American Agriculturist, December 22, 1923 
42' 
How To Trap Skunks 
A “Dollar Maker” With an Additional Scent 
T HE skunk is the easiest 
American fur bearer to 
trap. It is much more widely distributed 
than the muskrat, and its fur is more valuable. 
Skunk pelts which thirty years ago were worth 
only 15 cents are now worth from $2 to $4. 
The skunk is really a peaceable animal, and 
minds its own business. No other fur bearer is 
so democratic, so unafraid as the skunk. He 
is so fearless of human beings and human 
habitations that we find him living not only 
under deserted houses and isolated barns, but 
under inhabited ones. It seems to have little 
fear of human beings, and not much fear of 
dogs, h>r its peculiar defensive armor renders it 
to a large degree immune from attack by 
human beings. The skunk has been known to 
enter country or village churches filled with 
people during Sunday evening services, to the 
consternation of the female portion of the 
congregation. The skunk stirs out earlier in 
the evening than does the raccoon. 
The fur of the skunk and opossum becomes 
prime before that of the muskrat or beaver. 
This is because the water, and especially still 
water, cools more slowly in the autumn than 
the air, and water animals do not grow thick 
coats of fur until midwinter. 
Black Pelts Best 
Skunk pelts with the least white upon them 
are graded highest. “AA” is the best grade, 
almost solid black—only a small white spot 
upon the nape of the neck. “A” grade is known 
as the short stripe, the stripes being not more 
than three inches in length, upon the neck and 
shoulders. “B” grade is.known as the long 
stripe—two stripes joined at the nape of the 
neck, and extending downward over or along¬ 
side the shoulders and back about half the 
length of the pelt. However, most skunk pelts 
are now dyed, so the natural color is not as 
important as the quality of the fin-—its thick¬ 
ness and uniformity—and the size of the pelt. 
The No. 1 steel trap will hold a skunk, but 
the common steel trap is not to be depended 
upon for catching skunks, for a skunk when 
trapped soon' proceeds to gnaw off the impris¬ 
oned member on the under side of the jaws and 
close up to them. The little skin and flesh 
remaining is pulled away, and only a few hairs 
and a trifle of blood remain to tell the story. 
In recent years the double jaw or the triple 
clutch trap has been used in skunk trapping, 
and it is a decided success. Gnawing between 
the two sets of jaws is impossible, and although 
the toes may be chewed off a sufficient hold 
remains to render escape a remote possibility. 
I would advise skunk trappers to provide 
themselves with a supply of double jaw traps. 
Bury new traps for a few days in the dirt or 
leaf mold, to take the brightness and the 
metallic smell out of them. This is better than 
smoking them. Traps coated with a combina¬ 
tion of their sperm oil and tallow are proof 
against rust and the ravages of the elements. 
Where To Set 
The majority of the skunk tribe inhabit the 
abandoned burrows of woodchucks, badgers, 
gophers and foxes. The bulk of the traps 
should therefore be set at these old dens where 
skunk signs appear. Holes much used by skunk 
will be open and clear of rubbish, with trails or 
beaten paths leading to them, and often skunk 
hairs will be found on the side of the holes. 
Skunks also inhabit great stone heaps, rocky 
caverns, haystacks, undermined places caused 
by washouts, and many other places which offer 
a retreat and a dry nest. In looking for skunk 
dens don’t fail to inspect empty old houses. 
Often they harbor a whole family of the striped 
gentry. 
Set traps in the mouths of their burrows, 
abandoned holes, under old barns, around hay¬ 
stacks, and in their trails. Almost any kind of 
meat will do for bait, such as muskrat, rabbit, 
squirrel, chicken, green beef bones, etc. Per¬ 
haps the best is tainted meat, as they can smell 
it a longer distance. Place the bait on a sharp¬ 
ened stick stuck into the ground, some 18 
inches high, or swing it to a low limb, with one 
or two traps set under it. 
i Skunks are in no sense wary of man’s scent, 
nor clever in avoiding 
traps. And yet traps 
should be set with care. 
Dig out a little de¬ 
pression in the skunk 
trails for the traps, so 
they will not be cocked 
up and conspicuous, 
or liable to be kicked 
over or knocked aside. 
Set the trap in the 
center of entrance to 
their burrows, and 
place a little dry grass 
By ISAAC MOTES 
or leaves under it, so it will 
not freeze down. Cover 
trap lightly with the same. If the entrance is 
large, so the skunk may walk to one side of the 
trap, block up a part of it with sticks or stones, 
or stake with a few brush to narrow the door¬ 
way. A piece of bait placed a little below the 
trap is a great inducement to them to enter if 
not inhabiting a hole, but merely visiting it. 
In setting traps, success is better when they 
are placed at or near the entrance of a den than 
if set far within. If set inside, many a trap will 
be crawled over and sprung by the stumbling of 
the clumsy game, and nothing will be caught. 
Skunks are Cannibals 
Most skunks are cannibals. A skunk car¬ 
cass hung up in any old place with a trap under 
it is certain to make a catch in a night or two— 
in fact almost every mild night, in good skunk 
territory. But any other kind of strong smell¬ 
ing meat will do. Skunks are sometimes so 
hungry that they will attack and mangle other 
skunks which are held fast in traps. 
One of the best sets for skunk I ever used 
was, after catching one, to break the scent bag 
and cover the carcass with a light cover of 
leaves, dirt, or snow, if there is any, and the 
weather is not too cold for them to be out. Do 
not put it very near their den, but rather along 
the runways. Conceal a trap in each route 
from which a skunk is apt to come. I have 
caught about as many by this set as any other. 
It is also a good set for civet-cat. 
The question of killing skunks in the most 
humane way, and to avoid scent being thrown, 
is important. If the trapper is very busy he 
usually shoots his skunks through the head or 
back with a 22 caliber target rifle. To avoid 
getting scented up, your trap should be 
attached to a long, slender pole drag—a drag 
just heavy enough so the skunk cannot readily 
move it. Approach the trapped animal very 
carefully, get hold of the large end of the pole 
and very gently and slowly lead the trapped 
animal to a nearby creek or pond, lift him up 
easily and slowly and set him in deep water. 
Let him paddle until about tired out. Don’t 
hold him under water longer than he has time 
to get a swallow of it. Let him up to gasp for 
air. Under he goes again; then give him 
a chance to get his head above water as before. 
Do this alternately until he gets groggy, full of 
water, stupid and slow in movements before it 
will do to hold him under entirely. If you 
drown him in too great a hurry the scent is 
thrown, and it will .scent him as badly as if 
he had been on land. 
Use Care in Skinning 
In skinning such skunks be very careful, for 
the scent sack is brim full, and a slight pressure 
will force it out. In skinning it is best to cut 
clear around the opening to the scent sack, 
leaving a little patch of skin around the vent. 
If a badly scented skunk is dipped in water 
thoroughly and hung up in the open air two or 
three days before being skinned, much of the 
odor will evaporate. Gasoline swabbed on 
a freshly scented skunk is a good deodorizer. 
Before skinning scented -skunks, grease your 
hands thoroughly with lard, and when washed 
well with soap and hot water most of the scent 
will go with the grease. 
Don’t attempt to drown a skunk caught by 
a hind foot. You can’t move him or approach 
closely without scent being thrown. The grip 
of the trap upon a hind foot makes them ex¬ 
ceedingly bad tempered. Kill such catches on 
the spot, preferably with a .22 caliber target 
rifle, using the short cartridge, rather than 
with a .22 revolver. The rifle enables you to 
get a steadier aim, and at a safer distance from 
the catch. They may be shot through the 
head, but if you are an expert rifle shot clip 
them on the back just deep enough to break 
the back bone, but not enough to injure the 
pelt. A skunk with a broken back cannot dis¬ 
charge scent. 
A skunk skin should be dried fur side in. 
The tail should be split clear to the end. It 
needs no tacking if properly split. After the 
skins are thoroughly dry, use care in packing 
them. In the American Agriculturist of 
December 8 there were 
definite specifications 
relative to packing 
skins. Many a good 
pelt has been needless¬ 
ly injured by overlook¬ 
ing this factor in the 
business. If your pelts 
reach the fur buyers in 
poor condition, all your 
efforts, setting your 
traps and the care in 
skinning, have gone 
for fun. 
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