Skunks are most active during certain parts of the year:
- In late winter-early spring during breeding season
- In the summer after females have give birth
- In the fall as they prepare for hibernation
Skunks are primarily nocturnal, so they come out at night.
You will see skunks in the day if:
- Female is foraging for juveniles
- Their den has been distrubed
- Food is scarce
Love isn’t the only thing in the air. Valentine’s Day is the unofficial start of skunk season! Skunk mating season for striped skunks usually starts in mid-February and runs until mid-March. Skunks spend the coldest part of winter hunkered down in a state of torpor. So they’re starting to look for food sources, and female skunks are looking for safe denning locations to give birth.
How Can I Tell if Skunks Are in the Yard?
No one will have to tell you; you’ll know. You will smell it. A skunk spray has a strong, pungent aroma.
Fortunately, skunks usually do not enter a home. You’ll find them denning under porches and decks, under sheds, inside a crawlspace, or under an HVAC unit. A skunk spray can waft into your home or (even worse) can get pulled inside by your HVAC or furnace. The smell will permeate into every corner of your house.
Be on the lookout for signs of skunks.
Skunks only spray as a last resort. They have poor eyesight, so it is easy for people and pets to accidentally stumble upon a skunk denning on the property.
You will get one last warning before a skunk sprays you — hissing and stomping their hind feet.
Other Signs of Skunks
A skunk spray is the most obvious sign of a skunk, but there are some other ways to tell whether skunks are under the house or in the yard.
Skunk Tracks
The footprints they leave behind aren’t as easy to distinguish from other animals. Raccoon and skunk tracks are similar, as both pests have five toes. Because both are nocturnal, homeowners are unlikely to see them during the day. As a result, people may need to rely on tracks and other signs to decide whether they have a skunk or raccoon problem.
Skunk Droppings vs Cat Poop
Skunk poop looks like cat poop. Skunk scat is tube-shaped with blunt ends and a smooth surface. The only way to differentiate between feline and skunk feces is to look inside. Unlike cats, skunks eat fruit, berries, and insects, which are visible in their scat.
Four Ways to Keep Skunks Away
Do Not Feed Skunks.
Easy access to food sources can contribute to skunks losing their fear of humans and attract more skunks to your yard. If you have pets, feed them inside, or clean up any spilled or uneaten food before dusk. Keep pet food stored in secure containers.
Block Access to Denning Sites
You can easily block off access to denning sites with ¼-inch hardware cloth, boards, or metal flashing. Skunks will readily den under houses, sheds, or porches if given the chance. Close off these areas. Make all connections flush and secure, and you’ll keep out smaller animals like mice and rats, too.
Protect Your Lawn.
Lawns—especially newly created ones—are immensely attractive to skunks because of the access to water and food sources. New lawns tend to be heavily watered and loaded with insect larvae, worms, and grubs.
Call a Professional.
The best way to trap a skunk without getting sprayed is to call a professional. Not only that, skunks are one of the most common U.S. animals to carry rabies. Do not handle a skunk!
Unsure what animal is causing a problem?
Call Trutech in To Get Skunks Out
For over 40 years, the experts at Trutech have been helping protect homeowners’ property from nuisance wildlife infestations. We can safely identify the location of the skunk den and remove the animal harmlessly without anyone having to get sprayed. We’ll secure the areas under your porch, deck, and shed to make sure no other critter can move into the empty burrow.
