HABITS OF THE SKUNK. 217 



the Skunk is far from cunning, and uo special skill is required 

 for its capture. A variety of traps are used with success ; the 

 deadfall is particularly recommended, since, if properly con- 

 structed, it causes the death of the animal without emission of 

 the fluid.* Audubon and Bachman's statement that the fur ^* is 



* Gibson's " Complete American Trapper ", pp. 198, 282-3, 286. 



The following on the subject of trapping Skunks was contributed by C. L. 

 'Whitman, of Weston, Vt., to Forest and Stream of February 17, 1876 : — 



'' I am often asked by friends and brother trappers how I manage to rid 

 my fox traps of skunks without being defiled by their odor. For the benefit 

 of the uninitiated I will state that if there are any skunks living in the 

 vicinity where fox traps are set they are sure to be taken, and till all are 

 thus disposed of there is little chance of capturing foxes. When there is 

 reason to suppose the presence of many skunks, it is best to set the traps 

 early, in order to get them out of the way at once ; setting in a manner not 

 to take the fox — that is, less skillfully. To the fox trapper this animal is a 

 pest and annoyance, for where the trap is made fast — as in dirt trapping is 

 desirable — he will in a brief time with teeth and claws greatly impair, if 

 not wholly ruin a good setting-place. Sometimes he frees himself by self- 

 amputation ; in such case it is good riddance. They seldom get in a second 

 time, as in their weak and mutilated condition they fall an easy prey to the 

 fox, who is fond of their fiesh ; so much so that he will sometimes gnaw off 

 the leg by which the skunk is held in the trap, and carry off his booty to be 

 eaten at his leisure. Trappers cognizant of the above trait do not fail to 

 use skunk's ilesh for bait. Sometimes he is found asleep after a night of 

 ceaseless toil to get free, when, if in good position, he may be carefully ap- 

 proached from the leeward, and by stepping upon his tail, at the same time 

 dealing a smart blow upon the head with a club, he is easily and safely dis- 

 patched. But this seldom occurs, and the attempt to dispatch him when on 

 the alert with clubs or stones, is to risk and often receive defilement. Fire- 

 arms are out of the question, as a good trapper is chary of their use on his 

 range. 



" My favorite method of dealing with them is as follows : With a tough 

 annealed No. 15 or 16 iron wire I form a slip noose about five inches in diam- 

 eter on one end, and a standing loop of two inches on the other, and a space 

 of five inches between. The loop is attached to the smaller end of a light, 

 stiff' pole of eight or ten feet in length. With this firmly grasped in both 

 hands I slowly and carefully approach, and slip the noose over his head, and 

 with a quick jerk backwards and upwards lift him as high as the chain of 

 the trap will allow, and thus hold him until he is strangled. The butt end 

 of the pole may be brought to the ground and there held by a foot, the hands 

 moved further in advance for greater ease. When taken by a hind leg I at 

 once lower the trap to the ground and release the same with one foot pressed 

 upon the spring ; the pole may then be set in a secure position against a rock 

 or other support while the trap is being reset. If the jerk upward has not 

 been adroitly made, the wire may not draw as tight as it ought, in which 

 case a discharge of the pungent odor will usually follow ; but in this per- 

 pendicular position the discharge descends directly downwards, so that if the 

 attack has been made from the windward, as it ought, there is no danger. 



