Shot a skunk last night!

[TRAILRIDER]

It might not be a big deal to anyone else, but I finally got him. A skunk was on top of my buff hen as she sat in her nest box (she's broody and very determined). I couldn't tell if he was killing her or just trying to see if there were eggs under there. I'm not a very good shot, but I plan to practice alot more. Anyway I shot a few holes in my chicken house, but I got him good.
Funny thing though, the entire time my hen stayed in her nest box, she didn't get hurt, from the skunk or my shot gun. And my other hen was on a roost two and a half feet above all this, and never moved.
Oh well, he won't be back. DH said I was becomming a real "frontier gal". I just said "Nobody messes with my birds and lives." He says he sure won't! Mary.

[gone-a-milkin]

Good job Mary! Its good for the menfolk to respect their wives AIM!

I will admit that there are some holes in my chicken house too...giggle.

[Shepherd]

Dang, a shotgun? close range? I'm amazed your hen wasn't hurt.

Good job!

[snowshoehair]

Congrats Mary! Good shot... and did you manage to get him dead before he "unloaded" in the hen house?

My Dad would tell a story of how there were chickens on the farm they moved into. The hen had hatched out a bunch of chicks and one day they came home from town to find the hen having a fit out in the yard. Dad found a skunk dining on the chicks in the barn... he was so mad, he blew the skunk away in the barn but the smell stayed foreeeeeeeever!

[Tracy Rimmer]

Come to my house. Ihave yet to find the one that got my dog this week

[Big Dave]

The spray after they release is as bad as being hit directly by them. Glad you got it. Now how are you disposing of the carcuse? EEEWWWW

[TRAILRIDER]

Um well, yep, my chicken house still stinks, maybe always will. So does my yard, and my house when the wind blows. I was just lucky the hen was okay. Lucky shot is all. Mary.

[ninny]

When I was in high school, one afternoon I saw a skunk running around in a field out in front of our house. Naturally I had to get the gun and shoot it. Only thing is, I didn't take into account which way the wind was blowing and that happened to be right toward the house. To say that my dad was unhappy was a big understatement. I never made that mistake again.


.

[Jim-mi]

On another thread (started be Chuck) there is some folks who wouldn't/couldn't kill Any critter..............

The above is just such a good example of "taking care of what you have".
I really fail to see where there is any question what-so-ever as to who shall remain . . . . the chicken or the skunk.

Good for you Mary . . .and yes a few practice rounds would be a good thing.
you don't want to be hitting that there hen..............

[Danaus29]

My mom shot a skunk in the rear while it was under her house! On warm damp days you can still catch a whiff of skunk in her living room.

[Pony]

GOOD ON YOU, MARY! I'd have been shaking in my shoes!

Nick shot a skunk after it cased our chicken house.

Fortunately, it had already crossed the fence into the cow field next door. He got a great shot, took the shovel over there, dug a hole, and deposited Pepe Le Pew.

The stink only lingered a day or so.

[English Oliver]

I had a skunk casing my chicken house for a couple days. Tonight I went out in the field and waited for him. Shot him head on with a 12 guage at 15 feet. Not a sign of an odor. Don't ever shoot one in the rear or when their tail is up.

"O"

[BillHoo]

Originally Posted by TRAILRIDER

......A skunk was on top of my buff hen as she sat in her nest box (she's broody and very determined). I couldn't tell if he was killing her or just trying to see if there were eggs under there. ....

He was whispering in her ear, "Come my little cheekadee. I will take you away from zis place and we will run away to make sweet love! Oooooh mi amore!"

[Rick]

What type shot was in your shells?

[hugh]

Caught one in a live trap last week. It unloaded on the dog and the chicken house. Unfortunattly when I let it loose and shot it, it crawled under the shed to die. It makes for a great aroma when sitting by the pool sipping a beer. Hopefully the smell is gone by July 4th weekend.

[bluemoonluck]

Originally Posted by BillHoo

He was whispering in her ear, "Come my little cheekadee. I will take you away from zis place and we will run away to make sweet love! Oooooh mi amore!"

LOL!!!!

[TRAILRIDER]

Rick, it was just bird shot. But shot short range it sure can blow a hole in a wood/metal siding wall!
Wind in her hair, I too don't shoot anything for sport. I don't cause any pain to any living creature unless it cannot be helped. Even when I fish, it is for food. But sometimes the rules say you have to throw back the little ones
That skunk had it coming. I plan on buying a lighter weight shot gun made for a woman to handle, maybe a 20 gauge. Then I will do some practice shooting. Mary.

[Pony]

When I look at the morbidity/mortality sheets for the county, and see that there is more skunk rabies in the area than all the others combined, I tend to go ahead and shoot.

Especially since we have livestock, I'm willing to deal with the temporary (albeit pretty disgusting) stench of skunk rather than have dead or infected livestock.

That said, if I didn't have animals of my own, I might be inclined to look the other way as a skunk passed through.

[pheasantplucker]

why not a .22? Cheaper, just as effective, less chance of doing damage to stuff you want to have unscathed. Just wondering. Congrats by the way. Bet your hens might be laying some "brown eggs" for a few days!!!

[TRAILRIDER]

A 22. ? I don't know that much about it. Do you have to be a much better shot with the .22? What's a good brand and what is the price range? Mary.