No sooner than our wildlife removal expert admitted defeat, presented his bill and departed with his wire traps, we sighted two more skunks.
A week later, we see them nightly now, and have taken to carrying flashlights whenever we walk to and from the pool (no bees, this year, mercifully) in the back forty to avoid an unfortunate encounter. Except for the whitish stripe on their backs (actually grayish), they are black, after all, and fit in well with the darkness.
We do seem, of course, to be free of raccoons and armadillos, the expert having trapped seven of the former and three of the latter. No skunk smells yet, the original reason for calling the expert. But I have faith in fate. The odors will return and, then, so will the expert. Maybe if we keep him on salary…
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 
Stanley,
There is food somewhere around there attracting them. Some one has dog or cat food outside more than likely. Check your neighbors. Check your fences, skunk don’t usually climb, so close any low holes if you can( coons just go over almost anything).
Could it be the said expert letting his trained skunks walk around your place?
Google says they are after grub worms in the soil. If we let the grass die we won’t have any grubs. Seems a harsh price to pay. The fences are not a problem, but the gate is. Can’t be blocked underneath and still used. Expert says they’ll just dig under it. Had not thought of trained skunks. How would you train a skunk without being sorry?
Grubs and insects are their regular chow, but they’ll eat almost anything they can get. They usually don’t dig in the grass for them. They generally look for them under old logs, rocks, etc. Armadillos though do dig for food. There is easy food around somewhere, the coons are the tip off. The skunk odor probably comes from the coons and skunks fighting over the food. Did you say you had a pool? With the drought animals are moving in close to people for water and food. Any way keep an eye out for pet food out or garbage broken into. If there’s food more coons will soon be there guaranteed!
If you think the gate is the entry point wait until just before you go to bed and sprinkle some flour in front of it check the next morning for tracks.
That might be worth a try, thanks.
Indeed, we think they’re coming for the water, though why they want to drink chlorine is another question.
I would suggest the 12 gauge remedy, but I discovered that the constabulary will give you a hefty fine for protecting your home.
Still, skunks. Might be worth it and you might kill a few before getting caught.
“though why they want to drink chlorine is another question” same reason people have been known to drink their own urine. It’s tough out there for them. The 12ga. education system does work, but you’ll REALLY have an odor for a awhile.
Our neighborhood hardware store sells Red Ryder BB rifles (they still make them!) which I have considered for our variety of critters. Has a gentle puff-thump sound, if you recall, so unlikely to attract our black-uniformed, AR-15-carrying polizei. Not sure would be a good idea to shoot a skunk, tho, even if I could see it well enough in the dark to aim.
As for their thirst, they live here, they must be used to drought. Drought is normal in Texas. Perhaps they have become accustomed to chlorine as well.
The BB gun is a good idea, just shoot them in the rear flank, still going to get some spraying. None of them are used to what’s happened in the last 2-3 years. The creeks have been gone for awhile and the lack of morning dew is putting a lot of pressure on all of them. Don’t let the neighbors see or know about the BB gun.
The creeks aren’t actually gone. Bull Creek, our nearest big one, still has water and probably more than usual, since it has rained more than usual this summer. I wouldn’t use the Red Ryder anywhere but the back forty, to avoid any anti-gunner hysterics who might jog by out front. But my neighbors are actually pretty cool, now that the dean of one of the local Christian seminaries has moved out. In addition to his outfit favoring Israel divestment and other Lefty causes (including gun control), he was a trifle weird.
Good luck!