Don't you just love the smell of skunk in the morning?

*pic from stinks.com

It’s Wednesday.  The trailer area smells like skunk again.  Seems to be a standard occurrence by the middle of the workweek.  

Since I’ve been working here, we have encountered at least a couple skunks in our traps each week.  

After the first week of the field season, when trapper Ty got blasted in the face by a striped skunk, a method was developed for safer release of the skunks.  However, it is inevitable that something will receive the brunt of the smelly anal-assault.  Usually (and hopefully) this is a pillowcase that we cover the skunk-filled trap with.  

Getting the pillowcase safely over the trap presents a bit of a challenge, and definitely gets the blood pumping. 

It requires a patient, calm approach towards the front of the trapped skunk.  It seems arbitrary to say it, but DON’T approach from behind.  If the animal starts pawing at the ground, stay put for a moment, then slowly begin the approach again.  If the tail end makes any sudden movements in your direction, clear out immediately! 

When within close enough range, quickly drape the pillowcase over the entirety of the trap.   It is important you don’t miss, as this sudden movement will usually startle the skunk into spraying. 

When I did this the first time, I heard an intimidating “PSH” only a fraction of a second after I got the pillowcase over the cage.  A yellow stain quickly soaked through the pillowcase directly under my nose, and I was struck immediately by the warm, nauseating stench of garlic, onions, gasoline, and rotten eggs.  Skunk smells quite different up close.   Thank God for the pillowcase, or I would have received the spray full in the face.  He must have been able to sense my exact whereabouts, ‘cause that squirt was dead accurate.  

Once the pillowcase is secured, cautiously locate the head of the animal and open the trap from that end.   Because the skunk can’t see beyond the pillowcase, he’ll probably need a little coaxing to leave the trap.  So just gently shake it ‘till you see him scurry out.  Then run.  The opposite direction!