Wildlife surprise.

[turd]

Dave P.'s surprise deer story made me think of something that happened to me in Iowa once. Several of us were pheasant hunting, walking a picked cornfield with a grass waterway in the middle. I volunteered to walk the waterway, which was pretty thick with native grasses and such. About halfway through the field I began to smell a truly awful stench in the waterway. I thought I had maybe stepped on some farmer's throw away of chemicals or something. The rest of the guys stopped at the end of the field and one was talking about the skunk he'd seen come running out of the waterway. Then I caught up, and whoa everyone stepped away and upwind. Apparently in the thick grass I'd been sprayed by the skunk and never saw it. Holy smokes what a stench. I was driving that day, and my brother had to put up with the smell. We went into a nearby small town and got several things at the local grocery to try to kill the smell, but never could. I ended up throwing away my pants and boots after trying several "surefire" ways of getting the smell out, nothing worked. I must have nearly stepped on the critter and took the full blast without ever seeing it. Not something you ever want to repeat!

Larry

 

[Colonialgirl]

Many years agoo, my Father then in high school in PA use to trap skunks for the pelt. He got TOLD to take a BATH before coming to school!!

 

[Hvymax]

Should have saved those clothes. You would have never had to worry about covering your scent ever again!!!

 

[contender]

Skunks can be effective with their spray as far away as about 15 ft.

I handle many skunks annually,, and I've never been sprayed. And I extract their "essence" and use it for other things.

A little side story on that. A good friend had a neighbor's dog that was a big nuisance towards him. He'd charge,, bark & try to bite him at times. The owners never tried to correct this or offer any help. My friend asked me if I had any ideas.
Well, I loaded a small glass vial with skunk juice. I gave him a hypo needle,, and told him; "Just before you get home,, load the needle,, and when you park, if the dog charges you,, squirt him in the face with the juice." He did,, and after that,, the dog AVOIDED him.