12 Ways To Keep Skunks Out Of Your Yard For Good

Skunks are possibly the last type of wild animal you want living near your house. Not only can they get into your trash and burrow in your crawl spaces, but they also give off a lingering odor that can make you sick to your stomach. Additionally, when sprayed, the smell of a skunk is notoriously difficult to get rid of. This is why you will want to do all you can to keep skunks out of your yard permanently. 

To remove skunks from your property for good, you can install a fence that goes above and below ground. Cover dens, seal off crawl spaces, and block other potential dwellings. Keep your yard tidy and free of wood piles and other places skunks might like to hide. Get rid of all food sources, including rotting compost and pet food, and ensure your trash cans are sealed tight. 

If you have a skunk in your vicinity, you’ll want to do all you can to get rid of it as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more time the skunk (or skunks) will have to get comfortable and set up a home on your property. While skunks can be a major problem, there are many easy and effective ways to help keep them out of your yard. Below is a list of 12 different ways you can keep smelly skunks out of your yard for good.

12 Effective Ways To Get Skunks Out Of Your Yard Permanently 

1. Install Outdoor Motion-Sensor Lights

One great way to deter skunks from entering and spraying in your yard is to install outdoor motion sensor lights. Skunks are nocturnal animals, which means they do most of their moving around at night. Motion-sensor outdoor lighting tends to startle nocturnal animals and usually makes them want to head elsewhere.

Outdoor motion lights have many benefits, with skunk deterrence being just one of the many reasons it’s a good idea to invest in them. Furthermore, it is also good to be able to see when a skunk is in your yard at night, as this will help reduce the chances you or a pet will get sprayed.

2. Keep Your Garbage Cans Sealed Tight

Skunks will go where there’s food. They eat all sorts of food, from fruits to insects, and they also love to scavenge through trash cans. If you have skunks where you live, you must use trash cans with tight sealing lids.

You may even want to add extra protection, like a bungee cord, over the lid of your trash can. This will make it impossible for skunks to find their way into your trash. In turn, they are more likely to move on to other houses with less-secure trash cans.

3. Cover Up Or Seal Crawl Spaces Under Home Or Shed

Skunks aren’t wanderers. They are burrowing animals, and the last thing you want is for them to burrow somewhere on your property. While it’s impossible to select a skunk’s burrowing location, you can do your best to make your property as unappealing as possible.

One way to make your home undesirable for a skunk to burrow in is to seal or cover all crawl spaces. Skunks love ducking under areas with small gaps, like under a lifted house or shed. By covering up these areas, you make your yard a much less appealing home for these animals.

4. Keep Your Yard Tidy

In addition to sealing up desirable burrowing locations, you should also keep your yard neat and minimalist if you want to keep skunks out of your yard. Skunks and other burrowing animals tend to be attracted to yards with lots of hiding spots, brush, and debris. 

It is easy for a skunk to make a home in yards where there’s lots of brush and shelter, and it’s easy for them to go unnoticed. Keeping your yard tidy will make a skunk feel exposed, and they are more likely to move on to one of your less-organized neighbors.

5. Use Smells To Repel Skunks

Skunks may be known for their off-putting odor, but there are also several smells that skunks can’t stand. Skunks hate most citrus smalls, as well as ammonia, and even mothballs. If you notice a den or an area where skunks sometimes congregate, add these concentrated smells. You can also buy certain types of predator urine, like coyote urine, and this may send skunks in a different direction.

6. Treat Your Lawn For Insects

You must do all you can to eliminate all of a skunk’s food sources if you want them to stay out of your lawn. Since skunks like to eat large insects and grubs, this means you should treat your yard periodically with insecticide and grub killer.

This will make your lawn less appealing to skunks, and it will also improve the way your lawn looks.

7. Install Above- and Below-Ground Fencing 

If you have a fenced-in yard but still have skunks on your property, then you may be perplexed. Regular fences don’t always work with skunks, because these animals are fantastic at digging. They can dig under most fences if they want to reach something in your yard.

However, if you install a fence that goes above and below the ground, you can significantly reduce the odds that a skunk can sneak across your property line. Fences that go above and below the ground can also keep moles, snakes, and other ground-dwellers out of your yard.

8. Keep Your Compost Pile Covered

Depending on what you put in your compost pile, you may be unintentionally luring skunks into your yard. Since skunks love fruits, and the smell of decay and trash, a compost pile can be a desirable destination for these smelly pests.

If you have a compost pile but are struggling with a skunk problem, then you should cover and protect your compost pile. Making your compost inaccessible will also make it undesirable.

9. Don’t Keep Piles Of Firewood Outside

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, then you keep plenty of firewood on hand. If you have piles of wood, make sure you keep them organized and covered with a tarp. Skunks love to hide among piles of dead wood, as it acts as a shelter, and grubs tend to be close by.

Keeping your firewood covered securely with a tarp will keep your wood dry and also make your yard less desirable for skunks.

10. Carefully Eliminate Skunk Dens And Potential Dens

If you notice skunks frequently on your property, there is a good chance they have made a den somewhere in your yard. Carefully investigate, and see if you can notice the location of this den. If possible, block it or close it off, and hope that this forces the skunks to relocate elsewhere.

11. Call Animal Control When You See A Skunk On Your Property

If you see a skunk on your property, especially during the day, you should call your local animal control department. Skunks can carry rabies, and any time you see a nocturnal animal wandering around during the day, you should be worried about rabies.

Animal control knows how to safely handle wild animals in domestic situations. They will get rid of the skunk, and ensure your community stays safe.

12. Hire A Professional To Relocate Skunks

Lastly, if you have tried all sorts of methods to get rid of skunks but are losing the battle, you may want to call in a professional. You can hire experts who know how to permanently remove skunks and rodents from your property. 

It can be challenging, unsafe, or an overall bad idea to disrupt a den of skunks yourself. A professional, however, has the knowledge and tools to eliminate the den of skunks and make your lawn undesirable to these stinky pests.

Summing Up Ways To Keep Skunks Out Of Your Yard

Skunks can be a stinky and even dangerous nuisance in your yard, especially if you have pets or small children. Luckily, there are lots of ways to help keep these animals out of your yard for good. You can install a fence that is both above and below ground, and you can seal up any crawl spaces where skunks would make a den. Keep your yard tidy and free of food sources. Cover your compost, and make sure your trash cans are always sealed tightly, and with any luck, skunks will venture into someone else’s yard. 

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• What To Do If A Skunk Sprayed My Property/Backyard