How to Keep Skunks Away From Your Yard

Yes, they’re undeniably cute with their chic black-and-white coat and outrageously fluffy tails.

But skunks can cause anxiety in homeowners by harming lawns and possibly threatening Rover with their malodorous defenses. The fall is an especially busy time for skunks. Though they don’t hibernate, they do hole up in dens during the cold winter months, says Rebecca Fyffe, director of research at Landmark Pest Management in Chicago. As a result, they tend to be extremely avid about adding a nice protective layer of fat in the fall months and are zealously digging for their favorite food: beetle grubs.

How to Know If You Have Skunks

You may know you have skunks around by their tell-tale digging, says Fyffe. "Skunks actually dig conical holes to look for grubs," she says. Skunks typically mate in February, so you might also know you have skunks if you smell their musk. During mating season, female skunks let male skunks know they aren’t interested by releasing a little puff of musk—an oily, hard-to-get-rid-of volatile chemical compound containing thiols and thioacetates. Both of those compounds contain sulfur. So when you smell rotten eggs, you know skunks are around.

And while skunks can carry rabies in some parts of the country (they lag behind bats and raccoons as the third largest rabies carrier according to the Centers for Disease Control), they are more likely to transmit it within their own species rather than to a human being or the family pet. And if they do have rabies, it makes them dopey and lethargic rather than aggressive, says John Griffin, senior director of urban wildlife programs for the Humane Society of the United States. Skunks more commonly carry the bacterial disease leptospirosis and the viral disease distemper, says Fyffe, but pets are routinely vaccinated against those same diseases.

The good news is skunks may not be quite the menace that you think they are and can actually be a benefit. "They’re sort of a gardener’s best friend when it comes to what we might consider harmful insects or rodents that are also unwanted," says Griffin. But if you'd rather not have to deal with these creatures, there are some things you should (and shouldn't) do to keep them at bay.

Tips for Keeping Skunks Out of Your Yard

If you suspect you've been having visits from some skunk friends, consider co-existing as one strategy for dealing with skunks, which are nomadic and not likely to stick around unless they’re having babies. Or, try one of these strategies.

Install Underground Fencing Around Porches, Decks, and Sheds

"Skunks are fabulous diggers," says Fyffe, and so making sure they don’t have opportunities to nest and make babies under your deck or porch is critical.

"Burying underground fencing or having a professional do so limits their ability to dig underneath those structures," says Fyffe. "It is really the number one way to prevent skunks from denning on your property."

Eliminate Food Sources

Have a neighbor who’s been feeding feral cats? Or have you gotten in the habit of feeding your own dog and cat outdoors or not adequately sealing garbage cans? An available food supply is one reason skunks might want to make a habit of visiting your yard, especially in the fall. "Their food preferences even change this time of year. So, in the springtime, they might eat a lot of berries and a lot of sugary things. In the fall, they really want very high-fat things," says Fyffe, so keep those appealing pet foods hidden away.

Clean Up Your Yard

Nothing is as attractive to a skunk as a cozy woodpile or rock pile to den in, says Fyffe, so keeping your yard free from those skunk havens is key.

Try Motion Sensor Lights

Skunks are nocturnal, so they are most active at night. Motion-detecting lights can be a deterrent to these nocturnal creatures. Be aware, though, that because of the skunk’s confidence in their payload of n-Butyl mercaptan (skunk spray), they are not always scared by light. But Fyffe thinks it is nevertheless worth a try.

Consider Capsaicin

Capsaicin is an ingredient in hot peppers that has been found effective in keeping skunks and other pests out of your yard, especially in granule or liquid form. "It's not poison or anything that causes harm," says Griffin. "Capsaicin is a just taste, odor, and smell repellent."

Evict Them From Their Den (With Caution)

If you see holes in your yard that you suspect may be made by skunks, the Humane Society recommends finding a professional in pest or wildlife management to install a one-way door so that skunks can safely exit and not return to their den. A professional can also determine if young are present in the den, which would be a reason not to prevent the mother from returning to feed her babies.

What You Shouldn't Do If You Have Skunks

There are a few things that you should avoid doing if you're trying to rid your yard of skunks.

Don't Use Ammonia or Mothballs

Fyffe recommends never using these substances off-label. Some people have tried using ammonia-soaked rags under porches or decks, but they can kill baby skunks and blind adult skunks. And skunks can remove mothballs from their den by rolling them into the yard where dogs can eat them, says Fyffe.

Don't Use Pesticide on Beetle Grubs

Using pesticides to treat beetle grubs (which become June bugs) is not a good strategy to keep skunks away, says Fyffe, because of those insects’ essential role in the ecosystem. Beetle grubs are a favorite food for bats, which are a protected species.

Don't Employ Predator Urine

Some people use coyote or dog urine, thinking it will deter skunks, but Fyffe says while that might work for prey species like rabbits or deer, skunks are not normally intimidated by those same scents. Predator urine can also be unethically harvested, according to Griffin.

Don't Trap Without Knowing Your Local Laws

"All states allow skunks to be trapped and removed when they are causing damage to property or a threat to human health and safety (or the safety of pets), and denning is considered damage to property," says Fyffe. In some states, homeowners can trap a skunk without a permit. Homeowners should contact their state department of natural resources to find out about regulations where they live.

Be aware that what happens to the animal after it is trapped is also determined by state laws. "Once a skunk is trapped, the laws governing whether or not the skunk can be relocated alive or whether it must be humanely euthanized vary by state, with relocation allowed only in some states since translocation is known to spread diseases to new populations and areas," says Fyffe. And, after being trapped, "in many states, they're still subject to all kinds of unacceptable killing methods,” says Griffin.