# Grabbing skunk by tail



## gooseblood82

Is it true if you grab a skunk by his tail and pick him up vertically that it won't spray? I'm trapping urban **** but also have skunk potential


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## swampbuck

Sure is. Let us know how it works for you.


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## Waif

Never tried that approach. Got to get close enough first without them spraying and the skunks I've messed with don't let that happen.
A covered live trap supposed to work to not cause alarm.....

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-inocUDVs5w"]How to catch a Skunk - YouTube[/ame]


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## DFJISH

Where's your sign? :lol:


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## ratherboutside

In the words of Donnie Baker, "it's a bourbon legend".


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## bobberbill

I'll buy tickets for this show..Seat me near the exit, please..


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## bucko12pt

That's true and if they sneak in your tent when you're gone and you surprise them when you get back, not knowing they're there, they won't Pi$$ all over your clothes, sleeping bags, etc. :lol:


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## old professor

Years ago I worked with a cop in the UP that I watched several times pick up a skunk be the tail and he never got sprayed.


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## Mightymouse

If I remember right from the episode of "Dirty Jobs" that I saw that was what the pest control guy did with the skunk they caught. Of course poor Mike got sprayed along the way


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## David G Duncan

Yes, picking a skunk up by its tail and not getting sprayed in possible.

Wes Grant taught me how to release skunks caught in my fox sets without having them spray, which would have put the set location out of commission.

You approach the skunk with the wind at your back. Going very slowly and only moving closer if the skunk lowers its tail. I also talked in a soft tune to the skunk during this phase of the process.

Once close enough to use a forked stick to pin the skunks rear end to the ground you can lift the skunk off the ground by its tail and release it from the trap. Then you can toss the skunk some distance from the set. The skunk will spray once it hits the ground.

The fact is a skunk can not spray if its hind feet are off the ground.

I use this method to release many skunks from my fox sets back in the days of $100 fox in 1979.

Best Regards,

Dave


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## multibeard

My late/ex father in law has been known to grab them by the tail and give them a fling more than once. I never said he was to bright!

I watched the DNR fire officer that lived in Mears throw one of those heavy wooden DNR live traps into the back of his old power wagon fire truck saying they never spray. I would get down wind every time he did that.

You should have seen the guy almost drive into the ditch as I carried the skunk that had gotten it's front foot into a #1 ls set for chipmunks across the road in front of him.

I talked it down so it did not spray as I pulled the trap stake and slipped my trapping hook into the ring. With one quick jerk I got it off its feet and carried it to the woods across the road where I hung it in a tree. 

I tried the heart shot thing but evidently could not get it right so shot the head. It did spray but I did not get it on me.

If you have water nearby doing this with the trap wired to a small tough maple sapling allows you to give them their final swim with out getting sprayed.


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## grapestomper

I have seen other people do it several times. Take a video of yourself when you do.


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