One additional bit of advice for using a live trap- stake it down. I've seen animals escape after being cought in one. In the animal's struggle the trap could flip over. The wedging bar that holds the door shut will pop loose and the perp will get out. I've seen animals as small as cottontails get out of one. The rabbit struggelled so violently it injured itself on the trip tray and left half it's fur and most of it's blood. Re-bar works great, or even a couple wooden stakes down through the mesh of the trap. Good luck with your chickens.

I put my Hav-A-Hart on a sheet of plywood with a cinder block wired on either side to keep them from tipping it. Many animals I've caught will fill the trap with dirt otherwise. Drill a hole through the plywood and fasten a tow rope for skunks. I catch them close to the house then pull them down wind a ways before shooting them. Be sure to spring your setup a couple of times to make sure everything is working right. If the critter is coming around buildings I find the cage dosen't bother them much.

I seriously doubt it was a skunk,,They're a scavenger/bug eater,,,more of a benificial than a pest.Don't use canned cat food for bait as they seem to adore the stuff.Makeminestainless,If you enjoy yellow jackets,and,other ground burrowing flying stinging incects,,,keep killing your skunks,,,That is unless you're operating a honeybee facility,,then I could understand.If you can not trap for the offending subject,timing is a major factor,and animals are just as habitual as humans,,I'm shure those chickens did a good bit of squaking while the offence was taking place ,Food for thought.Clay

Much good advice here, especially the part about waiting until the bubbles stop. When baiting live traps I like a can of tuna with just a few cuts in the lid. You'd be surprised how many cats one can of tuna can catch! Oh, and it's good to finally gain some respectability.
We of the Cat Forum are a bunch of jokesters for sure, however, we are also a fount of useful info when the chips are down. OOOHRAAAH!

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No flames here, Gambler.

Just seems like 2/3rds full would allow the subject to float too close to the top and possibly jump to safety. Undesirable.

Great trick. I like it.

Well I have confirmed its not a cat. Its a long tailed weasel. Im going to setup the trashcan trap. Ive got everything I need to do it and I dont have to wait for the live trap to get here.

fellers, skunks are easy if you know how. 'course, most things are easy if you know how. It the skunk to trap fit is tight enough, the skunk can't spray becuase he can't lift his tail. However if you shoot him in the trap he may vent his glands (that's a nice way of saying "piss to high heaven"). That's where the crick and bubbles comes in. If the cage is big enough for him to lift his tail, he'll spray if he can see you close enough to hit. Throw a blanket over the trap and you can carry it anywhere. If you want to turn him loose, take him where you want him and reach over the cage from the back (with the blanket still over it) and open the door. The skunk will walk out and keep going. You want to be still until he's out of range. Or you can let him get out a ways and then shoot him.

Mr. beemanbeme:
Sounds like you have experience in such matters.
I was just wondering how many skunks you have tucked in under a blanket.