INTRODUCING MR. AND MRS. SKUNK = 39 
go to drop just as the ascending air filled with 
skunk publicity. 
It is sometimes difficult to predict correctly 
what a skunk will do next. At times my 
skunk neighbours by my cabin prowled forth at 
night and again it was in daytime. Generally 
they showed no concern with the movements of 
birds and animals unless one came close. On 
other days they would watch the moves of 
everything within eye range. Hurrying down 
a mountainside I one day struck a large skunk 
with my heavy shoe and knocked him sense- 
less. I waited and watched him survive. See- 
ing me standing by him he rolled over and 
played possum. 
The young skunks stay with the parents for 
about one year, I think. In the few instances 
where I had glimpses inside of winter hibernat- 
ing dens, the entire family was hibernating to- 
gether. Apparently the young winter with the 
parents the first year and scatter the following 
spring. 
Gladly I headed for a prospector’s cabin in 
which I was to spend a few days and nights. I 
was scarcely seated by his fireplace when he 
went outside to “cut some meat” that hung at 
the rear of the cabin. 
The first thing I knew a big skunk stood in 
the doorway. He looked my way, then started 
