Thursday, April 3, 2008 9:08 PM CDT
No skunks in my family, please
By DAVE SHADOW, Hunting and fishing columnist
Once every so often, one has to acknowledge the existence of an “undesirable” family member. Our great-great grandfather may have been a horse thief, or grandma may have worked in a saloon in the old West. These seem to be acceptable family relationships compared to accepting a skunk into the fold.
No one seems to welcome the poor old skunk. He’s reasonably attractive, with glossy black and white fur that is super-soft at birth and gets a bit coarser with age. He’s a very quiet guest, no barking, meowing or whatever. He’s pretty much a solitary critter but can be domesticated when handled properly. Why, it’s even rumored that Winston Churchill kept a pet skunk. Why wouldn’t everyone want one? Just one little flaw or two, and he’s instantly an outcast.
It was thought that skunks belonged to the mustelidae family of weasels and related animals, but alas, they didn’t want them either. They may still belong there, but their relation doesn’t claim them? Some others believe them in the family mephitidae. After all there are 11 different species of skunks. Outcasts again! They are mammals and are sometimes called “polecats” because of their resemblance to the European polecat. Again, a once-thought relative that no longer claims him.
The reluctance to be included in everyone’s family pictures and possibly holiday get-togethers seems to stem from one little flaw. Even though they tend to be gluttonous feeders and become grossly overweight, unless exercised regularly, that’s still not their greatest fault.
They simply smell bad!
Their horrid odor is not a result of what they eat since their diet varies with the seasons from insects and larvae to salamanders, frogs, berries, snakes, birds and most anything else available. They do not hibernate in the winter but become much less active, and sometimes one male may huddle with as many as a dozen females for the added warmth. Is this lucky, or what? They have excellent hearing and a keen sense of smell event though they “smell bad.”. If you think about it, they smell good even when they smell bad.
They breed in the spring, which may explain the much larger frequency in my neighborhood in the past few weeks. I’m told that one neighbor had one in his garage that was also an unwelcome guest after tangling with the family dog. The gestation period is 66 days when they give birth to four to seven kits. The kits are blind and deaf and covered with soft fur at birth. The male plays no part in child-rearing, and the offspring stay with their mother for approximately a year, when they are ready to breed.
Their most notorious feature and that which makes them so unwelcome in everyone’s group is a very distinctive defensive weapon originating with two anal glands. When excited or aggravated they will usually run unless cornered, at which time they raise their tail and fire some of the most vile smelling substance you can imagine at the source of their concern. They can fire with considerable accuracy at targets up to 15 feet away. These two glands, one on each side of the anus, provide double-barreled protection from almost any of their attackers. Interestingly, skunks do not spray each other even when fighting during courting battles, etc. They bite and scratch, however, with devastating results. Most predators will avoid rather than attack a skunk. One exception to this is the great horned owl. He may be their most successful predator since he has almost no sense of smell.
How to get rid of the smell
Some say that tomato juice will remove the smell. That doesn’t work, according to my sources. The tomato juice simply reduces your ability to smell the odor; everyone else can still smell it. (olfactory fatigue) One accepted method seems to work best and be much more effective. According to Paul Krebaum in the August issue of Popular Science, a mixture of one quart of (3 percent) hydrogen peroxide, one-quarter cup of baking soda and one teaspoon of liquid soap provides the best results. I looked up the logic to this and believe that it should work since it affects the different chemicals in a more logical sense. Use all of this mix and then discard it. Do not attempt to store this concoction in a closed container as it could explode due to the expanding gasses created.
Just in case you’re contemplating a pet skunk, they are illegal in many states, although it is more commonplace in the United Kingdom. Also, take some care in contacting these critters in that they are more likely to carry rabies than most others. As I said earlier, it seems to me that the population is up in Central Illinois, much to the dismay of our locals residents. If you have one under a building or other similar spot that you wish to leave, try a bag of moth balls or a cloth soaked with ammonia. Tie a string to the cloth or bag for removal ease. If you encounter a skunk, simply, stay calm, move slowly and realize that he can’t see you till he’s within just a few feet. Make a little noise and he will probably just go away. Otherwise, enjoy seeing another of nature’s beautiful and innovative creatures.
It’s faith, family and fishin’.
Dave Shadow is the Journal Gazette/Times-Courier’s hunting and fishing columnist.
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