Morality of Drowning Skunks

[Sailboat]

OK, I started posting at a different forum. It’s a very conservative one, from what I can see. It has a huge section devoted to gun and rifle collecting, so it’s definately not a namby pamby site. I don’t personally own a gun and am probably less conservative than a lot of guys at that site.

I mentioned that I have drowned alot of skunks on my property. They were a major problem for me, and I’ve probably killed more than 75 of them over the past 12 years. I inherited a terrible problem because of two factors. Ist of all, the house next door had been a rental, before part of it burned and we bought it. Secondly, there is a hippy lady down the alley that thinks lots of skunks fights off rabid animals, and she feeds them.

A few times, when we left our doors open on a hot summer evening, skunks marched right into our house. They wiped out about 10 young chickens that weren’t roosting yet. They are vicious, indiscriminant killers, and killed them all in one night, not even eating most of them. They got under the house and stunk up the house. The list of their crimes goes on and on.

I started out by shooting them on sight, then went to trapping them in a live animal trap and shooting them. Then my 22 rifle broke and I borrowed a handgun from a friend, but then my neighbor complained and actually shooting a gun is illegal within city limits, although it was the lady at city office that suggested a 22, since skunks are such a nuisance here. So, I bought a special skunk trap that is enclosed so you can pick it up and transport them to a water tub, and I started drowning them.

Now, you ask, why don’t you take them to the woods. Well, there’s a reason why you don’t see skunks in the woods. It’s because there isn’t much food there for them to reproduce at the rate that a town will provide. So, they’ll either move back to town, or if you take them out far enough, most likely they will starve. They also find many nice places to hibernate in town, under old sheds, etc.

Well, on this site, some people got outraged, even though there are alot of hunters there and supporters of the NRA. They have a reputation system and I got negative reputation big time, although it was outweighed by positive. Still, I was really shocked at the reaction. I like the site still, but I didn’t know that a bunch of conservative gunlovers would take offence to drowning skunks.

What do you all think?

 

[tamccrackine]

I have to laugh. I’m sorry… I got into a super huge debate about a very, very similar situation (only difference was this lady’s grandma was doing the same thing to squirrels). I don’t have a care in the world for animals that are coming into my home and causing destruction, to include their ability to harbor diseases that can harm/possibly kill my family. On the other site, the mama wanted to report her 85 year old grandma to the authorities for animal cruelty for doing this to squirrels that had damaged her home, yada yada yada. (The people that supported this mama are the same ones that wouldn’t blink an eye at supporting or having an abortion )

Anyway… in my not so humble opinion, it’s a situation that you’ve found the only solution. Call me inhumane, but I don’t think it inhumane to have to terminate the life of an animal that is indiscriminately causing problems (not like they understand anyway).

BTW…FWIW… I own a few guns, hunt, support the NRA, etc. Check local laws about animal cruelty though and if there aren’t any other outlets to get support for this problem, I’d just keep doing what you’ve been doing because the animals will either die out from you getting ahold of them or they’ll move to another location.

Good luck!

 

[helgasdogs]

What do you all think?

I think drowning is not a pleasant way to die, and that you should locate another .22 to use.

If you’re not familiar with it, the proper way to execute an animal that will in any way stay still, with a firearm is to draw a line from its ear to its opposite eye, and vice versa; place the barrel in the crux of the lines, angling it so it goes through the back of the head.

I mercy-killed a bee today, but that was considerably mechanically easier, just a quick sliding stomp to obliterate it instantaneously.

 

[Sailboat]

Oh, I forgot to mention that the reason the house next door contributed to the problem was when we bought the house, we found a large outbuilding filled almost to the brim with garbage.

They also started getting into my basement throught the cat door, and other offensive things. Anyways, at this point in time, after many years, I have gotten it down to setting the trap once or twice around this time of year, to keep them from settling in for the winter under one of my sheds. I moved my chicken coop to a more fortress like situation and took other preventative measures.

I also had to trap a couple of skunks at the church, Father had no problem with my drowning them, he was happy to get rid of them.

I have to laugh. I’m sorry… I got into a super huge debate about a very, very similar situation (only difference was this lady’s grandma was doing the same thing to squirrels). I don’t have a care in the world for animals that are coming into my home and causing destruction, to include their ability to harbor diseases that can harm/possibly kill my family. On the other site, the mama wanted to report her 85 year old grandma to the authorities for animal cruelty for doing this to squirrels that had damaged her home, yada yada yada. (The people that supported this mama are the same ones that wouldn’t blink an eye at supporting or having an abortion )

Anyway… in my not so humble opinion, it’s a situation that you’ve found the only solution. Call me inhumane, but I don’t think it inhumane to have to terminate the life of an animal that is indiscriminately causing problems (not like they understand anyway).

BTW…FWIW… I own a few guns, hunt, support the NRA, etc. Check local laws about animal cruelty though and if there aren’t any other outlets to get support for this problem, I’d just keep doing what you’ve been doing because the animals will either die out from you getting ahold of them or they’ll move to another location.

Good luck!

 

[mommyof4]

My only advise is to find out if there are any city ordinances that would prevent you from either shooting or drowning them. I really don’t think that what you are doing is wrong, and, from what you’ve explained, it really is a nuicence. You have a right to protect your family and property from being damaged by animals. If there is nothing legally keeping you from doing either thing, then I say go for it. I just don’t want to see some post telling us that you have gotten 3-5 for cruelty to animals!

 

[Sailboat]

I think drowning is not a pleasant way to die, and that you should locate another .22 to use.

If you’re not familiar with it, the proper way to execute an animal that will in any way stay still, with a firearm is to draw a line from its ear to its opposite eye, and vice versa; place the barrel in the crux of the lines, angling it so it goes through the back of the head.

I mercy-killed a bee today, but that was considerably mechanically easier, just a quick sliding stomp to obliterate it instantaneously.

Yes, that was their objection, that drowning is unpleasant. But shooting is out of the question because it upsets the neighbors and they could report me. I don’t like to transport them because my pickup has a camper on it now. I guess I could put them on top of the camper. It really upsets the skunk to be transported though.

 

[mommyof4]

**I moved my chicken coop to a more fortress like situation and took other preventative measures.
**
You raise chickens too? What kind? We have the “Easter Egg” Chickens - americanas - along with Rhode Island Reds, and we have one HUGE Buff Orpington. He’s a beauty.

Sorry - totally off topic, but it’s not everyday that I find someone else who raises chickens.
**
I also had to trap a couple of skunks at the church, Father had no problem with my drowning them, he was happy to get rid of them.**

I hope the priest gave them the last rights?

 

[gogogirl]

I don’t see a problem with it at all. My dad lives on quite a bit of property and they have been having problems with coons and possums getting their chickens. Their has been a lot of building in their area so a lot of these animals are getting displaced and going wherever they can to find food. My dad used to trap them and we would take them to the local college campus and let them loose because the area was heavily wooded and there were lots of dumpsters to eat out of.

After a while, they couldn’t keep up with them so my dad started shooting them because for every one he took off another 2 or 3 would come back. I see absolutely nothing wrong with drowning them if you can’t shoot them. I have also seen my dad put nuissance animals in a box and then put it up to the tail pipe of a car and asphyxiate them. I don’t know if that is more or less painful or humane than drowning but it is an option.

 

[Sailboat]

I don’t see a problem with it at all. My dad lives on quite a bit of property and they have been having problems with coons and possums getting their chickens. Their has been a lot of building in their area so a lot of these animals are getting displaced and going wherever they can to find food. My dad used to trap them and we would take them to the local college campus and let them loose because the area was heavily wooded and there were lots of dumpsters to eat out of.

After a while, they couldn’t keep up with them so my dad started shooting them because for every one he took off another 2 or 3 would come back. I see absolutely nothing wrong with drowning them if you can’t shoot them. I have also seen my dad put nuissance animals in a box and then put it up to the tail pipe of a car and asphyxiate them. I don’t know if that is more or less painful or humane than drowning but it is an option.

Yes, I heard about that method. I’ll have to look into it. I tried putting a plastic bag about the cage, but the skunk ripped it to shreds. The idea was to asphixiate it slowly by first putting it to sleep.

 

[Sailboat]

I just don’t want to see some post telling us that you have gotten 3-5 for cruelty to animals!

Yes, that would be regretable.

 

[mommyof4]

Yes, that would be regretable.

Of course, you could call my husband for some free legal advise - as I said in another thread, he’ll help anyone out! A lot of times for free!

 

[gogogirl]

Yes, I heard about that method. I’ll have to look into it. I tried putting a plastic bag about the cage, but the skunk ripped it to shreds. The idea was to asphixiate it slowly by first putting it to sleep.

I trapped a possum once and that thing grabbed anything and everything within its reach. It tore up the trunk of my car. One more reason not to transport and just kill them onsite.

I think my dad just found a really large box and dumped them in it cage and all and then put it up to the tailpipe of his truck and let the car run till it died. I don’t know the specifics because it has been a while.

 

[tamccrackine]

It really upsets the skunk to be transported though.

as I’m sure their lil enclosed swimming experience has a calming effect…

this thread has me laughing… I bet this is a better response than what you got on the other board, eh?

 

[Island_Oak]

Jedd Clampitt L I V E S. Seriously…who bemoans the loss of a skunk, for heavens sake!?! We had them in scads when we lived in the Chicago 'burbs–much less the countryside–I would have welcomed a willing exterminator they are such a nuisance. Good riddance, I say.

 

[helgasdogs]

Yes, that was their objection, that drowning is unpleasant. But shooting is out of the question because it upsets the neighbors and they could report me. I don’t like to transport them because my pickup has a camper on it now. I guess I could put them on top of the camper. It really upsets the skunk to be transported though.

What about a garotte? That would knock it out in a hurry and would be mostly bloodless.

 

[Sailboat]

Can you ask your dad for more details. If anyone knows anything about the tailpipe method causing less suffering, I’d be interested. I was a little uncomfortable with the drowning method, if you honestly want to know. But, I didn’t know what else to do. One nice thing about it, you don’t smell them after they die, because when you shoot them, they always spray. My other neighbor didn’t really care to smell that when I was shooting them.

 

[mommyof4]

What if someone from PETA finds this thread?!

We could all be in BIG trouble.

 

[Sailboat]

Well, the whole idea is to not get sprayed during the procedure. When I went to drowning I had to order a special skunk trap that’s a live animal trap, but enclosed on all sides except the front. That’s so you can pick up the trap without getting sprayed.

Yes, Island, I was pretty shocked that a bunch of gun lovers would be such bleeding hearts for nasty, viscious skunks. It’s not as if hunters hit on the mark every time. Sometimes they just injure the deer.

In other respects, I’m totally into animal rights to be treated humanely, but after my horrible experience with these skunks, I developed an emnity with them.

 

[tamccrackine]

What about wrapping the live cage you have in a very large plastic tarp or trash bag, and securing it to the tail pipe? (Or having a hose already on the tailpipe- or something that wouldn’t melt from the heat) and funneling that into the bag?

PETA going to charge me with having an opinion?

 

[Catholig]

Sailboat - I don’t know what to tell you. It’s not my property, or my problem, and I don’t even know what I’d do in your situation, but drowning a skunk doesn’t sound awful nice (to mention it the methodical way of shooting a skunk in the head didn’t sound too good either). Maybe you could get an animal center to deal with some of them, or remove their scent glands, and sell them as pets?

As for the morality of killing them, God wouldn’t have created skunks unless he had a purpose for them, and even though you probably won’t go to hell for drowning them would it not be nicer to treat them with respect when you can? Again maybe animal control can do something. Or at least humanely euthanise them.

Catholig