Yesterday we shot the skunk. We retrieved a shovel from the shed and interred the carcass below the ditch bank. We went home and related the evening's doings. Which reminded Dad of his youth, and so he regaled us with stories from the "early days" on the high plains.
The most memorable account of the evening was a tale concerning Dad and his brother, Carl checking their live traps before going to school. One of the traps contained a skunk, so Carl opened the gate and the critter crawled out. But instead of running off, it stood its ground. The boys knew that so long as the skunk did not have its forefeet planted that it could not spray them, so Carl quickly grabbed the animal by the tail and hoisted it into the air. They went merrily along the way, thinking it might be fun to release the beastie in the school yard.
But of course to get out of the field and onto the road, they had to go through a four-strand barbwire fence. "You go on through," said Carl, "and I'll hand him to ya." So Delbert crawled through the fence. Carl lifted the skunk to pass it over, but as Delbert reached for it, the skunk grabbed the top wire with its front paws. And Carl was the recipient of the angry animal's expression of displeasure!
The most memorable account of the evening was a tale concerning Dad and his brother, Carl checking their live traps before going to school. One of the traps contained a skunk, so Carl opened the gate and the critter crawled out. But instead of running off, it stood its ground. The boys knew that so long as the skunk did not have its forefeet planted that it could not spray them, so Carl quickly grabbed the animal by the tail and hoisted it into the air. They went merrily along the way, thinking it might be fun to release the beastie in the school yard.
But of course to get out of the field and onto the road, they had to go through a four-strand barbwire fence. "You go on through," said Carl, "and I'll hand him to ya." So Delbert crawled through the fence. Carl lifted the skunk to pass it over, but as Delbert reached for it, the skunk grabbed the top wire with its front paws. And Carl was the recipient of the angry animal's expression of displeasure!
6 comments:
Kids used to have lots of fun on the way to school before moms put them in minivans and delivered them to the door.
I hate when that happens. I've caught a couple of skunks in my live trap. I hate when that happens too. :)
Hahaha! The skunk won!
When we were trapping the raccoons, the traps we got smelled of skunk. I asked the guy what he did when he trapped them and he just looked at me. I guess they went to Happy Raccoon Village too. Albeit a LOT faster than the raccoons.
Vee, yes, kids used to have the opportunity to be kids before the world turned into this mess.
Chuck, indeed, I hate it, too.
Lin, yes, skunk 1, schoolboys 0.
I bet trapper man held his peace because he knew you really didn't want to know.
Oh Boy! I have a skunk story from high school days too. I can relate. Thanks for rest of story.
Shark, do tell!
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