I just had THE CLOSEST call with a skunk EVER!!! I’ve gotten a little lackadaisical in my precautionary tactics in dealing with skunks, since I have to date, caught and released 5 skunks since the 2nd of October. I caught a skunk last night in an un-baited trap. It was the trap I had set in tight quarters a couple of nights ago. I figured if I was going to get sprayed, it would be by this skunk.
Ordinarily, I use a blanket that is thick, and at least 6 foot square. I take my time, and walk up very slowly to the trap. If the skunk gets too nervous I stop. That was getting VERY tiresome!
So today, I grabbed a damp ragged old towel, and walked right up to the trap with the only the towel between me and the skunk, and then I just dropped the towel. What was normally a three to five minute task, including baby talk to a skunk, took less than a minute. The space was so limited, I just didn’t have time to spread my arms out, and peek around a cumbersome blanket, so I just went for it, you could say!
I bent down to pick up the trap, and almost threw up from the stench. The skunk had sprayed. I thought I was done for. I went up to the road, and had Jen check me out. But my prayer was answered! I had not been sprayed!
After releasing the skunk a few miles from home, I laid out the towel so I could get a picture to show how little protection I had really gotten, and was AMAZED at what I saw!
There was a green/brown stain where the spray had hit the towel! Proving my theory that a cloth held between you and the skunk WILL IN FACT take the brunt of the stink should you get too close to a frightened skunk.