SKUNK CONTROL

   This article is about SKUNK control. It will
explain why they can be a pest and what needs to be done for
controlling infestations. PLEASE NOTE: YOU CAN SEE PICTURES 
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	 There are five species of skunk in the United States. 
This includes the eastern and western striped, the hog nosed, 
the  hooded and the spotted. Every state has at least one 
type; every state has some kind of a skunk problem. This
article will detail some of the most common skunk problems we
have in our country and then offer solutions on how to resolve
these problems.
	  The skunk we have in our country all can have at least 
one and some cases two litters a year. These litters can have 
at least two young or as many as ten. Skunk are nocturnal and 
will forage for food along established routes they know. Skunk 
don't fear many animals; their scent glands can eject up to 
10 feet and if provoked, they will spray! Skunk, like porcupine, 
seem to be a common problem for dogs. One would think a dog 
would learn to avoid both porcupine and skunk, but most don't. 
Instead, they seem to find every one which comes onto their
property. (Personally, I believe dogs like the smell of skunk.
Read on to learn how to get rid of that nasty skunk smell when
pets get sprayed!) Skunk eat just about everything including
grubs, insects, plants, vegetables, fruit, frogs, small fish,
garbage and just about anything you leave out in your yard which
is organic. For this reason they can become a regular visitor
leading to damage and smells most people don't want or like. Once
they find good food, skunk like to take up residence. It is
common to have them move under trailers, mobile homes, crawl
spaces, porches, slabs or just about any place which is at ground
level and can provide a roof. Spotted skunk are good climbers;
they will readily move into attics or openings of any home which
will provide shelter. Because of the behaviors listed above,
skunk can be a nuisance. When foraging for food in your yard,
they will kill grass and plants. Garbage bags and cans will be
turned over and strewn all around in search of food. Skunk will
readily eat from gardens, fruit trees and storage bins. They will
nest under homes creating smells that can be strong enough to
force the residents to leave. Pet food which is kept outside will
draw every skunk in the neighborhood and once they start coming
around, it is only a matter of time before your pet is sprayed.
Each one of these problems can be dealt with and resolved. In
some cases repellents will work; in extreme cases trapping may be
your only option. Once removed, the odor can be eliminated with
our special skunk odor eliminator. Let's take a look at these
options.
	As stated above, Skunks are nocturnal foraging at night.
If you find turf uprooted and thrown around the yard, it could be
a skunk. Other animals that may do this include armadillo,
raccoon and opossum. If you believe you have one of these other
animals active in your yard, refer back to our article archive
where you will find articles on how to deal with them. To stop
the skunk from digging in your yard for food, you will need to
reduce the local insect and grub levels. To do this will involve
the application of two products. First, spread DELTA GUARD GRANULES 
over as much of the turf as you can. Use a GRANULE SPREADER for
correct distribution or a regular fertilizer spreader. These
granules are far superior to dursban granules and will work both
faster and longer. In general, they will last 2-3 months per
application and will filter through the soil to kill insects as
they develop. Delta Guard will also reduce local insects which are
active on topsoil as they crawl over treated areas. If you
are treating for prevention and don't have current activity,
use some MERIT GRANULES. This product will not work quickly
like the Delta Guard but has the advantage when you want
something to last longer. Merit can last for up to a year
without needing to be reapplied. Because of this long
term residual, they are an excellent material to apply
to keep all types of grubs minimized. Since either of these
granules take a while to penetrate and need to be watered, the 
second product you need to use is a new compound called CYFLUTHRIN.
This product has been out for a little while but not long
enough for insects to build up any resistance. This assures
a quick and complete kill. Apply it with a HOSE END SPRAYER.
The Cyfluthrin will provide a quick knockdown of the
existing insects;  the Delta Guard or Merit will last 
a few months or longer providing long term control.
	 If you have skunks active around the perimeter of the
home or under a porch, deck or other area adjacent to the house, 
you can first try to repel them using SKUNK REPELLENT.
These granules will release an odor that skunk don't like. 
Keep in mind that the odor may filter into living areas if
you intend on using it in crawl spaces or attics so the 
best way to apply it is in cheese cloth or nylon pantyhose
when using it in confined areas. Place these sacks where
the animals are active. By keeping the Repellent in a bag, the
odor is able to escape and you are able to remove it if the smell
becomes a problem in the living area. This product can also be
used as a repellent around the home, property and other areas
where skunk are active. Since skunks are creatures of habit,
it is not uncommon for one to start foraging along a path
which takes them past your window. Such foraging may allow
odors to enter the living areas of the home and cause
residents to awake from sleep due to the strong smell.
Skunk repellent is a good product to use for such situations
since you can also broadcast it out over large areas of
turf, flower beds or dirt where skunks are thought to
be passing. However, if they have a good food supply on your
property, you may need to do some of the treatments listed
above or employ some of the stronger repellents listed below.
    To help let scented granules last longer, you can
install GRANULE GUARDS. They will protect the
granules from the rain and sun so they will last
longer. Each Guard will hold 1/2 lb of granules
and can be placed on the ground using the enclosed
spike or the spike can be removed so the Guard
will lie flat. These really pay dividends if you
want your granules to last as long as possible.
	If you have garbage, fruit trees or
garden plants which local skunk populations are tearing apart,
simply spray whatever it is they want with ROPEL LIQUID.
This bitter tasting material won't stain treated surfaces but
will stop skunk from chewing or eating. Keep in mind fruit and
vegetables sprayed won't be good for human consumption but you
can spray the stems and leaves of the plant without affecting the
fruit or vegetable part. If skunk have targeted a specific fruit,
you may try placing some out on the ground and spraying it. When
they come around and taste it they won't like it which will many
times keep them away from all the other similar fruit you have.
Ropel also works great at keeping them out of garbages and from
chewing other desirable plants. Expect treated surfaces to last 2-6
weeks - depending on local rainfall.
     If you have observed skunks traveling either around or
on your property from time to time, there might not be anything
in particular they are seeking. However, their smell will
still be strong enough to linger for days. This odor can be
so offensive that you may want to stop them from coming around.
There are two ways to achieve this. First, if you have identified
where the skunk are traveling, try installing one of our
MOTION ACTIVATED WATER SPRAYERS along this trail. This device
works by using water supplied by a garden hose. The unit has
a motion detector and when it's "eye" sees the target animal
it will activate the sprinkler head to fire. The sprinkler
will then release a three second blast of water which
skunk do not like. The water and the spray will scare them
away and after 1 or 2 experiences like this they will stay
away. If you are not quite sure where the skunk is coming from
or moving to, consider one of our ULTRA SOUND DEVICES. This
technology is relatively new but seems to have practical
uses for certain animals. Skunks are one type which don't
like the sound. Generally, animals will retreat from any 
area when the sound is detected. If they try to enter
again they will be confronted with this sound over and
over. These devices come in three designs which are sure
to offer both coverage and options to fit your need. In
fact, we have had people use them to chase off skunks which
had created dens under decks and buildings. The units were
installed adjacent to the nest location and skunks apparently
don't like it much because in all applications they moved
out within a day of hearing the annoying sound.
     If the above treatments fail and the skunk you have are 
too persistent, you may have no other option but to trap them 
out. We have two live traps which work well for this task.
Both have a cover that will keep you from being scented.
The LT 11x12x30 W/COVER will be large enough for most any
skunk. The cover engulfs the entire length of the trap and
leaves only the front door open. This will still allow for
the skunk to enter and yet not interfere with the trap mechanism.
If you have a really large skunk or have some other need for
a longer cage, get the LT 11x12x36 W/COVER trap. It uses the
same cover so the front section of the trap will be exposed.
However, if you keep this side of the trap pointed away
from you during animal transport, it won't be able to scent
you. To get the skunk in the trap,  use our special bait
called TRAPPERS CHOICE SKUNK PASTE. This strong smelling lure 
is sure to get any local skunk curious since it can be detected 
from several hundred yards. But only use this if you are not
sure what nuisance animals are feeding on. If you have them
digging in the yard and suspect they are looking for grubs,
then use our GRUB BAIT. Once trapped, call your local animal 
control office to have the animal removed. You may be able to 
destroy it yourself or relocate it. Keep in mind skunk can carry 
rabies so don't handle it. If it is relocated, be sure to take 
it at least 15 miles away to insure it won't return.
      If you prefer to use a kill trap, the BODYGRIP TRAP
is your best bet. This trap has been used for years on beaver,
raccoon and other nuisance animals. It will work on skunk as
well. Sets can be made over dens or along trails or paths they
are using. Bodygrip traps are basically two pieces of steel
which with strong springs. When compressed, the springs store
a lot of energy which is kept under control by the dawg or
holding mechanism. The trap is then placed over a den hole,
a hole in a fence or an entrance under a deck or crawl space.
When matched right, the trap will encircle most of the hole
and any skunk will try to pass as normal. The trigger of the
trap will then release the set allowing the energy of the
springs to open. So strong are the springs that the frame
of the trap will crush the target animal to death in a matter 
of moments. It is strongly suggested that you use BODYGRIP SETTERS 
when using these traps since they will enable you to compress
the springs with a lot of leverage. BODYGRIP TRAP STANDS
can also be a big help. They will allow for trap sets at
both ground level or hole entrances. When you want to make
a set at ground level, use the stand with the rebar anchor.
Sets you want to make at holes which are through wood will
be much easier using the trap stand with the wood screw mount.
Don't worry about the smell of skunk getting on the traps;
this actually works to your advantage. Traps which have
skunk scent on them tend to be ignored and since the smell
is so strong, it makes the trap stealthy. Kill traps are
sometimes preferred because there is no concern about what
to do with the animal once trapped; a dead skunk is a lot
easier to deal with then one which is alive and ready to
spray!
	  Once the animal has been removed, there
may be some smells which linger. Skunk smell is persistent; one
generally knows a skunk was around months after it is gone. 
To reduce these odors, use NC7. This concentrate is easy to use and 
works well at removing skunk smell. Spray it over areas where the
smell is detected. Use one of our PUMP SPRAYERS to apply it.
For hard to reach places, you may want to use an electric space 
sprayer like our BG FOGGER. This device will spray NC7 up 
to 75 feet and is great for hard to reach crawl spaces, under 
porches or other inaccessible areas. You may need to treat more 
than once, depending on how bad the level of infestation has 
gotten. If your pet has been sprayed, use our PET SHAMPOO for
a quick and complete removal of the odor. This product is not a
coverup or masking agent. Instead it uses a specific formulation
which targets the skunk odor molecules and unlocks them from
hair and skin. Once loose, they can be rinsed away. This is
key to removing the smell. Masking agents won't work for
stubborn skunk odors so don't waste your time with any
other product.
	 Skunk are very much a problem throughout
the United States. Their feeding habits can wreak havoc in yards,
gardens or garbage. Treat turf with Delta Guard Granules and
Cyfluthrin to reduce insect food supplies which will force the
skunk to look elsewhere for food. Apply Repellent where they
are active to keep them from nesting under porches and other
areas where there are spaces available. Use Ropel Liquid on
plants or garbage to stop them from chewing and eating. If local
skunk are still active, you will need to trap them using our NH2361.
Add the Skunk Guard to get maximum protection from being sprayed.
Once local skunk are removed, use NC7 to eliminate odors left
behind and Pet Shampoo to eliminate the odor on pets which have
been sprayed.
	 If you have further questions, give technical support a call 
at 770.985.9392. Follow the links below to go back to the article 
archive section or our skunk products page.

E-Mail us at support@bugspray.com

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