The Birchwood skunk who declined our invitation

In Bellingham's Birchwood neighborhood, this skunk had made himself a den under a concrete patio. Solid roof, private entrance, no rent. From his perspective, a pretty good housing arrangement. From the homeowner's perspective, not the tenant they had in mind.

We set professional traps near the den and watched the camera. In this clip, he comes out, gives the situation a look and goes right back into his den. Apparently our invitation was missing an RSVP option marked 'absolutely not.'

That's the thing about trapping: having traps right there doesn't mean an animal will walk into one. You can't force him to go in, and trying to pressure a skunk is a very efficient way to make everyone regret their decisions. Sometimes he simply chooses his own front door instead.

After seeing the video, we repositioned the traps to suit the route he was actually taking. The camera wasn't just recording a skunk turning down dinner — it was showing us how to adjust the setup.

The next night, we caught him. Same den, smarter trap placement, different result. A little patience and a camera beat arguing with a skunk every time.

Skunk denning under your patio, porch or shed? Leave it alone, keep pets away and don't approach the skunk or a trap. Call or text Gavin and let the pros handle the strong opinions.