Nighttime Capture of Striped Skunks in Louisiana

On 115 hunting trips, made at night over a 4-year period, 808 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) were captured alive and uninjured. Equipment used to capture these animals included a four-wheel drive truck, a skunk bag, plywood transport boxes, and head lamps. Two persons were required to capture skunks by this method. One person drove the truck at 10-20 mph along the flood-control levees or in open areas such as pastures and fields. The other person stood on a platform, prepared to capture the skunks as they were located. When a skunk was seen, the driver drove alongside the animal. The capturer jumped off the truck and placed the skunk bag over the animal. All skunks were transferred to plywood boxes and transported to the laboratory. None emitted musk while in transit. Nylon nets were also used on these hunts to capture 495 opossums, 216 armadillos, 12 raccoons, and 4 rabbits.