Skunks

onpoint

onpoint

Active member
Are there a lot of them where you are this year?

They are thick in north central Minnesota. Nearly every neighbor has mentioned this to me. Twice now in the last week when the wife let the dogs out around 5:00AM. They have tangled with a skunk. I tracked one down and killed him. Now this morning, one of the Chessies tangled with one. I have to track this one down after it gets light.
 
In Missouri we are overrun with skunks, and raccoons, can't go down a suburban road and not see them everywhere, live, dead. I went to south Missouri, and counted 26 dead armadillo's in a mile of road frontage, dead, next to a new mowed hay field. I didn't know there were that many in the state. Look out Iowa, and South Dakota, the Texas state critter is coming for you! apparently cold, fording rivers, doesn't seem to deter them.
 
Yeah, I am in Missouri as well...had this exact conversation with the wife a couple days ago as I have ran into skunks and armadillos multiple times this year working the pup. As old and new stated, we have a ridiculous amount of both skunks, opossums, armadillos, and coons down here in south MO. At this point most of my hunting buddies are just starting to exterminate.
 
My hunting partner, Buddy, can tell you first hand why you should not scream(like a girl) when you walk up on your english pointer who has decided to point a skunk. The dog and hunter got it, lucky for the dog the e-collar took most of the direct spray. Amazingly enough Niki pointed a couple roosters right afterward, we just had to hold our breath to shoot them.:)
 
How much rabies in the skunk population do you guys have? Nobody has mentioned that, and I hope that is a good sign that there is very little. IN the south I sorta think first of that and second of the spray.
 
roosterreaper said:
It's a problem here in SD too, local statistics say 60% of our skunks are rabid.
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That would make me want to shoot on sight! I have only seen one in NE and just got the dog away from the area. Sounds like y'all are covered up with them!

Last year When traveling between western Kansas City and St. Joe Mo on up to Rockport Mo I doubt my pickup would have been able to carry the racoons that we saw on the right side of the road. Left side was nowhere near as many. I'd bet easily over a hundred. Are the skunks protected or can one shoot 'em? As a veterinarian I know that skunks and racoons can carry and spread rabies for six months before they show signs, and skunks sometimes do not show signs!
 
I just spent 2 weeks driving a sugerbeet truck, driving noghts from Moorhead to Breckenridge to Herman and Wheaton. Western edge of the state. Ive never seen so many skunks in my life! The dry slough bottoms are covered in coon tracks. I got sprayed by a skunk about 12 years ago and it was really really bad! I think it was a world record it was so bad! So Im a little skidish when walking the CRP for birds!
 
One benefit of a pointing dog is that they usually point, instead of jumping in and trying to catch the smelly bastards. Last fall my 6 month old pup goes on point our first day in SD. I'm excited as hell and walk around in front of him, angling into some heavy grass upwind of him. As I walk up the grass moves and I give it the toe of my right boot. To my surprise, instead of a pheasant bursting out of the cover, a black, furry head, followed by the white stripe pops up!!! It calmly hops out of the grass and waddles off upwind, with me backing up like Tramon Williams covering Percy Harvin. I then called the pup over, put on the leash and we went away from there. I really wanted to kill that critter, but with the 10-20 mph prairie breeze coming straight into me and the dog, I wanted to get clean away even worse.

A vet there told me 80% of them are rabies carriers and most never exhibit signs of infection. They want us to kill all we can.
 
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Honestly out west I never have seen the numbers that I saw when I lived in the midwest. Only close call I've had with a skunk was actually an innocent summer walk with the dogs in the woods behind my house. Came around a bend on the trail and was literally looking down the barrel of a loaded "gun," complete with hand-stand position.

But yeah, I heard the same thing from my vet this year. She said rabies in skunks in northern Colorado this year is really bad. I didn't use to bother them if they weren't in the yard but with that piece of news I don't know.Might have to rethink that.

Porkies on the other hand, are a constant problem and if they're on the ground we have a "terminate with extreme prejudice" policy.

I would be very interested to hear what other areas of the country are experiencing this year, particularly out in the field with the dogs.
 
I've been out three times this year and already shot three porcupines. Dog got into the last one but not too bad. If I come across a skunk, raccoon, porcupine, fox or coyote they're toast. Fortunately haven't seen a skunk while out in a while, probably just jinxed myself though. I will go out of my way to shoot any of those buggers anytime of the year.
 
Here in Texas we have a ton of these smelly rabies bags, but you manly only see them in February and march. That is their matting season so they are out and about looking for love and not paying attention to the cars on the highway. It's not uncommon for me to see 10 dead skunks on my 30 mile drive to work.

They seem to be out breeding their most around Valentines day, which always makes me think of Pepe Lay Pue.
 
david0311

MTtailchaser said:
I've been out three times this year and already shot three porcupines. Dog got into the last one but not too bad. If I come across a skunk, raccoon, porcupine, fox or coyote they're toast. Fortunately haven't seen a skunk while out in a while, probably just jinxed myself though. I will go out of my way to shoot any of those buggers anytime of the year.
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This has been discussed on other forums as well--one poster stated that the skunk was only doing what came natural--and not it's fault--I agreed with that premise :eek:

However if it lives to ever do it again-- it's my fault:)

The poster that had the information on almost all being rabid with out showing sign's of the disease was 100% correct:thumbsup:
 
Over the last seven years, my two boys have had six encounters with skunks, sprayed five.:eek: Never seen them kill a skunk. Racoons, probably seen them kill at least six. One grabs the head, the other grabs the ass...not a sight for those with a weak stomach. Had collars on turned all the way up and it didn't deter them. My first shorthair, a female, never bothered with varmints. Occasionally point them with a quizicle look but was easily called off. Add porcys to the mix, who knows what will happen. Fortunately there were no occurrences last year between S D and Iowa, for that I'm thankful. Always carry deoderizing kit cause you never know. For my next dog, think I'll take it down to my neighbor's petting zoo and socialize with as many of his "varmint" so she won't view them as a threat, and hopefully not bother with them in the field.
 
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