SKUNK!!!!

centralmainehunters · April 3, 2014, 06:31 PM

So fun story, I shot rather large skunk at 430 am Tuesday morning with my air rifle. Shot was about 30 yards and was in the head. It went down and flopped a bit, then started to stagger (not the usual skunk waddle) and went behind the debris pile. It traveled about 5 ft and I was able to get 2 more shots off into the chest. Assuming he was done in I went to work. Came home at 930 am to get ready for a 2 day business trip, checked out where I shot him, there was some blood and a smudge where it went under the pile. I assumed he was done and went on my trip. Got home last night around midnight, got up a 430 to go to work and let the dog out and he came back doing the tell tale lip licking. Another damn skunk sprayed him! So I put some more food out at my bait pile and will be waiting this am!

Any recommendations to keep the bugger from spraying when I shoot again? Got lucky the first time, but my house is finally smelling better and the dog is too!
Also, I have a .22 and scoped .17hmr, but prefer the air 1000fps air rifle if possible because its 4:00 am and in a residential area in town.

Wyosmith · April 3, 2014, 07:03 PM

I have found that CB Caps in a 22 RF are better for killing skunks than my best air rifle. And just as quiet.

centralmainehunters · April 3, 2014, 07:25 PM

what are cb caps?

Mobuck · April 3, 2014, 07:50 PM

"cb caps" --- sort of a generic description of 22 ammo loaded with light weight bullets propelled by the primer only. I've used Aguila "colibri/super colibri" ammo on the trapline. It is barely powerful enough to punch through a coon skull.
Regarding how to shoot a skunk w/o having it spray: I don't know. I've shot them every possible way and targeted the brain, heart, spine, all over(shotgun), and they always spray. Last year I didn't catch any on the trapline but I've already caught two out of my barn this spring besides a couple just bopping along in the field.

Art Eatman · April 3, 2014, 08:00 PM

Scatter mothballs here and there around the house and yard. The camphor smell dissuades all manner of small critters. The mothballs evaporate, so replacement is needed every month or so.

Panfisher · April 4, 2014, 07:46 AM

I used to remove them from campgrounds and always used CB .22 ammo in a long barreled rifle, very litle noise, one shot right behind the front shoulder (like a lung shot on deer), then go away for a while, when you come back they will be dead with air/blood bubbling out of the bullet hole. Never had one of them spray, ones shot in the head or worse with a shotgun around home always seemed to spray.

Sea Buck · April 5, 2014, 03:37 PM

Fun skunk story: My daughter remove one from a large pickle jar last year!! Wearing a tybex suit, rubber gloves and full head/eyes covering! It's on You Tube somewhere. Yes it sprayed..the old adage about lifting a skunk by it's tail is wrong. The animal was not aggressive, but gave her a squirt in thank you anyway! They had a unloaded .22 on the scene, but they were laughing so hard it could never have been used.

Art Eatman · April 5, 2014, 05:58 PM

A buddy of mine from Austin was visiting me in Terlingua. One night he was sitting on the porch, peacefully staring at the stars. The chair was next to a 50-pound bag of corn. He let his left arm hang down--and felt fur.

He looked down to see what sort of critter was there. Oops! Black, with white strioes. He carefully raised his arm, very slowly.

Needless to say, he sat vewy, vewy still!

As is typical, the skunk leisurely wended his way thatwardly, doing little skunky things as they are wont to do.

mquail · April 5, 2014, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Scatter mothballs here and there around the house and yard. The camphor smell dissuades all manner of small critters. The mothballs evaporate, so replacement is needed every month or so.

When I was a student in the Ag Dept. at OSU we lived on a small acreage. Skunks moved in under one of the barns close to the house. At the time I worked 2 part time jobs and went to school full time and didn't want to saddle my wife with the odor nor the chore of dealing with one so I scattered mothballs. The skunk/s left in a hurry and the air was clear.

After school we moved here. One evening I was out closing up everything and noticed something had been digging under one of the barns. So I got the bright idea to get a flashlight and look into the hole. I'm on my hands and knees peering into the hole when I "felt" something next to me. Upon looking to the right the resident of the hole was inches from my head peering into the hole just as calm and curious as you could ask for. I didn't give that skunk a chance to introduce himself nor thank me for lighting up his doorway cause I was gone.

Panfisher · April 6, 2014, 04:19 PM

Its amazing how calm skunks can be until you get excited. I happen to loathe the smell of mothballs, think I would rather have the skunk smell around.

Sea Buck · April 6, 2014, 05:01 PM

Amazing how docile they are unless threatened. My grandmother was a first grade teacher and had one as a pet. She would take it ("Flower") to school for a show and tell day! Just like a cat. Never sprayed but she had her "fixed" after a while just in case. When I was a boy I used to sleep on the porch of our camp. A skunk would show up and curl up under my bunk several times a week. He would follow me when I had to wiz off the porch, or to the outhouse for an early morning call. The camp pet, we left him table scraps until he doused a hungry coon!!

Art Eatman · April 6, 2014, 08:04 PM

Back when Hondo Crouch owned Luckenbach, my first wife and I wandered up for beer and visitation. Hondo was wandering around with a half-grown pet skunk. My resident animal-freak wanted to hold the skunk. Hondo explained that Stinky had not been de-natured. No problem.

So, with his nose sorta tucked into her folded elbow, they ambled around the "town".

Naturally, guys wanted to hit on a good-looking gal, so they'd come up with the beginnings of a line of talk. They tended to practice walking backward when she'd introduce them to her furry friend, with the heavy artillery pointed at them.

April 3, 2014, 06:31 PM	#1
centralmainehunters Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Posts: 27	SKUNK!!!! So fun story, I shot rather large skunk at 430 am Tuesday morning with my air rifle. Shot was about 30 yards and was in the head. It went down and flopped a bit, then started to stagger (not the usual skunk waddle) and went behind the debris pile. It traveled about 5 ft and I was able to get 2 more shots off into the chest. Assuming he was done in I went to work. Came home at 930 am to get ready for a 2 day business trip, checked out where I shot him, there was some blood and a smudge where it went under the pile. I assumed he was done and went on my trip. Got home last night around midnight, got up a 430 to go to work and let the dog out and he came back doing the tell tale lip licking. Another damn skunk sprayed him! So I put some more food out at my bait pile and will be waiting this am! Any recommendations to keep the bugger from spraying when I shoot again? Got lucky the first time, but my house is finally smelling better and the dog is too! Also, I have a .22 and scoped .17hmr, but prefer the air 1000fps air rifle if possible because its 4:00 am and in a residential area in town.

April 3, 2014, 07:03 PM	#2
Wyosmith Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2010 Location: Shoshoni Wyoming Posts: 2,713	I have found that CB Caps in a 22 RF are better for killing skunks than my best air rifle. And just as quiet.

April 3, 2014, 07:25 PM	#3
centralmainehunters Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Posts: 27	what are cb caps?

April 3, 2014, 07:50 PM	#4
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	"cb caps" --- sort of a generic description of 22 ammo loaded with light weight bullets propelled by the primer only. I've used Aguila "colibri/super colibri" ammo on the trapline. It is barely powerful enough to punch through a coon skull. Regarding how to shoot a skunk w/o having it spray: I don't know. I've shot them every possible way and targeted the brain, heart, spine, all over(shotgun), and they always spray. Last year I didn't catch any on the trapline but I've already caught two out of my barn this spring besides a couple just bopping along in the field.

April 3, 2014, 08:00 PM	#5
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Scatter mothballs here and there around the house and yard. The camphor smell dissuades all manner of small critters. The mothballs evaporate, so replacement is needed every month or so.

April 4, 2014, 07:46 AM	#6
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,337	I used to remove them from campgrounds and always used CB .22 ammo in a long barreled rifle, very litle noise, one shot right behind the front shoulder (like a lung shot on deer), then go away for a while, when you come back they will be dead with air/blood bubbling out of the bullet hole. Never had one of them spray, ones shot in the head or worse with a shotgun around home always seemed to spray.

April 5, 2014, 03:37 PM	#7
Sea Buck Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: New England,Florida Snow Bird Posts: 312	Fun skunk story: My daughter remove one from a large pickle jar last year!! Wearing a tybex suit, rubber gloves and full head/eyes covering! It's on You Tube somewhere. Yes it sprayed..the old adage about lifting a skunk by it's tail is wrong. The animal was not aggressive, but gave her a squirt in thank you anyway! They had a unloaded .22 on the scene, but they were laughing so hard it could never have been used.

April 5, 2014, 05:58 PM	#8
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	A buddy of mine from Austin was visiting me in Terlingua. One night he was sitting on the porch, peacefully staring at the stars. The chair was next to a 50-pound bag of corn. He let his left arm hang down--and felt fur. He looked down to see what sort of critter was there. Oops! Black, with white strioes. He carefully raised his arm, very slowly. Needless to say, he sat vewy, vewy still! As is typical, the skunk leisurely wended his way thatwardly, doing little skunky things as they are wont to do.

April 6, 2014, 04:19 PM	#10
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,337	Its amazing how calm skunks can be until you get excited. I happen to loathe the smell of mothballs, think I would rather have the skunk smell around.

April 6, 2014, 05:01 PM	#11
Sea Buck Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: New England,Florida Snow Bird Posts: 312	Amazing how docile they are unless threatened. My grandmother was a first grade teacher and had one as a pet. She would take it ("Flower") to school for a show and tell day! Just like a cat. Never sprayed but she had her "fixed" after a while just in case. When I was a boy I used to sleep on the porch of our camp. A skunk would show up and curl up under my bunk several times a week. He would follow me when I had to wiz off the porch, or to the outhouse for an early morning call. The camp pet, we left him table scraps until he doused a hungry coon!!

April 6, 2014, 08:04 PM	#12
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Back when Hondo Crouch owned Luckenbach, my first wife and I wandered up for beer and visitation. Hondo was wandering around with a half-grown pet skunk. My resident animal-freak wanted to hold the skunk. Hondo explained that Stinky had not been de-natured. No problem. So, with his nose sorta tucked into her folded elbow, they ambled around the "town". Naturally, guys wanted to hit on a good-looking gal, so they'd come up with the beginnings of a line of talk. They tended to practice walking backward when she'd introduce them to her furry friend, with the heavy artillery pointed at them.