How to kill a skunk?

If the skunk is in a trap you can attach a syringe to a long pole and fill it with acetone. An injection of Actetone in the front of their chest puts them to sleep in about 1-2 seconds ----to never wake up. No spray at all. If you stay back 12 feet of so they don't spray and they will turn to face you most times.
If in a box trap is very easy.

If they are not in a trap and you need to shoot them.....well I have been doing that since I was about 8 years old (I am 60 now) and I have shot so many I could not even begin to count them all.

I have NEVER shot one with any gun at any angle with any ammo that has not sprayed.
I have used rifles from 5MM air guns to 460 Weatherby. Shotguns from 410s to 10 gauges. I have use handguns from 22 short to 454 Casull.

I have been told over and over and over "it you use a _____ and shoot them from ______ angle they won't spray."

Nope. Not so!
They spray!
 
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I have shot several skunks over the years. I have seen posted advice as to keeping them from spraying before they die like, "...shoot them in the head..", "...gut shoot them...", etc. I have tried it all and most still spray when shot.

As for "why shoot them", there are good reasons. They, like opossums and racoons eat the eggs of ground-nesting birds like pheasants, quail, ducks, etc.m as well as digging up your yard looking for insects. So to answer that question, it all depends...do you want to raise skunks or ground nesting birds?

If they are in a live (box trap), a local exterminator told me that if you talk to them softly and approach slowly without appearing threatening, you can cover them with a blanket and transport them elsewhere and release them. He cautioned however, that if the skunk has been rained on, they are likely to spray. My brother confirmed the covering with a blanket method...he live trapped two-three from his property and released them elsewhere with no problem.
 
"...stay back 12 feet of so they don't spray and they will turn to face..." Isn't going to matter. Pepe can spray you when he's looking ya'll right in the eye and at way over 12 feet. 20 feet with accuracy is known to happen.
Eating the eggs of ground-nesting birds and insects is just part of nature. Pepe rooting around your lawn indicates you have grubs in said lawn. Remove the food source and Pepe is a pretty good neighbour. He won't bother you if you don't bother him.
 
Eating the eggs of ground-nesting birds and insects is just part of nature. Pepe rooting around your lawn indicates you have grubs in said lawn. Remove the food source and Pepe is a pretty good neighbour. He won't bother you if you don't bother him.
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I would like to have pheasants and quail again...I am willing to kill a few skunks to get them, my choice...ground nesting birds over skunks. Which would I rathter eat...hummm, hard question.

I am not going to spread chemicals on 5.5 acres to prevent a skunk or two from digging up my yard...it makes more ecological (and economic), sense to get rid of the skunks...which I do. You can live with them if you like though. But, the original poster seems to have already made up his mind.
 
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Pepe can not spray you when facing you. I shot a lot that got into my fox traps. Like Wyomingsmith said, you walk up real slow and talk quietly to them. They will turn to face you. When their butt is pointed down wind, plink them in the head and run. I used to get with in 4-5 feet and do it. The only time I came close to getting hit was when I shot one at about eye level on a railroad bank. It tumbled forward and was spraying all the way. The only one I did not have spray got in a mink set and drown.
 
I used to remove skunks from campgrounds so not spraying was important. If in a live trap you can drown them or if they are wandering around, put out some food to occupy them. I used a Marlin 39 loaded with CBs. Almost no noise to spook them, shoot from the side bind the shoulder, pretend it's a deer. Yiu don't want to hit the shoulder or spine, just the lungs. Walk away and come back in 10 minutes or so.
 
If they are in a live (box trap), a local exterminator told me that if you talk to them softly and approach slowly without appearing threatening, you can cover them with a blanket and transport them elsewhere and release them.
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That's illegal in most states.
 
My understand is that all animals lose muscular control at death, and in this case I expect a skunk to do the same. The fragrance release might not be as fast and with as much force, but think about skunks hit in the head by cars. Instantly killed and they still smell within seconds.

Unless you can hit it at 600+ yards, I'd remove any attractants and leave it alone. I would not be willing to approach it within some distance, as about 1/4 those in the SW are rabid.
 
Carbon monoxide, freezing, or drowning them will usually keep them from spraying. Place a box over them and pump CO into the box without making a lot of noise, Place them in a freezer in a closed box and wait a couple of days, I have never found a way to get them underwater before they spray but if you can it won't matter if they spray because it will stay in the water and go down stream. (unless you use your pool or swimming hole - which would be unwise.)
 
I actually had to go through this. I had a live-catch trap beside the house to catch armadillos that had been digging under the foundation. Well, one night it was a skunk instead of an armadillo. I shot it in the head with a .410 and thought I had killed it without it spraying but some must have leaked out because the flower bed stunk for 3 weeks.
 
I've only shot one. It was in the garage. I shot it in the head and no stink. If in a box trap, tie a rope to your box trap then throw it in the lake, pond, 5 gal. pail, whatever as long as it's deep enough to submerge the trap completely... you know what to do next.
 
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