Problem Skunks and Opossums

[Jay]

Anyone else had problems with these critters going after your birds?

I shot one skunk last season outside my mews. He was snooping around just after dark. But this was the only problem I had untill last night.

Last night I went out at dusk to put my bird away who had been weathering since I got out of school. I found my bird facing away from me an a large opossum sneaking up behind. When I opened the door the bird turned around and saw the opossum and puffed right up. The opossum being what it was decided to play dead, giving me time to grab my Benjamin air rifle that I keep right inside my back door. It just layed there as I loaded in a 8grain hollow point pumped it 10 times, I walked out 3ft from the thing and performed brain surgery with my .177 pellet traveling at 900fps.

Tonight around the same time I headed out to put the bird away again. This time there was my bird in a stand off with a skunk. When I opened the door the thing spayed stinking up most of my yard and the bird. Again I grabbed my handy Benjamin and headed the skunk off. They stop when cornered which is what I did to this one. He stopped 10ft from me making my second brain surgery in 24hours a marvoulus success.

I dont know why but I decided to load up another round and check around my mews. Just as I stepped into them I heard sumthing under the floor, then the smell of skunk spray hit me and I heard him run out. He ran the only way he could inbetween my barn and side fence. I ran around the barn and as soon as he imerged I stood up from behind my car no more than 6ft from him and performed my third brain surgery. This one had a few complications as I had a lighter pellet. The skunk sprayed before going down, and I put one more pellet in him. So so far in the bast 24hours I am up to 2 skunks and a opossum.


Here is a pic of my Benjamin air rifle and another pic of a skunk I took last year with a crossman.

[Ooby]

Instead of shooting them, why don't you go get some moth balls and spread them around the mews.

That will keep both possums and skunks out. And it won't bother your bird at all.

[Jay]

I shoot them because I seek a more perminant soulution. Nothing more perminant than being dead.

Also moth balls have not helped. I have tried tossing them around their dens but the next day the den is dug out more and the mothballs covered. They live under my barn and all around my area. If they were coming from another location mothballs are great but when they are already established they are of almost no use. We have tried everything, trapping, shooting, prevention, but they keep coming back.

[Minca]

How bout getting a big dog, it seems to help keeping deer out of gardens.... ;D

[00 Turok]

Unless the species becomes extinct, no solution is truely perminant. Just make sure you take super careful aim and nail them at the base of the skull. Skunks have a tendancy to spray if not killed instantly. I shot one wandering around mid day, in the head, and that thing sprayed its entire load as it twiched and spasmed. Stunk for 2 whole weeks.

[wildchild]

You have to get rid of what is attracting them to the mews in the first place. For everyone you shoot another will move in and the cycle continues.
There must be old food attracting the animals to the mews in the first place. I suggest removing any old uneaten food, your hawk is not going to eat after dark anyway.
If you have a pet (dog or cat) and you leave food out for them overnight that is a big attraction for wild creatures. This time of year fruit trees attract them too.
Skunks and opoossums aren't naturally aggressive unless provoked.
Other things that attract them to backyards are places to sleep and/or raise their babies. Wood piles, sheds, etc. They like warm, dark and quiet areas to sleep.To keep them from enjoying those places, put a bright light in the area they are frequenting or play a loud radio.
To keep them from getting in the mews, I put a layer of chicken wire on the floor and cover with gravel or dirt. They can't dig through that.
good luck in the future.

[Weasel]

Good sound advise Wildchild.
Cheers,
Weasel