I have a delicate situation. I've had a live trap, a Havahart trap by name, set for several days in the hopes of catching a groundhog and/or racoon that have been pestering me.

I've caught the same opposum twice (yea, a really stupid one). This morning I found I've caught a skunk.

So...how do I get the skunk out of the trap without being squirted? My wife says she won't love me if I smell like skunk. I would probably have to sleep in the barn for a week or two. They probably wouldn't like me at work either.

All means, lethal and non lethal considered. I would just as soon not damage my trap.

not to steal Walters thunder-- but a .22 rifle and shooting from 20 yards to kill the skunk is a great idea. then drag the trap to a neighbors yard you don't like and empty it there.

There was a guy at my place today who said the key to success was not to "alarm" the skunk. The space between the wire of the trap on the sides is a tiny bit more than .22 caliber wide. If all wasn't lined up perfectly, not only would I damage the trap but the skunk might be alarmed with unwanted consequences.

Where is Walter when we need him? Saeed said "all" questions would be answered.

Two days and no answer from Walter. Is he OK? Maybe his plan was to let the skunk die of thirst or starvation? I thought "all questions" would be answered.

Walter is a grandad!

His daughter had a baby son, and he has gone to visit her in Chile.

I spoke to him last night, and he says the baby looks precisely like him - if he had a mostache and beard!

His daughter promised not to let her son grow a beard!

Congratulate Walter for me.

By the way, I managed to release the skunk from the trap without his assistance.

Congrats on the progeny!

Take a blaket and slowly walk up to the cage. Drape the blanket over the cage,pick up the cage and take it to a pond or lake. Drop the trap into the lake. After a few minutes take the cage out and your problems are solved. Just make sure the water is deeper than the top of your trap. I was told that if you shot the skunk between the eyes and kill it instantly, there would be no smell. Don't beleive it! I shot the mother and three little ones. All head shots and instant death. It smelled so bad that I had to take a shovel and get rid of the dirt.

I didn't have a handy lake though I'm sure you plan would work.

I approached the trap from the side where the door was down. The skunk was sleeping. Did you know that skunks sleep with their tail up over their heads covering their eyes?

My problem was that there is a latch on the trap that has to be pulled up to release a bar on door. Then the bar has to be pulled up a bit and finally the door has to be pulled up to open.

With a stealth born of looking in kids ears without waking them up, I approached the trap and hooked one end of a bungee cord to the wire of the trap and the other end over the front of the trap and attached it to the door. I then released the latch, pulled the bar and door up a bit and the bungee held the door up while I retreated.

The skunk was not even aware the trap had been opened. It stayed in the trap about an hour and a half before discovering it was free. I wonder if Walter could have come up with a better plan.