Put Biden speeches on a loop and the skunk will commit suicide.

I put on pop country, almost as bad.

 

[traveller777]

I put on pop country, almost as bad.

True that

 

[pepperj]

Put Biden speeches on a loop and the skunk will commit suicide.

I have tried the radio gig at the barn. So we have it tuned into the CBC for the chickens.
The amount of $hit that's produced daily is amazing-and I'm not talking about from comes out of the chickens.
Though I was told I'd probably get a visit from PETA for subjecting the hens to such content.

 

[bowwinkles]

Vote Republican

 

[pepperj]

I put on pop country, almost as bad.

Animals do react differently to some music-C&W would drive them to drink.

 

[traveller777]

Animals do react differently to some music-C&W would drive them to drink.

That is true. Little known fact is many wild animals had their mother ran over by a train while waiting on their brother at the station coming home from prison to pick up his old truck.

 

[Sport181]

So we have an old 3-stall garage that is impossible to seal up tightly. It has standard garage stuff plus we keep packing materials for the business in it (pallets of boxes, packing peanuts, &c). Outside, against one wall, is our firewood, a couple of full cords stacked. This winter, for the first time, we have skunk essence emanating from the garage, any time we open it. We used to have problems with squirrels but we were able to close up the problems on the backside foundation where those were coming in. The skunks I think come in from the front - the garage has shifted over the years and now the three tracked garage doors do not evenly touch the ground, but are cocked with enough space on one side of them for critters to go in.

I live within town limits that would prohibit the use of firearms as a cure.

Any ideas?

Get a live trap for skunks. They can't raise their tail to piss when they get in them. Once you get them trapped take them out to a wooded area and release them, carefully! They are beneficial animals, no need to kill them. Good luck.

 

[CreakyDigger]

Get a live trap for skunks. They can't raise their tail to piss when they get in them. Once you get them trapped take them out to a wooded area and release them, carefully! They are beneficial animals, no need to kill them. Good luck.

I will keep that as a last option...I'd rather not be handling them if possible.

The only time I've ever killed a couple is when they ended up in my traps when I was a wee lad. We even foolishly tried to save their pelts. One was a success, the other not so much.

 

[Sport181]

I will keep that as a last option...I'd rather not be handling them if possible.

The only time I've ever killed a couple is when they ended up in my traps when I was a wee lad. We even foolishly tried to save their pelts. One was a success, the other not so much.

No handling (touching) involved, except the trap itself. I had a friend, they called him "the critter gitter", even advertised that logo on his truck, that did that on the side, might be one around where you live that could help you out?

 

[metrotec]

Moth balls work for a short term.
As a teenager we caught skunks at night in chicken houses, we gathered eggs. They cannot spray unless their feet are on the ground. I would put a flash light on one while he/she was walking along edge of concrete block inside chicken house.( skunks eat chickens, usually ones with the limber-neck) When they would drop tail to walk, pick them up , they cannot push with front legs to spray. Put them in toe-sack, take them to vet and pay $15 to have them descented, sell them for $30. That was in 1963, bought a 39' Chevy for $75 that summer.
Got a mom and 5 kits that summer. Paycheck put me over the top.
Be careful, they carry lock-jaw, sometimes rabies.
Laws were lax back then as far as having wild animals. I had,; coons, flying squirrels, crows, skunks, turtles and farm animals. Life was GREAT back then.

 

[CreakyDigger]

Moth balls work for a short term.
As a teenager we caught skunks at night in chicken houses, we gathered eggs. They cannot spray unless their feet are on the ground. I would put a flash light on one while he/she was walking along edge of concrete block inside chicken house.( skunks eat chickens, usually ones with the limber-neck) When they would drop tail to walk, pick them up , they cannot push with front legs to spray. Put them in toe-sack, take them to vet and pay $15 to have them descented, sell them for $30. That was in 1963, bought a 39' Chevy for $75 that summer.
Got a mom and 5 kits that summer. Paycheck put me over the top.
Be careful, they carry lock-jaw, sometimes rabies.
Laws were lax back then as far as having wild animals. I had,; coons, flying squirrels, crows, skunks, turtles and farm animals. Life was GREAT back then.

Yes and 30 bucks was a lot of money.