460 Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture. 1910. 



skunk hairs about the entrance. Their droppings, consist- 

 ing largely of the hard parts of insects, are readily dis- 

 tinguished from those of other animals of their size. 



Skunks are generally caught in Xo. 1 or No. 2 steel traps 

 set unbaited at the entrances to their dens. The stake to 



which a trap is fastened should be 

 set the full length of the chain 

 from the hole to enable the trapper 

 to dispatch his catch w ith as little 

 unpleasantness as possible. 



When a den is inhabited by more 

 than one animal, time may be saved 

 by setting several baited traps in 

 its vicinitv instead of setting one 

 trap at its entrance. Skunks are 

 often caught in baited traps set 

 for foxes, and in places where their 

 odor would be objectionable they 

 may be caught in box traps baited 

 with meat and then drowned with- 

 out being removed. 



A trapped skunk, approached 

 slowly and quietly, so as not to 

 alarm it, may be killed, without 

 its discharging scent, by a sharp 

 blow across the back with a stick. 



Skunk skins should always be 

 freed from fat and cased flesh 

 side out. 1 



SPOTTED SKrXK> 



Fig. S. — A Great Horned 

 Owl Captured in a Small 

 Jump Trap Placed on 

 the Top of a Post 



Little spotted skunks, the skins 

 of which in fur shops arc called 

 " civet cat." are decidedly smaller 

 and more graceful than striped 

 skunks. They are found in the Southern and Western 

 States. Their habits and signs and the methods of 

 catching them are similar to those relating to the- large 

 skunks. The size of steel traps suitable for spotted skunks 

 is Xo. 1. 



1 See Farmers' Bulletin 5S7, " The Economic Value of Xorth American 



Skunks." 



