Expert: Jonathan Wright - 10/22/2004

Question
We have a skunk living under our deck.  How do we get rid of him

Answer
Dear Emile

Thanks for your question. I have looked up various web sites, using 'skunk pest' in Google. I have given you some suggestions, but I have tried to avoid using trade names, although I have given you details of relevant websites. I have tried to avoid repetition, but as one of the sites gave a list of ideas, I decided to include all of them.

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wihort/pests/Skunks.htm details various methods of pest control. You can screen the area with 2 inch wire mesh. Do not screen the entrance until after the skunk has gone. Sprinkle sand or flour near the entrance and look for tracks after dusk. When you are sure the skunk has left, tightly seal the opening and extend the barrier several inches below the ground to prevent the skunk from digging under it.

When necessary, you can trap and remove the skunk. Getting a skunk into a trap is fairly easy. Bait a live trap with fish, fish-flavoured cat food, chicken parts, bacon, peanut butter on bread or Trappers Choice skunk paste. Traps should be 9x9x24 inches or smaller. One site recommends a raccoon trap, costing about $60. Smaller traps are less expensive and reduce the chance of spraying. Wrapping the trap with a tarp, burlap, heavy plastic, sheet metal or canvas covering may entice the skunk to enter the trap. A trap cover will protect trapped animals and will help prevent you being sprayed by the skunk; this is especially important if you use a wire trap. If you wish to remove or dispose of a skunk, please contract with a licensed wildlife control company, as this may do the removal for you. Many states prohibit you from relocating the animal, and require that you kill it once you have trapped it. Relocation of wildlife usually requires permission from Fish and Wildlife authorities. Other areas offer some protection of skunks, but they may waive this if the animal is causing you problems on your own property. The skunk should be removed at least 15 miles away.

There are no chemicals registered to control skunks. If you control insect prey, you may eliminate the skunk's digging problem. http://www.pestproducts.com/skunks.htm says that smell repellents such as moth balls or Rid-A-Critter act as skunk deterrents, but rarely work if a skunk has established itself in a territory. If skunks are feeding on food growing on your property or raiding your garbage bins, you can apply Ropel directly to any object the skunks like to smell or taste.  Repeat applications might be necessary to discourage stubborn animals.  Combine Ropel with Rid-A-Critter for multiple animals or stubborn problems with wildlife.

http://www.buginfo.com/furryguys/skunks1.cfm gives advice about how to deter skunks from visiting your home.
1.   Keep pet food indoors and do not leave any food outside. If there is access to pet food in the garage through a doggie door, close the door at night or remove the food.
2.   Cover trash containers and secure the lids, so they do not fall off if the container tips over.
3.   Don't leave plastic trash bags outside. Use metal garbage cans; skunks can chew through plastic containers.
4.   Change automatic sprinkler settings regularly.
5.   Eliminate garbage, debris, lumber piles and other places that skunks can hide in or under.
6.   Check fencing and eliminate access points into the yard. Seal the house by ensuring all vent screens are in place and in good condition make sure the access opening is closed securely. Ensure you make repairs after the skunks have left the enclosed area.
7.   Clear dense vegetation and thin out the lower 18 inches of landscaping shrubbery. Pick all ripe fruits and vegetables as soon as they are ripe and clean up fallen fruits or unwanted vegetables quickly.
8.   Remove large piles of unwanted debris or lumber, and store lumber or firewood at least 18 inches above the ground.
9.   Exclude entry to areas below decking, porches, or outside sheds using hardware cloth or chicken wire fencing. Place the wire into the soil at least 8 inches deep and 10 inches laterally below the soil, extending away from the structure.
10.   Mothball scattering and ammonia-soaked cloths serve as a temporary repellent, but may encourage skunks to leave an area like the crawl space. Bright lighting will also chase them from dens.
11.   Life-like owl figures (scare crows) are sometimes effective. Ultrasonic repelling devices are of little value. They annoy the skunk initially, but animals will quickly become accustomed to a new sound that does not harm them, and begin to ignore it.
12.   Install motion-sensitive spotlights in garden areas, as the sudden bright light alarms the animals.
13.   Eliminate turf pest insects such as white grubs, to reduce the food supply available to the skunk on your property.
http://www.critter-repellent.com/skunk/skunk-repellant.php is an advertising site for skunk repellent.

http://www.bugspray.com/articles99/skunk.html gives more details about skunk control. It goes into great details about chemicals to eliminate insect prey or for deterring skunks from visiting your property. It also gives details of ways to eliminate the smell of skunk spray. You can contact the company on 770.985.9388. I have incorporated the information about traps into the appropriate section.

If you see a skunk walking around in the daytime, particularly if its behaviour seems to be erratic, if it is acting unusually tame or unusually aggressive, or just wandering aimlessly, you must leave it alone and contact animal control authorities. This behaviour is symptomatic of an animal infected with rabies. Do not go near the animal and avoid your pets getting near it.


I hope this helps you with your skunk problem.

All the best

Jonathan