Reclaim Your Yard with Professional Skunk Removal Services
Are you noticing:
- A strong burning rubber or sulfur smell around your house or yard?
- Fresh, shallow cone-shaped holes on your lawn?
- A noticeable gap or hole forming near your crawl space vents?
- Late-night scratching and movement beneath your home?
These are clear signs that skunks have moved into your property.
Skunks dig for grubs, den under structures, and spray when disturbed. Over time, they create odor problems, damage soil and landscaping, and contaminate areas with waste.
At Smith’s Pest Management, we safely trap skunks across the Bay Area and block off the entry points they’re using to keep them out for good.
Seeing signs of skunks? Don’t wait. Call now for a FREE quote: (408) 871-6988
Our 3-Step Skunk Control Process
1
Trap and Remove
We strategically place humane live traps in high-activity areas such as along fence lines, near burrow openings, and under decks.
We check traps daily and remove active skunks in compliance with California Fish & Wildlife regulations.
2
Remove Attractants
We identify what is drawing skunks in, usually accessible food sources like pet food, fallen fruit, garbage, or insect activity.
We eliminate those food sources so they have no reason to return.
3
Exclude and Repair
We seal off burrows and close openings under decks, porches, sheds, and garages to prevent re-entry.
If skunks have gotten inside, we clean and disinfect contaminated areas and remove and replace any damaged insulation to restore the space and protect your health.
Our exclusion and repair work may include service coverage depending on the scope of the project. Contact us to learn more about available warranty options.
Success Story: How We Helped a Concord Family Eliminate Skunks Living Under Their Deck
A homeowner in Concord reached out after their dog was sprayed twice in one week. They had also noticed a strong odor lingering near the back patio and fresh digging along the edge of their deck.
During our inspection, we found an active skunk den burrowed under the raised deck, which is common in Concord neighborhoods with irrigated lawns and loose soil.
We set humane live traps along the skunks’ travel paths and removed the animals safely.
After trapping was complete, we sealed the deck perimeter with heavy gauge wire mesh buried below grade to prevent digging. We also removed food attractants and treated the affected soil area to reduce lingering odor.
Within days, the smell was gone, the digging stopped, and the family could use their backyard again without worrying about another spray incident.
Why Choose Smith’s?
Local experts serving the San Francisco Bay Area including Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Monterey, and Santa Cruz Counties
Licensed, certified professionals with 15+ years of wildlife control experience
Humane, eco-conscious methods that meet California regulations
Programs for homes, HOAs, schools, parks, golf courses, farms, and commercial properties
What Our Customers Say
FAQ
Skunks are small to medium-sized mammals, typically no bigger than a house cat, known for their distinctive black and white coloring and their powerful defensive spray.
They are a form of nuisance wildlife commonly found throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Skunks are adaptable and often live near residential areas, especially where they can find easy access to food and shelter.
They are nocturnal animals, meaning they are most active at night. While they may seem harmless at a distance, skunks can become highly problematic when they wander onto your property due to the risks and damage they can cause.
You may notice a strong skunk odor, small burrow openings near foundations, disturbed soil, or tracks around the structure.
Skunks often dig shallow holes in lawns while searching for grubs.
Skunks can spray when threatened, but proper trap placement and professional handling significantly reduce that risk.
Experienced technicians know how to minimize stress and prevent spraying incidents.
When skunks are disturbed, they will emit a spray from the glands on their rear end. This spray is a mixture of sulfur and other organic compounds designed specifically to repel larger animals (including humans).
This pungent odor will remain on your clothes and skin after multiple washings.
Fortunately, most predators get scared off by a skunk’s black and white coloring, which is why they rarely use their spray. However, if you bother with one that wanders into your yard, your chances of getting sprayed are too high for comfort.
Along with an intense smell, a skunk’s spray can irritate your eyes and lungs, causing burning, tearing, and temporary discomfort. It can also affect pets, leading to symptoms like drooling, vomiting, or irritated eyes if they are sprayed.
Skunks are also carriers of rabies, other dangerous diseases, and parasitic insects.
Plus, if you have pets that venture too close to a skunk, they’ll wind up bringing this repugnant odor into your home, if sprayed.
Skunks are mostly nocturnal, but they may appear during the day, especially during mating season or when searching for food.
Yes. Skunks dig under foundations, porches, and sheds, which can weaken soil and create voids.
If they enter structures, they can contaminate insulation and leave strong odors behind.
If left unattended, skunks can do a lot of damage to your yard. If you’re an avid gardener, skunks may be your worst nightmare.
Putting all of your hard work to waste, they’ll dig large holes in your lawn or flower beds, typically in search of a convenient source of food like grubs or other insects.
If a skunk sprays near or under a structure, the odor can linger for weeks without proper cleanup.
Professional sanitation helps neutralize odor and remove contaminated materials.
In order to avoid an inconvenient skunk infestation that can damage your lawn and put you and your pets at risk, having the right prevention plan is crucial.
Since skunks are nocturnal and dig holes in your yard at night as they hunt, bright lights in the yard can scare them off. Obviously, lighting up the yard for the whole night is unrealistic, but you can use a few strategically placed lights equipped with motion sensors to ward off skunk activity.
As with most wildlife, citrus scents can repel skunks. Oranges and lemon peels placed around the yard can be effective deterrents. You’ll also be able to find (in local stores or online) different kinds of predator urine, chemicals that mimic the presence of dogs or coyotes.
Once a skunk finds its way onto your property, it can be incredibly dangerous to confront it yourself. Your chances of being sprayed with their dangerous emissions drastically increase when you try to confront them yourself.
Instead of wasting your money on inconsistent store-bought remedies and risking exposure to a nasty, potentially dangerous spray, enlist the help of a professional wildlife technician from Smith’s Pest Management.
Our technicians have years of experience and professional solutions to make your skunk problems a thing of the pest. Contact Smith’s Pest Management for more advice or assistance.