Skunks
Skunk Baits
Baiting a live skunk trap requires more than just choosing the right bait - proper baiting technique is critical to effectively catching a skunk. In addition to skunk bait suggestions, this page provides instructions on how to bait a skunk trap as well as expert tips to help make your trapping experience a success.
Best Skunk Baits
Although skunks are known to eat opportunistically, they are most attracted to oily, meat-based baits like fish and chicken. They have a strong sense of smell, so anything particularly smelly works best - even peanut butter has been proven to lure in skunks.
Favorite skunk baits include:
How to Bait a Skunk Trap
While selecting a skunk bait can be fairly simple task, positioning the bait to facilitate a capture takes strategy. Properly placing your bait is crucial to the success of trapping a skunk.
The best bait placement will:
- Lead the skunk all the way inside the trap (body and tail).
- Motivate the skunk to step on the trigger plate.
- Take into consideration the trap style (1-door vs. 2-door):
When using a 1-door trap, place the bait beyond the trigger plate, towards the back of the trap. Position it as far from the trap walls as possible to inhibit an animal from stealing it from the outside.
When using a 2-door trap, it's important to place the bait as close to the center of the trap as possible. For example, you can place bait directly on the trigger, bury it in the ground underneath the plate/trap or hang it from the top of your trap.
Expert Baiting Tips
- Prevent animals from knocking over your trap by placing a brick or weight on top of it as an anchor.
- Entice your skunk from a distance and give it a taste of what's inside the trap by creating a bait trail leading towards the trap. Be careful not to use too much bait outside of the trap so that your skunk doesn't fill up before reaching the trigger plate.
- In addition to baiting your trap, there are other critical steps and precautions that you'll need to take when trapping a skunk. Learn more by reading How to Trap a Skunk »
- Learn more tips about how to bait a live trap here »
Professional Advice on Baiting an Animal Trap
Our friend and Havahart® supporter, Billy the Exterminator, talks baiting traps.
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Ultimate Skunk Protection
Now that you’ve trapped your skunk, use a repellent to stop skunks from coming back. Using a combination of Havahart® traps and repellents gives you the maximum protection you need to keep your yard free of animal intruders.
Critter Ridder® animal repellent has dual application methods - liquid and granular - offering multi-surface or perimeter barrier protection.
