You can use a pair of gardening gloves or work gloves as long as they are thick leather or canvas. Do not use gloves that have holes or cuts in them as you do not want your skin exposed.
Make sure the tarp or towel is made of durable materials that cannot be cut or chewed by the skunk. Canvas, denim, and towel like material is best. You can also use a thick trash bag in a pinch. Look for a towel or a tarp that is long and wide enough to cover the entire trap. Most live traps for skunks are 24 inches x 7 inches x 8 inches (61 cm x 18 cm x 20 cm).
Opt for clothing that covers your legs and arms, as you do not want to be at risk of getting scratched by the skunk. You can wear a scarf around your neck if you want to cover up further, but you will likely not come too close to the skunk to get scratched.
Gravity door traps use gravity to open and close. A locking mechanism on the door prevents the skunk from getting out of the trap. You will need to push on the trap and flip it over to open the door. Spring loaded door traps use a spring latch on the door to open and close it. They can be more difficult to open and will require you to get close to the trap door.
You should also avoid making any sudden or jerky movements. Walk low and slow to toward the trap with the tarp or towel in your hand. Skunks will pound their front feet, making a steady thumping sound, when they feel agitated or stressed. If you hear thumping in the cage, take it as a warning that the skunk may spray you. You may need to back off and wait until the noise goes away to approach the skunk again.
Covering the trap will temporarily blind the skunk and make them less likely to spray what they cannot see. Once you lay down the towel or tarp you should wait a moment and listen for any thumping in the trap. Sometimes, the towel or tarp can startle the skunk and make them agitated.
If you are setting the trap yourself, you should try to set the trap in an area where you have seen skunks before, at the far end of your property. It will then make it easier to release the skunk into the wild, rather than risk it running somewhere on your property.
You can also approach the trap from the side and use your hand or foot to gently flip over the trap. Make sure the trap is covered completely with the towel or tarp before you approach it.
If you set the trap yourself, you may want to practice opening and closing it beforehand so you can do it quickly when it comes time to release a skunk. Opening the door quickly will reduce your risk of getting sprayed.
Do not jump or run away from the trap as this can startle the skunk. Instead, walk away slowly and quietly so the skunk has time to come out of the trap on their own.
If you are in a rush to get the skunk out of the trap, you can use a garden hose to lightly wet the skunk. Do not spray the skunk with the force of the water. Instead, you should make the skunk wet with a light spray of water so it is encouraged to exit the trap. Make sure any enclosures nearby are closed and sealed so the skunk does not run out of the trap and hide in these areas.
Wash your clothing and your body with the hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid dish soap mixture. You should also flush your eyes with water if you get sprayed in the eyes.
