Have you ever been skunked?

3067 Views 42 Replies 18 Participants Last post by 67drake, Dec 14, 2021

Skunkbomb

Discussion Starter · Jan 14, 2021

I have a feeling at least some folks around here have ended up on the wrong end of a skunk. If you've been skunked, how'd it happen? Was it recent? How'd you handle the smell?

21 - 40 of 43 Posts

Skunkbomb

Discussion Starter · #21 · Jan 15, 2021

Shrek said:
Posted 1/15/21 1:37 AM CST

My dog and I got sprayed when I was in my early teens. As my father and grandfather washed me and the dog in tomato juice in the barn and burned my clothes in the burn barrel, they laughed and said every country boy and his tag along dog has had at least one skunk spray as far back as they could remember.

While they were scrubbing us down, one of them added that the skunk spray was also skunks musk sexing scent.

I got them both gut laughing by saying they should be glad people didn't use a hot to trot musk like that , because if we did, I wouldn't be giving them any grandkids or great grandkids.

That tomato juice , let set, rinse ,repeat bath was the longest two hours I have spent.

25 years later we had two skunks that would keep their tails holstered and beg scraps from us graveyard shifters on the picnic table patio during our 1 AM lunch break.

One guy I went to high school with dropped out in 10th grade and he and his son operate a critter catcher service and they make high five figure yearly incomes catching and relocating possums , skunks, snakes , *, coyotes and such from houses and commercial properties to conservation department forest areas.

Smells like quite the smelly bonding experience with your dog, father, and grandfather. Sounds like they've been skunked before too. Did they ever tell you about those times they got sprayed?

Lol, so was the skunk trying to let you know it was in the mood or was it trying to get you in the mood? You're probably right that most folks wouldn't be able to get much bedroom activity done while smelling so bad, even if they were willing and able.

Skunkbomb

Discussion Starter · #22 · Jan 15, 2021

Wolf mom said:
When my SIL's dog got sprayed, I mixed up a concoction of 1 bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide, about 1/4 cup of baking soda and about 2 Tbsp of dish soap. and left it on the miserable dog as long as possible before rinsing it off. That seemed to work to get the smell out. Now, the front steps - that's another matter.
BTW: I found this recipe on the 'net...

I've heard that's the most effective recipe, other than time, and time takes a while.

Skunkbomb

Discussion Starter · #23 · Jan 15, 2021

doc- said:
I'd get sprayed 4-6x a year. When we lived in the 'burbs right next to the 66,000 ac Forest Preserve, our neighborhood was infested with varmints. I'd set a trap out in the barn once a week and would catch either a '**** or a skunk without fail every time. If it was a skunk, I'd sneak up and throw a blanket over the cage, then transport it for release in the woods a mile or so away...Usually there was no problem...But occasionally I'd get home and the wife would tell me I had been sprayed again. (I didn't know, having had no sense of smell since stopping a baseball with my face at age 7).

The scent of course is their musk, an oily substance that dissolves easily in soap & water-- no need for ineffective cures like tomato juice.

4-6 times a year? That sounds like a record. How many times do you think you've been skunked in your life?

Skunkbomb

Discussion Starter · #24 · Jan 15, 2021

Nimrod said:
I was out fishing. I came back to the resort cabin after dark. The garbage cans were right by the door. I got nailed. We burned the clothes. Put rocks in my boots and dropped them off the end of the dock. After a week in the lake they were OK.

I was out pheasant hunting and both dogs got hit. We treated them with Odor Mute and drove home with the windows rolled up.

Odormute Pet Odor Eliminator Scented -- 15 oz. $10.95 (Save $4.30)

Odormute Pet Odor Eliminator Scented -- 15 oz. $10.95 (Save $4.30) Odor Mute is a blend of natural enzymes that eliminates organic odors by chemically changing the source of odors including urine, feces, and skunk. Easy to use indoors and outdoors. Effective on all pet and animal odors...

www.gundogsupply.com

This is great stuff. Everyone who lives in the country or has a dog should keep a box on hand. It's a powder so you can keep a box in the glove compartment for years. Just mix with water and soak the effected parts. It also worked on cat pee. One of the tenants I inherited when I bought an apartment building had cats that sprayed in a corner on the hardwood floors. It also came in handy when my weimaraner puppy decided it was fun to kill a skunk and bring it home. It took 4 times to convince him that I was not amused.

How'd you deal with the smell for the rest of the week? Or maybe I should ask how everyone else dealt with you stinking up the cabin.

Skunkbomb

Discussion Starter · #25 · Jan 15, 2021

fishhead said:
I tried stepping on the tail of a skunk that was caught in my fox trap. It took about 15 minutes of quiet talking and slow movements along with stopping completely if the skunk raised it's tail but I finally got close enough. I lifted my leg and the skunk raised it's tail so there I stood with my foot up in the air and the wind causing me to sway back and forth.

That's when I remembered that not only do they have spray on one end but they have teeth on the other.

I made a half hearted lunge but I missed and it didn't. Luckily I was wearing hip boots and had muskrat traps to check so I just ignored it. The woman in the grocery store asked me if I ran over a skunk that night.

I've heard of other people who can release a skunk caught in a foothold trap by hand just by moving slow and talking softly.

I'm surprised they even let you in the grocery store. Was this recent?

Danaus29

· #26 · Jan 16, 2021

Skunkbomb said:
Lol, your grandma must have really liked her tomato juice. How long ago did you husband get skunked?

Grandma didn't buy tomato juice. It was hand processed and home canned. She said the dog could just stay outside if he was too stupid to avoid skunks.

Hubby got sprayed about 5 years ago. He was getting ready to visit the health department to get our well permit. Their upholstered chairs might still smell like skunk, the car he drove there in still smells on warm, humid days.

I have released many skunks (the same one a few times) from my live traps. Never had one lift it's tail or stomp at me, never got sprayed.

Reactions: 2

doc-

· #27 · Jan 16, 2021

Skunkbomb said:
4-6 times a year? That sounds like a record. How many times do you think you've been skunked in your life?

That was over a period of about three yrs, so maybe ten times...I never actually saw the critters lift their tails, being under the blanket. Maybe that reduced my actual exposure, so it was easy to just wash me & clothes with soap & water.

Folklore says that skunks only have a few shots in them to last their entire lifetime, so they're reluctant to use that defense unless really necessary...Anybody have info to the contrary? (It doesn't sound logical to me.)

ps-- I'm a graduate of the Trump School of Meandering Oratory Sciences. Maybe it was only 2-3x/yr.

Danaus29

· #28 · Jan 16, 2021 (Edited)

Jan 16, 2021

I don't know how accurate this is but it says 6 times in succession and it takes 10 days to replenish the sprayers.

https://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/trapping_skunks.htm#odors

The skunk that was kept at a nature center where I worked never raised it's tail, maybe because it knew it had been descented and couldn't spray. It did stomp with it's front feet if people got too close to the cage. I watch for the foot stomping when I approach trapped skunks.

Another site said when a skunk sprays it turns it's backside toward it's head, sideways. Then another site showed a spotted skunk doing a handstand. Either way, by the time they do that it's too late to avoid getting blasted.

Reactions: 2

fishhead

· #29 · Jan 17, 2021

Skunkbomb said:
I'm surprised they even let you in the grocery store. Was this recent?

It was in the wild 70's.

Skunks recharge their essence but they do run out temporarily.

Skunks are a valuable species in the ecosystem so I don't want to encourage anyone to kill them but the essence is worth about $20/ounce. It can be extracted from some road killed skunks with a syringe without ever touching the skunk.

Reactions: 1

fishhead

· #30 · Jan 17, 2021

I've heard of skunks being kept in the house without removing the scent gland.

Reactions: 1

doc-

· #31 · Jan 17, 2021

fishhead said:
I've heard of skunks being kept in the house without removing the scent gland.

You can also live with a homicidal paranoid schizophrenic....Just don't make him mad.

Skunks may be valuable members of the ecosystem, but their droppings can contain a certain pathogen. If they contaminate your hay, it can kill your horse. You don't want them in your barn.

fishhead

· #32 · Jan 17, 2021

doc- said:
You can also live with a homicidal paranoid schizophrenic....Just don't make him mad.

Skunks may be valuable members of the ecosystem, but their droppings can contain a certain pathogen. If they contaminate your hay, it can kill your horse. You don't want them in your barn.

I think there are vaccinations for that disease.

Danaus29

· #33 · Jan 17, 2021

doc- said:
You can also live with a homicidal paranoid schizophrenic....Just don't make him mad.

Skunks may be valuable members of the ecosystem, but their droppings can contain a certain pathogen. If they contaminate your hay, it can kill your horse. You don't want them in your barn.

Cat feces can contaminate hay too. The Columbus Zoo lost several animals after cats pooped on their hay. Raccoons are the worst at contaminating hay. Best to keep all critters out of the hay.

Skunkbomb

Discussion Starter · #34 · Jan 18, 2021

Danaus29 said:
Grandma didn't buy tomato juice. It was hand processed and home canned. She said the dog could just stay outside if he was too stupid to avoid skunks.

Hubby got sprayed about 5 years ago. He was getting ready to visit the health department to get our well permit. Their upholstered chairs might still smell like skunk, the car he drove there in still smells on warm, humid days.

I have released many skunks (the same one a few times) from my live traps. Never had one lift it's tail or stomp at me, never got sprayed.

Surprised they let your husband in the building. Did he get the tomato juice bath treatment?

Danaus29

· #35 · Jan 19, 2021 (Edited)

Ohio will put up with anything to get your money, even skunk odor.

No, not tomato juice. A lady at the bank told us to use Dawn and peroxide which we bought on the way home. Got the smell off him but his wallet, belt and shoes still stunk. Later we threw away the wallet and shoes, the belt was washed several times because it's a woven belt with a slider adjustment, not a leather one with punched holes.

Edited to correct spelling, I do know how to spell peroxide but my tablet likes to add extra letters to words

Reactions: 1

Nod

· #36 · Jan 19, 2021

I've had the home hit by them..High pressure hose usually gets most of the smell away..

Reactions: 1

muleskinner2

· #37 · Jan 21, 2021

Skunkbomb said:
Oh wow! How many times do you think you got sprayed?

I have no idea, probably dozens.

Macrocarpus

· #38 · Jan 22, 2021

Folks, I come late to this party, but the dish soap, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide formula is the chemical answer to skunk spray. It absolutely neutralizes the odor and you can wear the clothes to church the next day after washing. Been there, done that. One poor fellow stepped out on his porch to get the paper, got sprayed, porch got sprayed, door got it to. He whipped up a big bucket of water with the Hydrogen peroxide mix and cleaned the whole mess. Use plenty of peroxide---a bottle per milk bucket full of mix.

Reactions: 1

arachyd

· #39 · Jan 22, 2021

Many years ago my children and I rented a large fixer-upper in a small neighborhood with lots of forest around it. There were a LOT of skunks in the area. Our neighbors across the street had a beagle that they were either unable or unwilling to keep contained. Almost every single night that *&^;%$ dog chased skunks into the crawlspace under the house. We'd wake up gagging, kids puking from the stink and hear that dog crashing around beneath our feet. The smell was ungodly for a few hours but gone by morning. We laugh about it now.

Reactions: 1

Skunkbomb

Discussion Starter · #40 · Jan 23, 2021

muleskinner2 said:
I have no idea, probably dozens.

Wow! I'm genuinely impressed.

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