I was just reading the lightening bug thread and it dawned on me that someone out in Fodorland might know the answer to a question that's been bugging me for awhile now. For the past three or four years, we've noticed that there seem to be a lot more skunks around. Up until last week, it was just a matter of smelling them frequently. But early one evening last week, my daughter and I saw 4 young skunks crossing the road near our home.

It's not just around here that we've noticed the increase. Seems everywhere we've gone these past few summers, we've experienced more frequent "perfumed" evenings.

Which (finally!) leads me to my question. Has anyone heard or read anything about a dramatic increase in the skunk population the past few years?

No.

Skunk populations run in cycles. Be wary of near, fearless ones as that can be a sign of rabies.

I can only guess that increased building in usually undeveloped wooded areas is driving them into areas they don't normally go. That's been the case in the Atlanta 'burbs with deer. My sister sees them in her backyard nearly every day. They love nibbling on her flowers.

I had a pet skunk once. Carnations were her favorite!

Skunks, deer, foxes, raccoons, and opossums are all becoming increasingly adept suburbanites. Ditto with coyotes, bobcats and rattlesnakes in the west.

Just last year, a family of skunks lived under our deck. Mamma and her babies would venture out in the dark across the yard to go "do their thing".

We used to pray that they wouldn't get frightened under our bedroom windows

I have also witnessed a live birth of a baby fawn in our yard.

A red fox every now and again.

A coyote (scary creature).

And lastly, an eagle - huge wingspan. Of course, no one in my family believed I actually saw one, but I did!

My yard has turned into a regular zoo.

I've noticed an abundance of groundhogs this year. Four - six at a time!

obxgirl: Coyotes are well-established now in urban Eastern areas, too. Boston TV news often has stories of suburban encounters between coyotes and people or pets. Just yesterday a neighbor came over to advise us that coyotes had been seen in our neighborhood, a 5-minute walk from the Boston city line.

Anonymous, YIKES! Batten down the cats!

Skunks go where the food is (sort of like those of us asking for restaurant suggestions here). If you have a lot of skunks on your property, you likely have a lot of grubs in your lawn. For some reason known only to skunks, they like to eat these. Kill the grubs and the skunks will dine elsewhere.

LOL, "batten down the cats"

Here in Jax, we have Armadillos!! I have not seen one live on yet, but daily, you can see their corpses on the roads

I saw a live armadillo for the first time a few months ago. It was snuffling in the dirt along a road.

A few years ago, I was in a hotel with my parents in West Jefferson, NC (near Blowing Rock, NC) and all of a sudden a VERY strong skunk smell came under the door. It was really terrible - we were choking! But we laugh about it now!

Thanks for all the responses! Sounds like it's all part of the encroaching suburbs thing. As others have mentioned, we do also see lots of opossums, raccoons, etc. I guess we're just more aware of the skunks because the scent seems to be getting so pervasive!

I live in southern NH and both my wife and I recently commented on what seemed to be more skunks than usual.

I go out each night to give the dog a last chance and see a skunk just about every night. Lot's of road kill and fragrant evenings.

mm

I live in a very busy city neighborhood and have noticed the smell of skunk a LOT in the past year. I haven't see one, but have definitely smelled them! It's unusual.

There are definitely more skunks than ever before in my southern Ct. suburban neighborhood. A neighbor has helped the problem immensely by trapping eight of the animals and dispatching them. They aren't all gone but I can now sit on my deck at dusk with much less apprehension.

Florida1, my step-dad and his wife live in West Jefferson
Pretty up there, isn't it?

To OP - CAPH52 - now you know why you have so many skunks. Roy has been trapping them and letting them lose in your neighborhood.

Yes Scarlett, it is beautiful up there! I went to a girls camp there when I was younger and we go up there fairly often still. Ashe County Cheese is always a favorite shopping stop!