Stink you got troubles? - story idea? -

12 Mar 2018

Skunks invade small New Mexico town
Nature’s power doesn’t always come in the form of snowstorms and hurricanes. Sometimes it’s a lot smaller, and can really stink.
Hagerman, New Mexico is currently dealing with a yearly skunk invasion. The small black and white mephitidae’s are causing a big problem for residents of this small town who have found them, in alarming numbers, under their homes and in their backyards.
While skunks aren’t frequently seen in Hagerman because they are nocturnal, they can create horrible smells in homes and buildings where people are trying to sleep and work.
skunk NM
A smushed skunk on the side of the road in Hagerman, New Mexico. Many skunks can be found dead on the road as they run around at night and into traffic. (Fox News)
“It’s quite odorful, it’s a rude awakening at times,” said Cathey Haley, a Hagerman resident who has had a skunk living underneath her home. “When a skunk lets go right underneath your house or right under your bed, it makes for a very interesting night of sleep, or lack thereof.”
Skunks were once rare in in Hagerman, a town of about 1,200 residents. But now skunk carcasses are strewn all over the town’s streets. Drive down any street and there are one or two dead skunks on roadways. One street was sprinkled with four lifeless skunks.
"We're finding a bunch of dead ones on the road almost nightly now in the spring and summertime. In the winter not so much,” said Officer Adam Chavez of the Hagerman Police Department.
The skunks are a problem because the critters could bite pets and infect them with rabies.
Hagerman police have received eight calls for skunks so far this year, compared to just two all of last year. Police said the problem normally arrives in the spring, but has started in the late winter this year because skunks are coming out of their idle stage earlier.
The police set traps to catch the skunks, and release them outside of town. However, the traps haven’t been working as planned this year. So far, they’ve captured 12 cats, four dogs and a domesticated rabbit – but no skunks.

edited to add this bit of musical inspiration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxgagXVqZZM
* note: If you can believe 'Fox Headline News' this is true. There's bound to be a story in there somewhere. ;) *

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12 Mar 2018

I'm not sure I get the problem. Skunks are a fact of life here. I've had them rooting for grubs in my yard and nesting under a neighbour's deck. Squished skunks on the road are a fairly normal sight as is the scent after someone's dog gets too brave.

14 Mar 2018

Quote by seeker4
I'm not sure I get the problem. Skunks are a fact of life here. I've had them rooting for grubs in my yard and nesting under a neighbour's deck. Squished skunks on the road are a fairly normal sight as is the scent after someone's dog gets too brave.

Same here. They're pretty innocuous as long as you (and your pets) leave them alone. Pretty unusual for a skunk to "cut loose" without cause, such as feeling threatened or startled. That would be like the Starship Enterprise using up all of its photon torpedoes firing at holograms and being left defenseless.

I've had them walk within just a few feet of me, seemingly totally unconcerned as long as I didn't make a move toward it. (Porcupines too, but I think they're pretty near-sighted.) We stayed at a campground in Ridgeway, CO several times that had a resident skunk which made the rounds of campsite to campsite each night around dinner time, looking for handouts. Everyone treated it with kid gloves, and we had no issues until one camper's little Shih-tzu went yapping at it. That made for an unpleasant campground, and a dog that had to stay outdoors.

I work in emergency services (fire, EMT, haz-mat, security, etc) at a large assembly plant, and we get calls for critters in the parking lots or around the doors from time to time. I'm not sure what anyone thinks we might do about a skunk - just stay clear until it wanders on! I've told people that Facilities (maintenance, etc) is responsible for skunks and coyotes, and to please only call us for things like frogs or bunnies.