Skunk Photography

I know of a family of skunks living under a friend's outside stairs -

any hints on best times to photograph (i.e., when do they leave their

home to go out), photographing at night, etc.? I've never tried to

photograph nighttime creatures before.

 

p.s. there are some answers that come up in a search, but most relate

to how not to get sprayed, or what to do if you are *grin*

 

Thanks

Skunks are active at night and sleep during the day and are pretty timid. You will have to tailor your photo shoots to their schedule if they will let you get close enough with a flash, and that's something that would be pretty disturbing for them, not something you want to do when photographing wildlife. They would rather run than spray but if you see them turn their backside towards you and lift their tail don't say I didn't warn you.

As another poster said, skunks come out at night and

sleep in the daytime, making it tough to catch them

coming or going.

 

I attempted this with an unattended camera on a tripod,

an off-camera flash on a second tripod, and an infrared

motion sensor as a trigger.

 

The pictures were nice and one or two even caught wildlife,

though I didn't get any skunk photos.

Skunks will sometimes come out an hour or so before dark, so it's not a hard and fast rule that they are totally nocturnal. I've seen them in our neighborhood roaming around in July 1 1/2 hrs. before sunset. The trick is to know where to be while the light is still good. I've never noticed a 'pattern' of movement, but then I don't know whose yard they were getting their cat/dog food from (as was probably the case).

 

The most interaction I've had with skunks was in the mountains of S. Cal. and once again I'd commonly see them in a meadow an hour before dark. One habit they have before they commence to spray is to stamp their front feet to show agitation. If you hear one stamping, you'll know that phase 2 may soon come into play if you don't back off! The ones I encountered in Cal. were not timid and would actually approach me and do the foot stomp thing to let me know to clear out of their territory, which I promptly did. Good luck! (and use a long lens!)

Valerie,

 

<p>We have a regular skunk clientel, including a family (babies and all), that come to eat the seed under our bird feeders every evening. They typically arrive a bit before dusk and stay to around 10pm. I have managed photos of them both from a bilnd and an open door. Almost all the skunks that have visited were not particularly concerned about humans; just hope the coyotes and foxes don't show up while you are outside!

 

<p>Sean

<br><a href="http://stnphotography.com">www.stnphotography.com</a>

Thanks for the great information. I'm going to look into setting up a blind and trying to catch them an hour before dusk,

 

Regards,

 

Valerie

Valerie,

 

I have not got a clue, about skunks, as im in the UK.

 

But, i believe some animals, can not see the colour red. If this applies to skunks, then it might be possible to photograph them in black & white, with a red filter over the flash gun.

 

Ive never tried this myself, so i dont know if it is even possible to do !!!

 

Maybe there is someone out there, who has tried it, and can give you more detailed advice on this.

 

Cheers

I assume my advice is unnecessary, but just in case- don't bother them anywhere near your friend's house, or you will have no friend. A skunk smell extends for quite a distance as anyone who passes a skunk struck by car can testify, and the smell lasts several days. The biggest problem is not you, but a stray dog that might show up. Dogs never learn about skunks and porupines. You have raised a veary interesting subject. I have never thought of photographing skunks because I always considered them just a pest. (More myopic thinking)

Skunks regularly eat cat food in and around the rural area I live in.

I would suggest putting cat food or some other type of bait close by

the stairs so the will go to it . You could set up a blind close by

Chr

You can shine a flashlight on them, so long as you stay out or their "space", so I would tend to believe they would not be bothered by a flash. However, many animals are annoyed by the click of a camera. Keep us posted. And, yes, they do love cat food and dog food.

Skunks tend to be very human habituated. They are fearless too. Which is to your benefit.

 

If you could find a place where they feed, and illuminate it you could get some nice shots. Skunks will walk into bright light to eat. They don't care. Pre-illumination will avoid any nasty surprises when your flash goes off and the skunk is startled.

So there was mama skunk, and her two sons "In" and "Out." One day, In went out and didn't come in for dinner, so mama skunk said to Out "Go out and bring In in." So Out went out to bring In in, and came back in inside of ten minutes. Mama skunk said to Out, "Out, how did you ever find In so quickly, and bring In in?" "Oh," said Out "It was easy......In stinks."

*laugh* - at last, I've been zinged by Artie! *bow* I feel so honored... *grin*

I had a skunk in our yard so often last year I gave him a name, I called him Pepe. He was around most every night an hour or two after dark. Always under the bird feeder. Bird seed was his favorite I guess. I found if I got low, skunk height as it were, Pepe wouldn't bat an eye until I got within 6-8 ft. He'd watch me for sure, but by moving slow, and watching out for irritation on his (her) little face, I found him to be amazingly accommodating. I shot this with a 28-105mm. No reaction from a flash. Watch out for that back end though. When they let you know they're pissed, back off a little.

 

p.s. The Police came by one night with a nasty attitude and a report of a peeper with a camera ( A peeper with a flash? I thought. How effective would that be?). But that's a whole other story. In the end they put their spot-light on him for me. I couldn't get them to pose with Pepe, although I tried.

 

Good luck.<div></div>

Here is the business end of a Skunk!

Watch out for this view!

Sorry, try again

As far as the red filter light goes, no, skunks are able to se it. I've tried it before on them.