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Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 1:05 pm
by maverick
While out on a hike this morning in the Bay Area ran into another skunk as I did
last week. The question occurred to me, had anyone here ever been prayed by a
skunk while backpacking? What did you do afterwards? If you hike with a dog, has
it been ever sprayed?

Re: Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 4:14 pm
by Fly Guy Dave
Tons of those critters around, I even saw a huge one at Fort Mason in The City one time. I haven't been sprayed, but our dog got a bit of spray through our back fence few years back. We did find a magic cure, though: Forget the tomato juice, get 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide and a quarter cup of baking soda, mix well and wash accordingly and rinse. Of course, keep this mixture out of your dog's eyes. This really works great! :)

Re: Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:12 pm
by TahoeJeff
My dogs have never been sprayed by a skunk, but one of 'em had a run in with a porcupine! Anybody else had the joy of removing quills from a dogs snout?

Re: Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 9:27 am
by TehipiteTom
My skunk experiences have all been indirect--that is, I often encounter olfactory evidence of someone (or something) else's run-in with a skunk.

Professor Brewer, however, did have a memorable skunk encounter:
We had just finished breakfast when we saw walking leisurely along the road the largest kind of a gentleman skunk. Peter started with revolver, but fired at such a respectful distance that he missed four shots, all he had loaded, and his skunkship started up the hill. Pete got the shotgun and Mike and Hoffmann joined pursuit. Hoffmann shot five revolver balls at him—all missed. I got my revolver from under my pillow—four barrels were loaded—but I ran so hard that my shots met with like success. Then an Irishman and dog joined in the pursuit, and something might have been smelt for some distance....

I had just loaded up my revolver when the party returned, the skunk still ahead, coming into the field near our tent. I again rushed to the battle, drove him from the field into the road to get him away from camp, then finished his career with two balls through him. We covered him with earth. A fragrance pervaded the valley, decidedly rank, but the hot sun and fine breeze entirely dissipated it in a few hours. Thus ended the tragedy. It made ten times the excitement of yesterday’s rattlesnake adventure.

Re: Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:17 am
by rlown
There is a skunk that lives in a drainage culvert near my pasture during the summer. I think we're friends. It's nice they are mostly nocturnal.

I did have one experience in the GarKane area in Southern Utah when hunting decades ago. We spike camped up at about 10k in late Sept. We were just waking up, when a skunk walked up to the door of the tent. Even with snow on the ground, we had the door open and only the netting closed.

It walked right up and just stared at us. My friend, Randy, says, "should i shoot it?" He had his trusty walther ppk/s with him in the tent. I just stared at him and said, "NO!"

I politely suggested to pepe le pew that he should move along. No spray. They are pretty.

Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:01 pm
by camptramp
A while back I smelled the unmistakable presence of a skunk at my foothill ranch - dogs (Catahoulas) were out scouting around, so I expected some encounter was inevitable. A while later, after dogs were through scouting around, one came back without any scent. My other came back with scent on her, so she got sprayed but like a roll in a green mushy cow pie ("Cow-vin Klein" or "Eau du Poo") she acted part of a day's work (or play)

Re: Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 6:11 am
by Snow Nymph
We have skunks that walk by our condo at night, so we did some research. they only spray when they feel threatened. They will warn you by stamping their feet and lifting their tail. Once they spray they're defenseless for about 10 days or so, until their scent glands produce enough of the offensive secretion to spray again. Their eyesight is bad but hearing and sense of smell is good. We've watched them thru the sliding glass door interacting with the raccoons. The tail is up aimed at the raccoons, and the raccoons back off. The skunks seem to like the bird seed that fall below the bird feeders. One time while backpacking I was in my bivy. A skunk ran up to the screen wehre my face was, and was waving its tail, I held my breath and tried not to move but my heart was beating pretty hard. The skunk walked away without spraying. :)

Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 6:00 am
by camptramp
Well yesterday (Tuesday) up at my ranch in broad daylight I smelled a skunk - and figured the dogs would sniff it out. Next thing I knew I saw the dogs up on the hillside one was carrying a black critter in her mouth. I felt bad that she killed it - no doubt she thought it was a strange squirrel. She got sprayed - was rubbing her snoot in the dirt - my other dog decided the scent was too good & wanted in on it - she rubbed her snoot in the same patch of dirt! I tried to clean them off but it. Did little good. Now they're asleep at my feet - & I have to smell that skunk on them until it wears off. They don't seem to care one bit.

Re: Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:21 am
by Fly Guy Dave
Hey CT-

Try the anti-skunk scent recipe on my post above. I wager you'll be happy with the results.

--F.G. Dave

Re: Skunks Run-ins

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:07 pm
by Rockchucker
Oh man a skunked just sprayed RIGHT now at my house. First I thought it was my dog but no she hadn't been outside. Next I checked the cats, nope. Now I'm out with a light checking the chickens, the smell gets stronger and stronger. But I failed to find the source, I think the stinky bugger is under my shop. :crybaby: