How to get Skunk Out from Under a Shed or Porch

There is nothing worse than finding that an animal has made up residence under your porch or in your shed. This makes getting a tool out of your shed or walking out your back door and adventure you simply do not need in your home. Many animals are quite messy and destructive, and they carry disease and parasites that make their presence a hazard for the look of your home and the health of your family.

Need help? We service over 300 US cities. Click here for a wildlife removal company in your town.

Now imagine that little pesky is a skunk. That only makes the problem way worse. Not only do you have to worry about the horrible mess and disease, but you also have to worry about opening your shed to pull out the lawn mower, alarming the beast, and finding yourself sprayed with the most pungent aroma imaginable. Even if you are not the recipient of their spray, your pets can easily find themselves the ones that are sprayed by this liquid.



Removal of these critters from these areas of your home should most definitely become a priority. But you may wonder how you can accomplish this. Here are some ways to get these horrible creatures away from your homes.

The first place to begin is to remove all food sources. You are only going to have so much success getting rid of these creatures if there are places for them to go and eat. This means that garbage cans need to be secure, pet dishes moved away, animal feeders put out of reach, and gardens made secure. The skunk will keep looking for room if your home if you don’t take these steps.

Your next step is to lure the skunk away so you can close off its home. This starts by first determining how you will keep the critter out. For example, if the skunk is getting into the shed then you will need to see if there is a hole or crack in the shed that is allowing entrance. Once you determine this you can plan how you will block this off. You may not have much time to do so, so being ready is a key.

If the skunk is living under your porch, then you need to find a way to close off a very large space and your place of attack is going to be much different. We will return to this in a moment.

Whether it is the shed or under the porch the best way to get it away from your home is to start by scaring it away. Many would think using bait is the way to go, but this may not provide enough time for you to make your move. You will need to do something that affords you enough time to enclose the space, and if this is your porch you need a lot of time.

First begin with a large light. Shine it on the skunk just prior to it becoming dark outside. You need enough light to do the work of sealing the hole, but you also want the skunk to stay away, and it is much more likely to do that while it is dark. Keep the area where you are working well lit so it is unlikely to return. When you are done spray some skunk repellant around and you should be done.

If the critter is living under you porch then you need a lot more time to close this off, if it is a larger porch area. Start by turning a light on your porch area just after dark. The skunk will run away because of the light. Make sure you leave on the light all night long, and for good measure play a CD at as high a volume as your neighbors can stand right by the porch. The light and the noise should be enough to keep it away.

When daylight comes it is time to spring into action. The skunk should be gone so start to enclose the porch. Make sure that whatever material you are using is not easy to break, and that you put it at least 12 inches below the surface of the ground. Skunks have very strong front claws and are prolific diggers. If they can work their way under a fence they will do so. This is why making sure that your fencing around the porch is plenty deep enough.

After you are done enclosing the structure make sure that you spray a significant amount of skunk repellant under the porch. Make sure that you give the skunk no reason to want to return.

As a last note, some suggest putting water under the porch to make it uninhabitable, but I will tell you that is a bad idea. Water may encourage it to come and drink there, and you don’t want it to come back for any reason.

how to keep away skunks
skunk repellent
how to trap skunks
how to kill skunks

Go back to the How To Get Rid of Skunks home page.

© 2003-2015     Website content & photos by Trapper David     Email questions: david@wildlife-removal.com