Need advice on skinning skunks

[Cameroo]

Call me a dog, but I actually like the smell of skunk.  From a distance at least.  I've never been sprayed, but I imagine at that concentration it might be a little overwhelming...

I like Gus's suggestion, let Diego have a go at them 

[Outbackbob48]

Cameroo, Overwhelming is an understatement, when you get the full up close dose it takes your breath away and if it gets in your eyes can cause temp blindness. I once got some skunk leakage on my green hip boots and there was a permant spot on the boots , Took the Green color out of the rubber forever, just left a pale yellow spot. Seems like a totally different smell to me when  you are in close and get hit.  A little side note, skunk essence used to be used in the perfume trade and was worth more than a prime skunk pelt. hmmmm

[Cameroo]

Would not surprise me if it was still used in perfumes.  Another random side note - an extract from a beaver's castor glands (AKA butt juice) is used in perfumes, and also as a "natural flavor" ingredient in food.  Apparently it tastes like raspberries... I can't imagine how that was discovered?!?

[DGF]

I seem to recall people talking of soaking them in a moving stream for a few days prior to skinning to help with the scent already present. Whatever you do, best of luck witht hose glands!   

-Dan

[bowtarist]

"hose glands!"  Hope it doesn't turn into that!!! 

Total difference in smell from a skunk hit on the road from aways away and the actual wet spray. Burning difference.

Dogs might like the smell of it, but I've never seen a dog carry a dead skunk home, but had many dogs at home that smell like skunk.  Same dogs would bring home dead mature racoons...just sayin.   

[4dog]

loooooong stick.....and really sharp knife....lol

[Outbackbob48]

At one time Beaver Castor was about $40/ lb, I probably got 2# in the freezer, Every 6-8 beaver is like gettin a free one. Kept wondering why my frozen sweet corn taste like raspberry's I did not know Castor was also used in perfums I thought all the Castor's were used in trapping lures. If I'm not careful gonna learn something everyday. Bob

[RyanR]

put a clothespin on your nose lol

LOL Then you will have to breath through your mouth. You will taste it then. What you need is one of those self contained breathing apparatuses. I took one out of a trap once and stayed up wind the whole time. My clothes still smelled like skunk for two weeks.

[mcginnis6010]

Ive yet to have one spray or leak out on me (thank goodness), but i have had some spray after dispatching. That why now if im looking to trap skunk on purpose ill set box traps then when they're caught i drape an old blanket over them and carry'em to my 55 gallon drum full of water and put them in anus first with just their head above water so they cant spray then dispatch them with my trusty old pellet gun right between the eyes. Its an instant death so no suffering.

[Don Case]

Would not surprise me if it was still used in perfumes.  Another random side note - an extract from a beaver's castor glands (AKA butt juice) is used in perfumes, and also as a "natural flavor" ingredient in food.  Apparently it tastes like raspberries... I can't imagine how that was discovered?!?

How many people just swore off raspberry flavored stuff?

[Stoker]

A old trapper I knew years ago.. Said he skinned them under water in a tub.. A little vineager won't hurt...
Thanks Leroy

[Gus]

Thanksgiving 1975...
A date that will be burned into my memory till the end of my days...

Something... had dug a big hole up under the slab of our house two nights before.
So my Pop had me set a muskrat trap (spring trap) just inside the hole Wednesday afternoon.
Later that night Mom was cooking the Turkey and Dressing for friends and family coming in to have dinner with us.
And Man, was it smelling Good...
About midnight the dog started going ballistic. So Pop and I, armed with a Flashlight, Benjaman Pellet gun and a Machete and the dog went out to check the trap.

At this point we still didn't know what we had

Pop had the light and Pellet Gun.
I had the Machete and the dog.

As I laid a hand on the Tight chain, the dog lunged and barked down the hole, and out popped the Biggest Skunk I've ever seen...
And understandably, he came out fighting.
It was Pandemonium...

Pop missed his shot...
And I had the skunk by the chain... never thought to just let it go and run... I was 8.
Circling, the dog is trying to get at the skunk.
Pop's pumping the Benjaman, light flailing all over.
The skunk is bowed up on the dog.
And I'm trying to get an angle on the skunk with the Machete...
Then for a brief instant I got a clear shot on the skunk in the moon light and dispatched him with a clean stroke.

The whole sorted affair couldn't have taken more than five minutes.
But at the time it seemed like an hour...
As we stepped back to try to catch our breath all we could do was cough and gag.
The Skunk, fighting for his life, had managed to spray the three of us.

I'll never forget that smell...
The smell of Skunk and Turkey Dinner cooking...

Mom had to pack everything up and move down the road to a friends place to finish cooking.
Pop the dog and I were not invited...

-gus

[Stoker]

I feel your pain Gus...
July 10/13
After driving 14 hours from the B.C. coast home.. We unload the truck.. Ms. Kerrie lets Luke out to see me.. He's ripping the house apart... So I take him out for a little walk.. Thinking the stretch could do me some good... 200yards from home.. Luke puts the run on a black and white kitty... Mama and 4 little ones.. He is 5 yards in front of me... She stopped turned locked and loaded.... BAM instant stink... Mama takes off in the creek bottom we head for high ground... Too late... 11pm knocking on my own back door asking my dearest ifin she go to the grocery store and get mater juice... Just what I wanted to do bath a Irish setter and myself in the back yard.. 2 showers with lemon juice Still had to sleep on the couch...
Thanks Leroy

[4dog]

but the skin sure is purty

[bowtarist]

So Cip....have you skinned um yet?