Skunk deterrent?

[Mesophilic]

Anyone got any good ideas on skunk deterrent?

The previous owner of our house put down alot of mulch.  The mulch is inundated with grubs, and a half dozen or more skunks come and rip up everything each night.  I sprayed some nematodes to get the grubs under control,  don't want to use chemicals cause next spring I'm growing veggies and I really don't want poison in the soil if I can avoid it.  The nematodes will take time to do their jobs.

In the meantime these adorable stinky buggers think they own the place.  I sprinkle powdered habanero around the herbs I'm growing and that seems to stop the digging in the region, but the stuff will get too expensive to do the whole yard and the evening monsoon rains wash it away each day.

My deck overlooks the yard somewhat and the skunks seem to avoid it.  But if I need a tool from the shed I kind of feel like a prisoner after dark,  always watching my back and being careful not to do anything to startle a skunk that may be in the bushes.

I have found that squirting them with hot sauce from the elevated deck defenses makes them flee.  They are generally so put off their guard that they just run, don't even lift their tails in preparation for retaliatory chemical strike.  But they always come back later in the night.

Coyote urine pellets do nothing, as well as some of the commercial repellents. 

Our county animal control is a joke so I'm on my own. 

[Pat B]

Great horned owl. 

[osage outlaw]

We used to use a motion activated sprinkler to keep deer out of our yard.  I don't know how well it would scare a skunk.

[bjrogg]

I know they don't like a water hose. Clint's motion sprinkler might work, but it'll probably have to be set pretty sensitive. Skunks pretty small.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Their arrogant little cusses for sure.You got a family of them around???Possibly live traps and relocating them???Throw a blanket over the trap when moving to keep them calm though.
It has worked for me before but not on all occasions.....lol.

[sleek]

Arrows may be effective. Or if you are in an area where shooting isnt allowed in your yard, i have found that a high powered pellet rifle fired from inside the house works very well. Open a window or door, get back at least 3 feet, more is better,  put the cross hairs on it, and its very stealthy. The house makes a good silencer. Then just go and bury them in the woods somewhere and call it a night.

[Mesophilic]

I know they don't like a water hose. Clint's motion sprinkler might work, but it'll probably have to be set pretty sensitive. Skunks pretty small.
Bjrogg

Unfortunately the only outside hose spigot is on the front of the house.  I suppose it could work with a long enough hose,  but I think for the investment I might opt for live animal traps.

Arrows may be effective. Or if you are in an area where shooting isnt allowed in your yard, i have found that a high powered pellet rifle fired from inside the house works very well. Open a window or door, get back at least 3 feet, more is better,  put the cross hairs on it, and its very stealthy. The house makes a good silencer. Then just go and bury them in the woods somewhere and call it a night.
sleek

We are legally allowed to shoot arrows in our yards as long as the arrows don't cross the property lines at all.  Skunks are also classified as non game fur bearers by game and fish and can (along with coyote) be hunted without even buying a hunting license.  County ordinance prohibits hunting within 300 yards of buildings and roads (or thereabouts) but I havent yet been able to find out if I can shoot one with an arrow in my yard, or if I go ahead and do it anyway, if caught it is just an infraction or an actual crime.  I've thought about the pelletgun idea if it comes down to it,  but if I go that route I'll invest in a 22 cal pellet rifle with the integrated suppressor.  Been wanting one anyway.   I'd rather other options, as I've gotten older I prefer not to kill something unless I'm going to use it or there are no other rational options (like mice in the house).  It's not off the table, will just keep it as a last resort.

Their arrogant little cusses for sure.You got a family of them around???Possibly live traps and relocating them???Throw a blanket over the trap when moving to keep them calm though.
It has worked for me before but not on all occasions.....lol.
BowEd

Can they spray through the blanket?  As a kid in rural America we'd just shoot them with 22's or a shotgun.  Occasionally one would get caught in a live animal trap but Grandpa would use a long pole to just dump the whole contraption in a barrel of water.  I don't really care too much if they spray around the yard as they're already doing that,  but would rather they don't spray the bed of my truck.

[BowEd]

Aaron....I know what you mean as I've gotten rid of them a number of different ways myself in the past.Been sprayed before once too.Not very pleasant!!!Your Grandpa's way I've heard of being done too.Their spray will hang around quite a while as you know.They won't be able to spray through a tightly enough woven blanket.How about setting the live trap with bait inside a plastic 50 gallon barrel on it's side.Or covering with blanket after caught and inserting into barrel.After he's caught have a cover to go over the barrel and then with the help of someone else or possibly by yourself load the barrel inside the truck bed and relocate them.A bit of a fuss to do but it should work.Your truck should'nt get any spray on it if it occurs but just inside barrel then.
After all skunks are removed set barrel somewhere far away to air out....lol.

[bjrogg]

I know guys that put them to sleep with carbon monoxide. Usually they do this when trapping with live trap inside a machine shed. They just close doors and let a gasoline powered engine run. I've heard other guys say they put a tarp over trap and piped exhaust from their 4 wheeler under the tarp. I usually get shovel dig hole. Get shotgun blast skunk. It seems like if you shoot them in lungs they might not spray. Head shots and they always spray right as they expire. Then remove skunk from trap. Place skunk in hole and cover. Another option I've never tried but heard guy's use is a syringe pole. This takes a bit more nerve than I've been able to muster. Give em a shot of rubbing alcohol in the lungs puts them right to sleep. If also heard guy's say just leaving them in the hot sun will work but I have no experience with this and seems might be a bit cruel. When it come to skunks I've heard lots of stories. Not sure how many are true and how many are trying to get you Sprayed. I do know it takes a fair amount of agitation to make them spray. If they do you'll be able to follow your nose home for awhile. I've had old timers tell me when they were kids they'd catch them by hand. They swear if you pick them up by the tail and don't let their back feet touch anything they can't spray. Then they put them in a feed bag and drowned them. Had to be very careful putting them in bag. If they got even one foot on something they'd spray. Maybe you want to give it a try.lol
Bjrogg

[Ed Brooks]

If you use a live trap. Might I suggest placing the trap on a board or other hard surface. Last one I got in a live trap was on the ground. It had dug enough dirt and grass roots in the bottom that it was stuck to the ground. I had to pry the trap up with a 2x4. Not fun with ol stinky in there. Good luck! Ed

[Mesophilic]

The plot thickens.   I have verbal non official permission to shoot skunks on Mon between the hours of 6pm to 6am 😈

While at the archery range I met the cop who will be on duty.  He told me to just use a shotgun...in town!  I couldn't believe it.  Said a 22 LR would be fine, too.   If it comes down to it, I'll opt for an arrow as its quiet and the neighbors wont be the wiser, no point rocking any boats.  I have some mis matched arrows and broadheads that I won't miss if they come out too stinky.

[Mesophilic]

I know guys that put them to sleep with carbon monoxide. Usually they do this when trapping with live trap inside a machine shed. They just close doors and let a gasoline powered engine run. I've heard other guys say they put a tarp over trap and piped exhaust from their 4 wheeler under the tarp.
Bjrogg

When I worked for a bio lab in Cali we'd use CO2 to euthanize critters used in experiments.   Its considered an anesthetic at high doses  and very humane.  They twitch a bit but their brain is already in la la land before that happens.   I do have a couple of rechargeable cylinders for a soda pop machine, so If I can scrounge a drum and figure out the live animal trap logistics I'll give it a go.  After talking a bit to folks I'm not sure about setting them free since it may make  my problem become someone else's problem.

[Hummingbird Point]

Be careful with the idea of shooting them.  Technically a police officer can't give you permission to break the law, so if something goes wrong and the poo hits the fan you and he are both getting splattered.

Live trapping skunks while they are grubbing is difficult.  They are already getting their favorite food, so don't respond well to bait.  With skunk trapping the key is to cover the trap before you set it.  Very, very few skunks will spray without having a target to aim at.  You can walk right up to a covered trap, pick it up, load it into a truck and hit all kinds of bumps in the road and the skunk won't do a thing.  The obvious problem with live trapping is what to do with a live skunk!  In most states, relocating the animal is illegal.

If it is a small area, you may find a cheap, quickie, electric fence to be the best use of your time and money.  They are very easy to set up and you should be able to get everything for 50 bucks, which is about what a couple of live traps would cost.  The nice thing about the electric fence is that the skunks don't understand it and it trains them to avoid the area.

Good luck!

[BowEd]

Aaron...I've dinged them in the head with a .22 after transporting them in the boonies before too along with relocating them.Shooting them in your own yard will work fine too but a little more smelly for you though.It's not illegal to relocate pests here in Iowa anyway or exterminate them if they are damaging things.A permit type tag can be gotten free from the local DNR officer to get rid of pests here if they are damaging things.It's called a degradation tag.
I'd get that permission from that officer saying you can shoot in town in writing....Ha Ha.Out in the country here I pretty much just take care of it.I have gotten a free degradation tag before for rogue otters eating my fish in my pond/groundhogs digging under sheds/coons messing up the bird feeders/and possums or coons in the cat feed pan and occasional coyotes roving through.I've never hired a pest exterminator in my life.
We all get along fine here.
Good luck and it sounds like your coming to a solution anyway.

[sleek]

I really hate the idea of drowning them. I can almost feel the panic of a drowning animal just thinking about it.


Id arrow them.