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A lot of times, a skunk that has become a pest would wander into open outhouses, and leave its persistent, musky smell everywhere it visits – under a building, shed, porch, or even a woodpile. Skunks tend to dig small, cone-shaped holes in the lawn and eat low garden crops; they destroy landscape when they dig under grass to search for worms and insects to eat.
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HOW TO GET SKUNK OUT FROM UNDER A SHED OR PORCH - Despite helping in the control of other common insect and rodent pests, homeowners are very wary of the skunk’s propensity to release a pungent defensive spray when it feels threatened. Fortunately, the prominent white and black coloration of the skunk’s coat makes it easily recognizable so that potential victims can escape the obnoxious secretion.
Getting rid of a skunk that has taken up residence in your outhouse frequently requires a combination of prevention and exclusion strategies, with humane removal. Live skunk trapping is one of the most effective ways to control skunk although the challenge for most people is in not wanting to get sprayed. It is however very possible to trap and remove a skunk without getting sprayed. Read the guide Is It Legal To Trap A Skunk?
1. Setting a Trap
Several skunk repellent products are available commercially including predator urine, mothballs, ammonia, and pepper spray. However, live-trapping and removal is the only fool-proof method to get rid of skunk. Most of these repellents do not work and only constitute a waste of time.
Homeowners should also avoid using poison or other inhumane means to get rid of their skunk pests. There really is no need to kill the skunk under a porch, plus it almost always sprays when it is killed, leaving you with a dreadful odor and a carcass.
Exclusion Strategies - When you have successfully removed a skunk living under your deck, shed, or other structure, it is important that you install an exclusion barrier - steel mesh around the perimeter of the structure. Whatever you do, just be sure to block unwanted access to your porch or deck.
A note of caution: skunks are rarely active during the day and while the sighting of one in daytime may only be due to hunger, it may also mean that the skunk is rabid! Look out for signs like circling movements, disorientation, limb weakness, unusual boldness or unusual tameness. If any of these abnormal behaviors is observed, you must not attempt to get rid of the skunk by yourself, but alert your local animal department, a wildlife expert, or the police department for help.
A skunk under a shed or deck can leave droppings behind. To identify them, see pictures of skunk poop. For more information about skunks under a deck or shed, go to my skunk removal information page.