5.56 or 12ga. for skunk. .?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 5.56 or 12ga. for skunk. .?

Posted: 2/16/2017 9:56:38 PM EDT

Have a skunk snooping around the property this past week or so - in fact yesterday it sprayed one of my dogs so it's time to FO...

He's been hanging around one of the sheds and then heads off onto the woods when we head out in the morning. Closest neighbor is 400-yards up the hill and I hope to nab it before it gets into the tree line.

For pests as such (badgers / rats erc.)I've had good luck with a shotgun ...should I change now.....a little concerned about the rifle bulley having too much distance ...

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:00:34 PM EDT

[#1]

Both will work.

Both are overkill.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:01:09 PM EDT

[#2]

I shot one with a slug after not seeing any hogs on a hog hunt.

Turned it inside out.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:01:36 PM EDT

[#3]

.22lr to the dome.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:03:09 PM EDT

[#4]

12 gauge definitely, loaded with heavy birdshot like BB for turkey. Actually almost any heavy birdshot will work.

with multiple projectiles, you are far more likely to hit a moving target.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:03:17 PM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
.22lr to the dome.

View Quote

Yep. .22 with judicious marksmanship.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:05:39 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
.22lr to the dome.

View Quote

Suppressed. Anything more would likely breach the sacks. Having done it right and wrong. You want not to rupture the scent glands. Pirating the words of the great Han Solo "And I thought they smelled bad on the outside..."

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:09:38 PM EDT

[#7]

My son shot one with his AR a couple years ago on the side of the house. Smelled for a month.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:10:05 PM EDT

[#8]

12ga, 00 buck. Leave the body on display to send a message to the other critters.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:10:27 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Have a skunk snooping around the property this past week or so - in fact yesterday it sprayed one of my dogs so it's time to FO...

He's been hanging around one of the sheds and then heads off onto the woods when we head out in the morning. Closest neighbor is 400-yards up the hill and I hope to nab it before it gets into the tree line.

For pests as such (badgers / rats erc.)I've had good luck with a shotgun ...should I change now.....a little concerned about the rifle bulley having too much distance ...

View Quote

I would recommend against the SF with shot.
I plugged one once with #6 and it sprayed stink juice in 50 directions like water jets from every hole.
I think the 5.56 would not be quite as messy.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:11:58 PM EDT

[#10]

.22lr to the head to avoid any smelly mess.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:15:28 PM EDT

[#11]

For me, it would be more of a question of engagement distance.

100 plus? AR
25? Shotgun

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:15:38 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
.22lr to the head to avoid any smelly mess.

View Quote

Unless u hit the wrong part of the brain and it goes in the death convulsions. Then it's stink city.

Ask me how I know.

Skunks get a pass in my yard, unless they're day walkers , they do alot of vermin control.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:16:08 PM EDT

[#13]

Of those two, I would choose the 12 gauge. But, it most likely will rip apart its scent gland and yuk.

I use 22lr cci hp with a heart shot. They drop without spraying scent and the bullet does not exit.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:16:58 PM EDT

[#14]

Every night about dark this past summer, you couldn't go around my farm without seeing half a dozen including some babies. Between tearing up the barn digging, the smell thing and spreading rabies, I had to exterminate with extreme prejudice. At first, I was about 80-90 yards with a suppressed .22 CMMG Wasp and having a hard time hitting them in tall grass. After talking to my neighbor, he told me most skunks are half blind and you can walk right up to them and hit them on the head with a stick. Sure enough, pull up close with Mule, pop, pop, drive off. I killed 9 this summer and never got sprayed.

It's kind of sad shooting a baby skunk making crying noises as you pop it in the head after you just shot it's mother and sibling.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:17:39 PM EDT

[#15]

556 needs hornady plastic tips. It won't fly much if it hits something.

Personally I would use my 22mag.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:19:05 PM EDT

[#16]

I agree the .22lr head shot would be the least messy....but I don't have a .22 rifle accurate enough to take that shot.....think I could make it with my AR though....they don't move too fast.
Might just target him in the cross hairs and see how that feels...

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:19:10 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
Suppressed. Anything more would likely breach the sacks. Having done it right and wrong. You want not to rupture the scent glands. Pirating the words of the great Han Solo "And I thought they smelled bad on the outside..."

View Quote

I have dispatched many, many skunks with all flavors of rifle, shotgun and pistol. I have yet to have one that didn't spray as part of the death reflex, regardless of shot placement. Plan accordingly.

As for the OP, nothing has quite the wow factor of 00 Buck at about 20 yards. Overkill? Hell Yes! But it is always nice to see a reminder of just how devastating a shotgun can be.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:19:59 PM EDT

[#18]

I have only ever used 12 gauge birdshot. Makes a real mess of things.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:20:35 PM EDT

[#19]

I show one with my bow once. Never again.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:27:53 PM EDT

[#20]

In the past when this was an issue where I grew up a good bright light and a .22lr solved the issues!

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:29:07 PM EDT

[#21]

When we still carried shotguns and I had to deal with a skunk, I'd swap out a slug for birdshot and use that. Always worked just fine.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:30:22 PM EDT

[#22]

some may tell you can shoot one without the stink, but I have yet to achieve that, even with headshots. Be prepared for an ungodly stink, no matter what round you use.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:31:39 PM EDT

[#23]

.22 cb cap

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:31:55 PM EDT

[#24]

My old man complained about one under the trailer 20 plus years ago. I gleefully agreed to crawl under and check it out. Dad handed me a pos derringer type single shot shotty pistol. Probably a .410. I drug my ass under the beams and around the cinder block pillars checking everywhere. No dice. Before backing completely out, I decided to check a small crevice. It was completely blocked with a r.r. tie and a beam. I drug myself over to it and lifted myself over the top. There he was. Big ass skunk, literally inches away from me. He never even looked at me. I slid the pistol over the top beam, leveled it, and let it rip. EEEEEEEEeeeeeeeee!!!!!!! Fortunately, no glands were hit, and he checked out light a light switch.

Cool story bro, skunks aren't tough animals, any caliber works.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:32:56 PM EDT

[#25]

Precision air rifle and head shot.

Bagged a real pest at my parents house. About a 35 yard shot and it never moved and dead instantly with no spray.
(Air Arms TX200)

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:33:10 PM EDT

[#26]

Want you to try to get a weed sprayer with vinegar in it. Spray everything as you walk up to it.

I once heard vinegar reacts with skunk scent to neutralize it. Let me know if I'm full of shit.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:34:18 PM EDT

[#27]

#4 buck works well.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:34:32 PM EDT

[#28]

.17hmr

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:39:27 PM EDT

[#29]

I always use my 10/22 against the undocumented dillos, opossums, skunks. Given the choice you state, I'd probably go scatter gun and once in a while for the hell of it, the rifle. Got a skunk the other night and not one speck of white on it.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:41:07 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:

I have dispatched many, many skunks with all flavors of rifle, shotgun and pistol. I have yet to have one that didn't spray as part of the death reflex, regardless of shot placement. Plan accordingly.

As for the OP, nothing has quite the wow factor of 00 Buck at about 20 yards. Overkill? Hell Yes! But it is always nice to see a reminder of just how devastating a shotgun can be.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Suppressed. Anything more would likely breach the sacks. Having done it right and wrong. You want not to rupture the scent glands. Pirating the words of the great Han Solo "And I thought they smelled bad on the outside..."

I have dispatched many, many skunks with all flavors of rifle, shotgun and pistol. I have yet to have one that didn't spray as part of the death reflex, regardless of shot placement. Plan accordingly.

As for the OP, nothing has quite the wow factor of 00 Buck at about 20 yards. Overkill? Hell Yes! But it is always nice to see a reminder of just how devastating a shotgun can be.

I had the opposite experience. I used an AR the first time and the 40 grain made a hell of a mess. Head to tail shot. I switched things up and have used a suppressed 22lr and 17HMR since and the head shot canoes the brain pan and no spray. I may be lucky.

Nerve spasms work differently depending on if the muscles involved are relaxed or under tension. There was a neurologist interview that looked at death spasms from CNS vs cardiovascular hits somewhere in the. GD a few years back. Very interesting.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:43:43 PM EDT

[#31]

A lot of people here say shoot it in the head.

Bad idea.

Shoot the spine.

We killed a skunk at work. A guy shot it in the head at about 4 feet with a .22 pistol.
The skunk was dead instantly, but it still sprayed 15 feet in the air.

Stunk up our office for about a week.
Fortunately, no one got hit.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:50:02 PM EDT

[#32]

12 gauge #8 birdshot will roll a skunk end over end at 15 yards and not make a bloody mess.

Posted: 2/16/2017 10:54:45 PM EDT

[#33]

I'm thinking if I'm lucky Ill get a shot when its a good distance from the house (and me) and hit him with a 75gr BTHP. And if it's far enough won't worry about it spraying - depending on which way the wind is blowing. Then would come the issue of burying it.

Posted: 2/16/2017 11:00:07 PM EDT

[#34]

Around the farm I always use 12ga dove loads or .22lr for all pests, skunks, possums, raccoons, armadillos, etc, both work just fine. We have lots of equipment around and neighbors not too far away so I have more shot opportunities with these than a centerfire rifle.

Posted: 2/16/2017 11:00:57 PM EDT

[#35]

Overkill is the only kill with skunks! I prefer 5.56. It will stink for a few days.

I would have-a-heart him up near the tree line (eggs or sardines for bait), then pop him while he's in the trap.

Posted: 2/16/2017 11:01:14 PM EDT

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:
.22lr to the dome.

View Quote

Highlighted the important part. Caliber doesn't matter, but if you're going to shoot one, turn it off like a switch so you don't have stink for days.

Posted: 2/16/2017 11:01:17 PM EDT

[#37]

I'd use the shotgun, easier to hit it on the run, less chance of collateral damage. Wait till it clears the shed and let it have it.

Posted: 2/16/2017 11:02:04 PM EDT

[#38]

.308

Posted: 2/16/2017 11:02:25 PM EDT

[#39]

Used the AR one night to kill one digging in the yard. M193 and DRT.

Posted: 2/16/2017 11:04:01 PM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:
I agree the .22lr head shot would be the least messy....but I don't have a .22 rifle accurate enough to take that shot.....think I could make it with my AR though....they don't move too fast.
Might just target him in the cross hairs and see how that feels...

View Quote

Now you have an excuse to buy one!