Last night about ten pm I heard a fawn bleating the distress call. It sounded close so I went outside to see what was going on. I didn’t have a flashlight but I could see two shadows rolling around about 15 yards off my porch. The fawn was distressed and I couldn’t tell what had it but I shouted “Get out of here” loudly as I walked closer. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A skunk! It was attacking the newborn fawn. I guess the momma deer had gone to eat but the fawn couldn’t have been more than a day or so old. My wife and oldest son came out and to all our surprise the fawn got up as the skunk spooked away and it walked right to me. It went by me and went by my steps and stood. I could see blood dripping from its nose and mouth, and it may have had an eye scratched. I saw no other blood or wounds, I don’t think a skunk could open his mouth wide enough to bite it’s shoulder or ribs. Perhaps it had simply bitten its lips and nose?!?

The fawn had walked to me with no problem so I don’t think it was a fatal attack since the skunk was gone. I was tempted to wrap the fawn up in a towel and try and doctor the wounds but I decided to wait and see if the momma deer would return. I went up on the porch and sat down. The skunk returned once but I was able to drive it away again. I made some attempts at a fawn bleat loudly and then waited. About 45 minutes later I saw the fawn had walked out from the porch and mama deer was about 5 yards away. I went in and turned off the light. I knew mama would take care of it and keep the skunk away.

I had never seen anything like this. Have any of you?I hope that little rascal grows up, it was lucky last night. I’ve always said mother nature’s death is much crueler than a Hunter’s well placed arrow.

Frank

I wouldn't have touched it.I can't imagine a skunk biting a fawn unless it was rabid.If it were startled by the fawn,the normal response would be to spray,not bite.I'd talk to a professional on the subject,soon!

Skunk are little tuff bastards, don't under estimate them. I think had you not come out that skunk would of had a heck of a meal. I would have taken the skunk out, don't need them around.

Sick skunk

Skunks are weasels, weasels are some of the baddest ass predators on Earth!

4Nolz You are a vet. I had never seen a skunk act so aggressively. Obviously his mouth couldn’t bite the fawn anywhere fatal but he was chewing on his lips and nose. It was crazy. The poor fawn have a good fight to be a new born.

I live in a nice community and unfortunately the incident happened in my elderly neighbors yard and the skunk had the fawn cornered at her front porch. It’s illegal to shoot animals here so I suppose I’ll need to get animal control on it to trap it.

Does this mean if the skunk had rabies the fawn will contract it now?

Frank

Frank, if the skunk was rabid, the fawn has contracted it from the bites and will develop symptoms in a few weeks and ultimately die from it. It takes longer to manifest because rabies virus grows and travels along nerve tissue, not through the blood stream. It will develop rabies once the virus reaches the spinal cord and brain. Very unfortunate outcome for a day old fawn if it was a rabid skunk. TK

I'm with you LBShooter. I declared war on skunks about 15 years ago after one sprayed my Golden Retriever. If a skunk is on my property it is trespassing and is shot ASAP.

I won't mess with skunks either,shoot all of them I see.I do remember though,years ago while on a squirrel hunt at my hunting property, walking right in the middle of about a half dozen baby skunks while crossing the neighbors as yet unmowed hay meadow. There were three of us walking together and it was just barely light enough to see. I heard one of the guys yell "skunk",I looked down and baby skunks were everywhere. Never did see mama cause I took off like I was on a rocket.

Frank, had you not showed up that skunk would have bitten the fawn into shock and would have a great meal. As mentioned, part of the weasel family and they are tenacious little buggers.

The wonder of nature; never know what you will see. Never say never.

Can't see declaring war on any animals.

We have skunks around all over, and near or in the yard many nights. Trapper won't go beyond patio if one is out there, even if he has to 'go'. He got a slight touch of spray once as a pup and that was enough to educate him (Goldens are SMART). Jake got it twice, but he second time he was in his kennel and the skunk got him through the chain link fence, aggressively. If I shot one, the stench would be there all summer, so I don't bother them. They don't bother us, and eat grubs in the ground that turn into Japanese beetles, so they are helpers in that aspect. If one is acting aggressive, then it might get shot. If obviously rabid, for sure. Otherwise, not. They always move on if approached. There are other ways to combat critters than blasting them all. Cars do enough of that where I live. Dead skunks in the middle of the road are very common here. Just saying. TK.

I once had an old trapper tell me if you shoot them in the lungs they won't spray,but if you shoot them in the head it lets everything go.

Yea they eat grubs, one tore up my neighbors front lawn in one night looking for grubs. Looked like a rototiller went over it, he was pi@@ed, lol.

When I worked in the Prison on midnight turn there would be a couple dozen skunks eating grubs every night. We had to do fence checks and you had to be careful not to walk up on them, they don't retreat or scurry away. They don't see very well and you have to get pretty close before they'll spray you. They'll turn and dig in their back legs before they spray and they can spray a long ways. The one your talking about must of been sick.

I've killed quite a few sick coons, groundhogs, skunks, and have seen some mangy looking fox. My neighbor told me a coon has been coming in his yard and he doesn't want his dog getting bit. I keep a broadhead ready for sick animals in the garage. I live in town so you have to watch even in town.

No explanation for that attack unless rabid imo I do not believe a skunk would predate a fawn like that much less run off then return with a human present.The closer the bite is to the brain the quicker the onset of symptoms.Id be more worried about the vaccination status of the neighborhood pets.

A guy on the internet told me if you pickup by the tail and look closely at the butthole they will never ever spray.Every one I've tried it with never sprayed.

4nolz@work;

are you sure you had a skunk, or a cat??

maybe trying to trick Frisky

I would say it was definitely rabid. I was attacked by a skunk. It was lunging it’s self against the chain link fence trying to fight our dogs. I live out in the country and keep a Ruger 10/22 at the door ready to go. Ran and grabbed it. Put the cross hairs on him and yelled at the dog to get out of the way. Of course the dog ain’t getting out the way! The skunk heard me and turned running straight for me growling. He caught one in the face and dropped instantly. Wife called the sheriff department and they sent a deputy out to collect the skunk for testing. Tested positive and here comes animal control to audit all of our pets shot records. Made me get boosters for all the dogs. The cats are just porch cats. They have never been vaccinated. They gave us the order to either euthanize or go on a vaccination plan. Wife elected the ladder. I guess it all needed to be done but man was it a hassle! That’s the only time I’ve seen a skunk act aggressive. It had rabies.

Well as far as the lungs vs head shot? I have been told by trappers that they inject acetone into the lungs and the don't spray, also a few pest control guts said the same thing.as far as looking goes that's funny. However a skunk dies need to raise its tail to spray so if you can catch one and keel them from raising the tail your good, I'd still pass on looking.

One thing i try and do is follow the law and it’s not legal here to shoot the skunk. I will contact the animal control folks and see if they can trap it. We used to live in the country on acreage and that was a different scenario but inside the city here you cannot shoot an animal, it violates the law.

That skunk was odd and aggressive and in a lifetime outdoors I’d never seen that behavior before.

Frank

I agree with Ken that the skunk was probably rabid. I have declared war on skunks in my backyard. I live in a rural area and my back property line backs up to Corps land. They have sprayed each of my three dogs and dig up my yard all the time. I don't kill animals for the sake of killing them, don't get me wrong, but skunks and copperheads get sleeping powder if I am around.

The fact that the skunk spooked and didn't attack you leads me to believe it wasn't rabid Usually a rabid skunk will attack anything, including people, that gets near. Rather spooky when it happens too.

I've had trouble with skunks killing chickens over the years so although I've never heard of one attacking a fawn, I believe it could happen.

I have heard that shooting them through the ribs will keep them from spraying and shooting them in the head will also keep them from spraying. In my humble experience it will....sometimes. Other times nope. ;)

Salagi he said the skunk returned that's not normal behavior neither is biting a fawn who knows.

When you shoot them in a live trap with a .243 and clip a wire with the bullet before it hits the skunk they don't spray, but do have to be literally poured out of the trap. I was very young when that happened, ended my trapping career quick!

We just had a documented case of a rabid deer in western N.C. this past week. I was wondering what would have given a deer rabies.....fox?, coyote?, bobcat?, you may have expanded my list.

Good advise on being cautious with rabies. I haven't been told/not hearsay, but the skunks I have seen killed quickly, did not spray,however if not disposed of within an hour or so, they will release naturally. Squished on the road near 100% stink to the max. >>>----> Ken

It was very odd. The skunk could have been a small fox or coyote when I first saw the shadows. I was amazed when it got into the light and I saw it was a skunk. Crazy.

He needs to go.

F

I had skunks kill 30 chickens pullets in 1 night several years back. I put a conibear trap out and caught one a night for 16 consecutive days....I'll never forget that. Neither will the garbage man...

They really are quite aggressive and mean.

Garbage Man!!!!!! you mean you don't eat them???

Why does a skunk have to be rabid to attack a prey animal? If it was rabid it would not have scared away. I think it was just seizing an opportunity.

I may have to make a conscious effort going forward to maintain the same level of respect for Mike's opinions now that I know his line of work requires him to look up skunk behinds...but any man that can do that deserves his own series on Animal Planet!

“Oh hi honey, how was your day?”

“It was great, I stared at a skunks butt to see if it was true that they wouldn’t spray if you starred at it really concentrated! What’s for dinner, I’m hungry?”

“I hope you don’t mind some rump roast!”

Actually he was there for me to grope his balls to see if he was ready for me to castrate him.....so staring at buttholes and groping testicles keeps it from being boring,better than wearing a "may I help you" vest...

:) :) :0

Working on getting a job at the airport with TSA.

Nolz, you a brave man lol. Was that skunk glands taken out? I hear skunk make good pets, just like to get into everything.

4nolz, you got a good resume, there are alot of skunks' butts traveling by air these days.

Here is my granddaughter with 7 babies we caught in our back yard, mom had gotten hit by a car. We sent them to a wild animal rehab in Birmingham.

Well isn't that something.

My uncle trapped a few skunks on a large estate where he was caretaker. He would cover the live trap with burlap bag, then throw the trap in the pond. He said they never sprayed.

James

The state veterinarian told me to beware of our area skunks if seen in the daytime, as they are usually rabid. This guy was hunting at night and probably wasn't rabid. Do you want to hear a skunk story?

Well, one night, I was in the garage, leaning against my car and teasing the cats with a toy. It was a milk jug cap tied to a string. One of the cats was annoyed with me and started whacking the cap, over and over, as I taunted him, " What's the matter? Can't you take a little humiliation?" Suddenly, a skunk flew out from under the car, right between my legs, and tried to grab the cap! I yelled and ran out of the garage, the cats ahead of me, lol! The skunk looked back at me and then walked over to the cat food dish and dined, while we all stood there helpless.

Joe

I'll apologize in advance, but I'm just sitting here thinking that 15 years down the road when this skunk has been in and out of multiple rehabs from this traumatic experience and the progressives are still apoplectic over the sitting POTUS and Mike has risen from the TSA to governor of Fla., this pic is gonna resurface in his opponent's campaign ads! Godspeed, Nolz, I see the WH in your future. The gubment has had me by the nads my whole life.

I had the same experience with my cat fighting off a possum over her dish of cat food.

I've trapped predators for over 50 years and that invovlves a lot of skunks.I can tell you,this behavior is way out of character for any species of skunk.This is not a predator/prey thing.Healthy skunks do not go after larger prey like that.They will stomp a warning and will spray any animal that gets too close but a very aggressive,all out and repeated attack on a larger,non prey animal is not the actions of a healthy skunk.

Not rabid because it was out at night?Better do some research.

And Frank,if you handled that fawn,I'd be talking to medical professionals about it and see if you need shots.Be careful.

Don't worry, the shots don't hurt anymore(except your wallet). I had to go through the series exactly a year ago because I mistook a baby bat for a paperweight on a stack of forms at the grandson's day camp and got "pinched" on the finger...my wife tell's me I should wear my glasses! The hens I work with acted like I had the Plague and tormented me into calling the doc(who'll send you to the ER). They told me to go get the little bastid I stomped and if I didn't crush its little pea brain and the health dept. said the test was negative I could pass on the shots. If it was inconclusive I'd have to have them started within days or the chance from dying from rabies once you get it is right at 100%...not good odds. By the way, mine were $17,460 for the series...that's just they shots. Mine insurance premiums didn't seem so bad last year.

Its true a broadside lung shot the skunk wont spray 80% of the time, but it has to be just the lungs not the shoulder or spine and both lungs have to be hit . I done it many times and it almost always works . We had a warm spell in Dec. once that brought the skunks out . I was trapping my trap line was over a hundred miles round trip, with the warm weather I caught 35 skunks in one day . What a mess to reset as they had all sprayed when they were caught .I shot all of them with a 22 and most did not spray at the shot.

I don't think a rabid skunk would be selective about where he was biting. This skunk went for the face and nose like he knew what he was doing. new born animals are prey to a lot of things that don't normally attack larger animals. Even rats will attack new borns.

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