Skunked but not SKUNKED

[GEEZER]

Went down to where the roll gates are that they use to let water out of UT Lake the other day (actually late afternoon) just to see what was happenin'.

It always sickens me how much trash the TRASH that fish there can leave behind. I most always take a trash bag with & gather up some of it at least. Found one real prize this time - some lowlife clown had defecated in a Smiths grocery bag & just left it there. Dunno how much lower one can sink.

Enough on that & back to the gist of this post. While I was fishing & rummaging around picking up trash I got several good whiffs of skunk. I didn't think a lot about it until I filled my trash bag & sat down to contemplate the enormity of it all while quietly watching my bobber.. I kinda caught something out of the corner of my eye & just turned my head a little & there it was - the skunk not 5' from me. The damn thing was eating my minnows. I'd opened the pack & set them on a rock & just left them there thaw a little more. Let me tell you, that's an uneasy feeling! I didn't quite know what might be the best thing to do so I didn't do a damn thing but sit & worry. Mr skunk was evidently oblivious to my presense or didn't give a damn. It finally decided to take the package & all & drag it down into a hole in the rocks. That's when I made my exit. Kinda surprised me how agile I was at hopping across those rocks to get outta there.

Never even had a bite so I guess I got skunked but at least I didn't get SKUNKED if ya know what I mean. I always thought skunks were nocturnal for the most part but wonder if it might have been holed up somewhere in the rocks & my rummaging around while collecting trash awakened it. I'll tell you this, if I ever get another strong whiff of skunk like I did, I'm gonna right quick find me someplace else to be.
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[kochanut]

i shot a skunk rabbit hunting years ago. talk about a stinky mistake, ill never do that again

*edit, replaced the "i" with an "o" in the word shot [crazy]
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[Vivid-Dawn]

Skunks are actually crepuscular (sp?), meaning they're active at twilight (dusk/dawn).
Also, while they do actively hunt, obviously they'll take advantage of a free snack! Maybe it was the smell of the minnows that motivated it to wake up from a nap?

If you had bothered it, most skunks give a warning first, by stamping their front feet and growling. If whatever's a threat doesn't leave after that, then they spray. Of course, there's always exceptions to the rule...better to just mind your own business, like you did

I would love to have one as a pet (yes, yes, with stinkers removed!), but they're illegal in Utah as domesticated critters. Sigh!
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[pkred]

I fish in the river there sometimes too. I float my toon to the lake dragging a worm I have caught a few nice cats. You can also catch littel white bass all day on a spinner on the edge of the reeds. I have seen some pretty big cats brought in form the bridge over the gates. never saw a skunk though, it dose not surprize me though with all the garbage around. I dont know who thinks its there personal landfill but it really chaps my hide. I need to take a page from your book and bring a trash bag when I go. I cant belive some people have so little regaurd for our rivers and lakes. Sorry for the rant, but if you went down there and saw the mess you would feel heated too im sure.
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