So far this year I have had a groundhog, a skunk and a possum living under the shed in my back yard. When the groundhog made his appearance, I called a family friend to come and deal with it. No muss, no fuss. I didn’t have to do anything more than pick up the phone. That carefree feeling didn’t last.
Not long after Mr. Groundhog was removed, new holes started appearing under the shed. My dad decided to purchase and set up a live trap. He set it up on a Friday and then left. The following Monday morning when I looked out the kitchen window, I could see there was a skunk in the trap. Well, now we knew who was digging the holes, but what was I supposed to do with a live skunk?! My dad was away, so once again I called our family friend. Getting rid of a skunk is not quite as easy as getting rid of a groundhog. There’s the stink factor to be considered.
Often times this gentleman can work his way slowly up to the cage/live trap, pick up the cage with a long pole, and gently carry it to the back of his pickup truck. (Skunks will only spray when they feel threatened.) What he does with it after leaving your house is anyone’s guess. As many people would be, I’m happier not knowing. Out of site, out of mind. This particular skunk was not going to make removal easy. He was highly agitated and there was no chance of him leaving peacefully. Unfortunately, he had to be taken care of in my backyard.
This week the holes were back and so was my dad. Much to my dismay, he once again set up the live trap. And once again, he left. I was none to pleased about the prospect of trapping another skunk while he was out of town. This morning when I looked out the kitchen window, I was quite happy not to see any telltale black and white peaking through the sides of the trap, so I went along my merry way. It wasn’t until this afternoon while I was chatting with a neighbor in my yard that I looked over at the trap and realized there was something in it. All I could see was greyish, blackish fur, and at first I thought it might be a cat. I moved in for a closer look and discovered that instead of a cat it was a possum all curled up.
What the h*ll was I going to do with a possum!!?? Luckily, my neighbor’s husband was home, and after cursing a little blue streak for being put in this predicament, I accepted his offer of assistance. He quite casually came over, loaded the live trap and its occupant into the trunk of his car and took it waaaay out in the country to be released.
I don’t enjoy the thought of killing animals. I’m one of those drivers who brakes for squirrels. And on the odd occasion when I’ve hit an animal with my car, I just feel sick about it. However, I also acknowledge that critters of all kinds are becoming terrible nuisances in towns. We seem to be overrun by squirrels and skunks and it’s a sad fact that there are times when these animals can’t simply be loaded up, driven into the country and set free. Even though I get p’d off about my dad setting the trap and leaving me to deal with it, I am glad that it is a live trap. If given the choice, I’d much prefer cleaning up a trap after a critter has been released from it than cleaning up a trap in which an animal has been killed. This trap will remain unset until my dad returns.
If you are experiencing similar problems with critters in your yard and garden, here are some links you can follow to make an online purchase of a 30″x11″x12″ Live Trap for Raccoons and Woodchucksor a 24×8x7″ Live Trap for rabbits, skunks
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