I had to shoot a skunk last week.

[bvar22]

In 2006, my wife & I moved to a very rural area of West Central Arkansas (Ouachita Mountains).
We are surrounded by extensive National Forest, and wild life is abundant.

The local Constable/Game Warden dropped by our place a couple of weeks ago
and informed us that a rabid skunk had been killed not too far from our cabin,
and warned us not to take any chances.

A week later, we spotted a skunk, in an open field, in the middle of the day,
very close to our Veggie Garden & Chicken Coop. Not wanting to take any chances I used a 12 Ga,
and shot the skunk at a distance of about 25 yards with #4 shot.

I took no joy in this.
I had no desire to celebrate or spike the ball.
It was something that had to be done.

I felt the exact same way when I heard the announcement that navy Seals had killed Bin Laden.
It was not a Final Triumph or a Victory of any sort.
It was something that had to be done.



Lets move on.

[patrice]

1. K&R

[RKP5637]

K&R

[uppityperson]

2. k&r

[MineralMan]

3. Excellent analogy. Thanks!

Sometimes things need to be done to protect others. There it is.

[Hissyspit]

7. I think you missed the point.

Hint: Italics are for emphasis.

[MineralMan]

9. No, I do not think I missed anything at all.

Having shot a rabid skunk myself, I understand the necessity of that action and the lack of any joyful feeling in doing it. It is not an unfamiliar thing to me.

[Angry Dragon]

4. K&R

[1620rock]

6. I feel bad for the skunk...osama, not so much.

[bobbolink]

5. Thank you. You are right... No Victory. It is also no closure.

Bin Laden took advantage of people who were angry at what they saw as injustice.

Until that anger is dealt with, all the strife will continue. Nothing has really changed.

[felix_numinous]

33. +1

[bvar22]

51. Thanks, bobbolink.

You are right.
This is far from "The End".

Finally taking him out after 10 years with a small Seal Team is really kind of embarrassing
after ALL we have been through,
and after ALL we have been forced to give up....like our Constitution among other things.
Even in death, Bin Laden has WON far beyond his wildest expectations.




I hope you are safe and well.

[elehhhhna]

8. Proverbs 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbles.

[Dappleganger]

27. Proverbs 24:17b...

"and when thou shootest the raging skunk in the midst of the meadow, thou shall not post any morbid video on the realm of YouTube."

[aikoaiko]

39. whoops

wrong spot

[Liberal_in_LA]

10. poor skunk.

[OwnedByFerrets]

11. I feel much sorry for the poor skunk. Killed by association....just because

of his color. Yes, I am a pacifist...and very proud of it.

[bvar22]

23. Good for you.

You wouldn't like it here,
or anyplace where people raise chickens.

[OwnedByFerrets]

25. You are correct....I'm also a vegetarian LOL

[bvar22]

26. Again, Good for You.

Do you grow your own food?

We fully enjoy nature's bounty.
Yesterday we had fresh Asparagus (from our garden) with fresh Free Range Poached Eggs over toast.
It was sublime.
The Asparagus was fertilized with poop from our Chicken Coop.
It is a Closed Sustainable Loop.


However, My chickens & I salute you for your perseverance in self denial.

[WatsonT]

30. Food doesn't come from animals or farms or even gardens

it comes from the store, prepackaged and wrapped in cellophane with nutritional facts on the side.

Duh.

[OwnedByFerrets]

35. I would NEVER think badly for you for

eating meat. Honest. It's a personal choice. I applaud you for being able to live off the grid. My ONLY gripe, small and insignificant as it is, is that you felt the need to kill the skunk. At this time of year, she could have had babies that will starve now. Yes, its the way I think.:shrug:

[bvar22]

44. And it could have been exactly what it looked like.

Rabid skunks descend on Arkansas town

"A plague of rampaging rabid skunks has forced the mayor of an Arkansas town to impose a strict quarantine to stop the deadly disease from spreading.

After six skunks captured in Greenwood tested positive for rabies, officials have ordered any skunks found to be put down"

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-03-31/news/29386405_1_rabid-skunks-arkansas-town-pets-vaccinated

More rabid skunks reported in western Arkansas

Officials say rabid skunks will often display odd behavior like walking in circles, bumping into things and acting like they’re not afraid of people or other animals.

Skunks are nocturnal animals and can be active during the day if they have the virus.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/apr/24/more-rabid-skunks-reported-western-arkansas/

[JanMichael]

58. We are vegetarians too. That said, if the skunk was rabid, it would have

died a slow, disgusting death, the babies would have either starved anyway, or if they were old enough...been infected with rabies and die their own bad deaths.

Think about what you are saying here.

Nature is NOT pretty-

The OP did the right thing.

[catgirl]

12. Skunks go out in the daytime in springtime if hungry...

... and if they need to energize themselves if they're raising young ones. I'm not sure why
you felt it necessary to shoot this skunk.

We lived near a state park and saw raccoons and skunks during the day in springtime. It's
not that unusual in springtime to see some normally nocturnal animals out foraging.

I'd advise you to put a veggie fence around your garden and watch the wild animals for signs
of rabies, rather than just shooting them....

I also find it weird to compare a mass murderer- Osama bin laden- to a rabid skunk.

[bvar22]

14. We don't hate skunks,

and don't shoot anything for pleasure.

This skunk was acting strangely, like it was dizzy or disoriented, in the middle of an open field, in the middle of the day, and did NOT run for cover when approached.
They may do this where YOU live,
but I LIVE here EVERYDAY, and that is dangerous behavior, especially after a warning from the local Game Warden.

I will follow the advice of the game wardens, and the warnings posted in our local newspaper,
and deal with them in the recommended fashion.

I don't hate skunks.
I think they are beautiful.
We have some really cool skunks that have reversed colors (white body & black stripes or spots) and frilly tails.
We frequently see them at night doing normal skunk things,
and we leave them alone.

We WILL protect ourselves, our pets, and our stock.
Of course, you are free to catch skunks with your hands and relocate them if you so desire.
I won't judge you,
but please post the video.

[blondeatlast]

16. "...but please post the video..."

:rofl:

[WatsonT]

31. Non-lethal takedown only, after you get the consensus of the community

and of course he would need to be put on trial for his alleged crimes.

[JanMichael]

59. Wonder if anyone that's arguing with you bothered to read your posts

Out in daylight, disoriented, no fear of an approaching bigger animal.

No doubt that the only rabid animal they have seen was either "Old Yeller," or the scene from To Kill a Mockingbird.

You did the right thing; of course you already know that.

[Arkansas Granny]

38. The town where my daughter lives has had 6 confirmed cases of rabid skunks

so far this spring. When you live in the country there is no animal control officer to call to deal with wild animals acting strangely. You have to deal with it yourself.

[bvar22]

55. Thank You, Neighbor.

And yes, there is nobody to call out here.

Thank gawd it stopped raining.
Today was one of the prettiest days I have spent in Arkansas,
but we are now 2 weeks behind planting.

I have been running outside and planting tomatoes, basil, and watermelons between posts on DU.

In you're ever in the Mena area,
you're invited for Beans and Cornbread.
:hi:

[Arkansas Granny]

57. Thanks for the invite. I'll keep that in mind.

I'm glad to see a reak from the rain. The sunshine has been beautiful to see.

[blondeatlast]

13. Well said and thank you, nt

[flyingfysh]

15. a true skunk story

Some years ago, my sister and her husband and kids were living in a trailer in a rural area in Washington state. A skunk came around, so he shot it and threw it in the river. That night, the skunk's family came around and got revenge. They got all around and under the trailer, and "skunked" it thoroughly. The smell got so bad that my sister and her family had to move out of the trailer and throw out all the food they had there.

[reggie the dog]

17. Hey man, you're supposed to smoke skunk man... not shoot it

no needles man.....


:smoke:

[formercia]

20. Well said.

:rofl:

[formercia]

22. I was walking in the woods one day and came upon a skunk

It was asleep, curled up in a small depression on the Forest floor. I left it alone,it looked so peaceful.
I've had a number of encounters with Skunks in the woods at night and they were all friendly. They always let you know they're nearby by scratching the ground with their paws to alert you. Never had one turn around in the defensive position.

[readmoreoften]

18. Agreed.

[PVnRT]

19. K&R

[earthlight101]

21. I had to shoot a skink last week

with a bb gun

[blondeatlast]

43. No, you didn't. nt

[callous taoboy]

60. Shot a slinky with a nerf ball once.

[Logical]

24. Why did you have to kill it again? Rabid?

[Dappleganger]

28. Obviously it wasn't Pepe le Pew...

he'd out-charm you in a second. ;)

[Cid_B]

29. Wow. This turned out more accurate that you maybe originally thought...

80% approval and 20% smug naysayers who know better than you.

[NatBurner]

32. show photo as warning to other skunks seeking chiken coop's destruction

no pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama; it’s part of the mission - © sarah palin, idiot

[GaYellowDawg]

34. Hmm.

A skunk that was possibly rabid vs. an individual responsible for over 3,000 deaths. Nice. I am not critical of your viewpoint - that this isn't something to be celebrated. However, I think your analogy trivializes what bin Ladin was responsible for; murder on a massive scale. I think analogies like shooting skunks and NFL celebration rules are quite offensive, as they trivialize all of the deaths that man was responsible for. You don't have to celebrate. But please, stop with the shitty analogies.

[deaniac21]

36. There is no such thing in Arkansas as a constable/game warden.

Either he is an elected constable or he is an Arkansas Game and Fish Wildlife Officer.

[bvar22]

37. You are correct.

The Chain of Custody of the original rabid skunk was several people longer than what I detailed in my OP.
I combined them in the narrative for simplicity.

I had direct contact with only the Constable,
who visited me personally to warn me of the rabid skunk that was killed close to my home.
He passed on information from the local Game Warden and the
(I believe) the Arkansas Board of Health who did the actual testing.


Rabid skunks becoming problem in Southwest Arkansas

http://www.magnoliareporter.com/news_and_business/article_501a5e7a-51ad-11df-b24c-001cc4c03286.html

[vanbean]

40. I'll bet you really stunk up the place. There are a lot better ways to kill a skunk than a shotgun.

[deaniac21]

54. There have been many reports in NW Ark as well. Thanks for

the clarification. I once was looking for my dog and looked in a hollow log and was promptly balsted in the face from about one foot away. Ouch. Terrible pain.

[Moosepoop]

41. Did you call the constable back to pick up the body

and have it tested for rabies, to help the authorities determine how much of a rabid skunk problem they have in your area?

[bvar22]

49. No.

When I called him, I told him I shot it with a shotgun.
He told me it was useless, and to use a rifle next time,
and shoot it through the chest.
.
.
.
.
My bad.

Rabid skunks descend on Arkansas town
A plague of rampaging rabid skunks has forced the mayor of an Arkansas town to impose a strict quarantine to stop the deadly disease from spreading.

After six skunks captured in Greenwood tested positive for rabies, officials have ordered any skunks found to be put down.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-03-31/news/29386405_1_rabid-skunks-arkansas-town-pets-vaccinated

More rabid skunks reported in western Arkansas

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/apr/24/more-rabid-skunks-reported-western-arkansas/

[aikoaiko]

42. Off to the Guns Forum this goes......

I keed. I keed.

[a la izquierda]

45. OT: There's some great mountain biking down your way.

Sorry you had to shoot the skunk, btw.

[svsuman23]

46. skunk didn't kill people like bin laden. its different.

[jpak]

47. That poor kitty!!!!

:cry:































:evilgrin:
:rofl:

[Armstead]

48. I don't believe you. Do you have a photo? DNA samples?

And by the way, what did you do with the body?

[the other one]

50. People are animals.

[mistertrickster]

52. #4 shot . . . good choice, clean quick kill nt

[Capitalocracy]

You should've caught it and put it on trial!

It wasn't even armed!

(And yes, I'm making fun of myself.)

[cliffordu]

53. K&R.

Yep, that sums it up.

[CatWoman]

56. you bagged Karl Rove?

:hi: