North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Douglas Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org>]

Jim, I've met a fair number of skunks through the years riding my bike 
at night through suburbia, some at fairly close range, 30 feet or so.
They seldom seem much bothered. They usually take evasive action, 
calmly. I've seen one move hastily away, and one take up a firing 
position. I always visibly move away as soon as I see them. They seem to 
recognize this.

I recall from ~55 years ago meeting a skunk soon after after dawn when I 
was delivering papers, and calling my cautiously interested Shetland 
Sheepdog away. The skunk kept an eye on him but did not seem much bothered.

A skunk that has fired off all of its ammunition is easy meat, so they 
don't like to fire unles they have to. They generally seem calm and 
self-confident.

I suggest that you whistle or sing at night, keep your eyes peeled and 
be glad of the bug eating allies.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada


Jim Fruth wrote:
>     Pet food had been disappearing overnight for several weeks so I decided 
> to put a live trap out to see who my nocturnal visitors were.  The trap was 
> sprung several times before I caught a (young) skunk - now they won't go 
> near the live trap or the bait (dog food) that we used.  Once we saw momma 
> skunk scurrying out of the yard (under a gate).
>     I put sills under all of the gates and now they are burrowing under the 
> woven wire fence.  When I plug one hole, they burrow another.  I can't put 
> sills under 1,000+ feet of fence.  I baited them with Decon Rat Poison mixed 
> in jelly and they ate the jelly leaving the Decon pellets.
>     The skunks don't seem to be doing any damage but the thought of 
> accidentally running into one gives me the creeps.  I have water set out for 
> the honeybees (I have three hives) but the water bowls are atop 5-gallon 
> pails; can skunks reach that high?  Could they be in the orchard because of 
> being able to get a regular drink?  Otherwise, the worst damage they have 
> done (besides the under-the-fence-holes) is tiny holes as though they dug up 
> an acorn that some squirrel might have hidden.  The strawberries will be 
> ripe soon and I wonder if they will eat them.  What would you do in this 
> situation?
>
> Jim Fruth
> Brambleberry Farm
> Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
> For jams, jellies & syrups:
> www.bberryfarm.com
> (877)265-6856 [Store]
> (218)831-7018 [My Cell]