Stinky Pest...

[Deitz Dittrich]

Ok, first off, I live in a fairly well developed area of Lindstrom, MN. WE(my wife and I) have a small shed that my wife keeps her gardening stuff in. Normally rabbits have dug under the shed to make home. This year my wife has been pleased because she has noticed that her plants are not as ate up this year by rabbits... We found out why. Mr.Skunk has made home under said shed.

Is there anything I can do, to get out new neighbor to pick up and move out?

[sparcebag]

Try blocking off its access at night while its out for dinner.

[slotlimit]

Bright light - Skunks are nocturnal and prefer to stay hidden, flooding an area with light can be an effective deterrent. Use flood lights in combination with motion sensors.

Automated sprinklers - Contech manufactures a device called The Scarecrow which is essentially a sprinkler attached to a motion sensor that will spray any animals that wander into your yard.

Spicy pepper solutions - Pepper sprays are reported to work well but must be reapplied every few days to remain effective.

Commercial repellents - There are many available types, people have also reported success with commercial dog and cat repellents.

Skunk barriers

The good: Skunks are horrible climbers and they can't jump very high.

The bad: Skunks can fit through openings as small as 4in and they're good diggers.

Strategy: Erect barriers around areas that skunks may find interesting in order to keep them out.

Skunks will make homes underneath houses, sheds, decks, and other above-ground structures. Seal them off as well as possible - remember that they can fit through holes as small as 4 inches. Skunks won't burrow underneath them unless they can see that there is space on the other side. Fill in holes and ditches as well.

Enclose large, open areas with a three-foot high wire mesh fencing like chicken wire and it one foot deep to keep skunks from burrowing underneath.

2. How to get rid of a skunk that's moved in

Forcing skunks out

Skunk removal isn't hard. The trick is to do most of the work while the skunk is out foraging so you don't risk getting sprayed. Sprinkle a light layer of flour, chalk, or other white powder around it's den and wait until nightfall. After dark, return and look for tracks leading away to indicate that the skunk has left in search of food and then get to work sealing up all of the entrances (barriers were covered in the previous section). If you do this right the skunk will not be able to get back in. If he does, wait until the next evening and try again.

P.S. A friend of mine used fox urine. He sprayed it around the deck and he said that worked. Their is also some stuff you can sprinkle around the shed that you find in the garden department at your local Mart

[sparcebag]

Fox urine Thats after shave,Detiz dont you own a bow? put some climbing pegs in that shed build a cammo blind up high,they dont look up,use a decoy paint lipstick on it,it could be gender confused female,if not any male is attracted to sex.It could be Peppy le pew! good luck,may your arrow fly straight,and your skinnin knife always be sharp.

[Eric Wettschreck]

If you shoot it, shoot it in the head.

I've had problems with smelly visitors from time to time in back sheds also. My way of dealing with them prolly will not work for you as you do not live out in the country like I do.

Sealing up the building it top priority. Bright flood lights inside the building work well also. Turn them on in the evening (if your little buddy is gone) and off in the morning. After about a week, and a little luck, your pal will have moved on to more comfortable areas.

Big mean farm dogs work well too, but after the eviction the dog stays outside also.

[rogrod]

The problem with sealing it off when it goes out at night is that it probably has little ones under there too. We had this problem one year and I blocked off the entrances with river rock (I had extra from a project) and it dug thru it every time. We ended up setting traps in the various holes going in and ended up catching 8 of the darn things.

[student]

Many cities have programs set up so that if there is a skunk within city limits, you can call them and they will come in a catch it for you with a live trap and release it in the country.

[cheesehead]

I've heard moth balls tossed down the hole also work. fortunately I have not had to try this myself.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Thanks for all the advice... My plan was to get a live trap and then drown... But I decided to be a Deitz first.. which is to be a pain in the rear end as my wife puts it.

Everytime he would dig the hole open.. I would fill it again.. and if he was under the shed, I took a bat and pounded on the floor for about 10 mins.. when he would dig himeself out at night.. I would wake before he would come back and fill in his hole again.. wait for him to return and then fill his hole in again, and do the bat thing. That lasted 3 days... he has been gone now for 2 days...

I'm not saying I won yet...but I at least know what makes him go away for a day or 2.. LOL

[fishermatt]

I've has success using poison, but I don't have a dog or cat that is outside, or neighbors whose pets come in my yard. If that's not an issue, get some "fly bait" from Fleet Farm or other Ag store, mix 1/4 cup in a bowl with a half dozen eggs, and set out near the stinky one's hole. Whatever eats some of that stuff will die. I had a racoon that didn't make it 40 feet from the bowl, but most critters get far enough away to not be seen.