Skunk

A couple of the cows got out the other morning so I was making a feeble attempt at getting them back where they belonged. On the way back down the driveway in the Mule, our Dog was barking at something. The last time she barked that bark it was at a snake. So I slowed down.

Just as I approached the spot I saw something very black. And WHITE. So I veered way off the path and gave it a lot of room.

I paused briefly after I was clear to take a couple of photos, because I knew you'd be anxious to see the proof. Even Dog was giving it plenty of space. Sorry no close up photos of this one. (I have zoomed and cropped a few photos for a closer blurry view.)

Once inside I did a little online research and discovered that skunks can spray up to fifteen feet! But they only usually spray when they feel threatened. They also usually wander off and don't bother you if you don't bother them.

For the next few days, skunk was in the air. Not a nice smell. So I knew it was still around.

Then one afternoon, the dogs were barking the bark again. So I stepped cautiously out on the front porch but couldn't see anything. So I waited awhile. It took a few minutes, but a black tail shot up out of the grass. And a minute later, the tail was in a different spot about 10 feet away. Either there were two or it was moving very fast.

So I decided I'd try to scare it off, away from the house, with a couple of rifle shots. As you know, there wasn't much chance of me hitting it. The best I could hope for was to scare it a little.

Well, that idea back fired. Once I shot a couple of rounds, the cows came running and gathered around the skunk. They ended up chasing it away. Then dogs chased it for awhile but luckily didn't get sprayed.