Varmints

We have had a new resident in the chicken coop last few weeks - a skunk. When I went out there to take care of the chickens after dark one time, I nearly walked in on a skunk. About every other night I would see it out there. I began to think I ought to do something about it, but didn't really want to shoot it in the coop - it stinks enough out there already. Well, last Sunday about ten we went outside to let the dogs out and we got a good whiff. I saw my neighbor out there with a flashlight, and knowing that his dog has killed skunks before, I went out there to see if that was the case this time. And yes, it was. So the neighbors got to enjoy the smell on their dog and I didn't have to worry about the skunk anymore. Or so I thought. I went over to the coop after leaving Steve and his dogs and stepped in. When I turned on the light, there was another skunk. I went and got the .22 and went back out there. I watched it for a while while it snuffled around the floor of the chicken area (I was in the feed storage area watching through the chicken wire.) When it went up on its hind legs to nose around at the chickens, I figured I better do something. I had read up and found that skunks will kill small chickens and eat eggs, and we had some chicks in the basement that will be going out there soon. So I shot it. About five times. I wanted to make sure it died before it could spray. And it did. Die, that is. I went back out there after a while to get it and it was quite dead and quite smelly. But it's gone. So there is my story of killing the ferocious skunk. The end.