Animal lover troubles

[Humptulips]

I never would have guessed anybody would do this but I had somebody release a skunk from one of my pipe traps. For sure there was a skunk in it. All the signs I usually see at a catch plus the bait was gone. I had an elk neck bone hung up in a tree and the trap on the ground. Looks like the persons dog came to the draw bait in the tree and the person followed.
Trap was still there so I brought it home. I could probably reset and catch the skunk but am afraid of losing the trap if the person comes back to check on it. I imagine they didn't take the trap because the skunk was still inside.
For sure it was a person did it because to open the trap you have to untwist a wire holding the working parts of the trap in the pipe.
Kind of hope they got sprayed.

[KFhunter]

I doubt they got sprayed,  probably opened it and walked on,  skunk came out later. 

+ I think you would have noticed residual spray in the area?

[Jpmiller]

Could they have dispatched the skunk and taken it? If this is a dumb question pardon my ignorance I just have a hard time wrapping my head around some dog walkers warm and fuzzies over a skunk?

[Humptulips]

I doubt they got sprayed,  probably opened it and walked on,  skunk came out later. 

+ I think you would have noticed residual spray in the area?

Heck, my nose is burned out. I was out with Karen and she opened a bottle of Gusto. I couldn't even smell it.

Could they have dispatched the skunk and taken it? If this is a dumb question pardon my ignorance I just have a hard time wrapping my head around some dog walkers warm and fuzzies over a skunk?

The way the traps are built about the only way to dispatch is with CO2 and I doubt they had that with them. The trap was pretty much where I set it albeit open so the skunk could get out.

[huntingfool7]

Could they have dispatched the skunk and taken it? If this is a dumb question pardon my ignorance I just have a hard time wrapping my head around some dog walkers warm and fuzzies over a skunk?

I know a guy that risked falling into the ship canal by the lockes to save a drowning mountain beaver.  He would have turned the skunk loose and probably would have damaged the trap. 

His dog was caught red handed killing the neighbors chickens and he thinks the neighbor made it up.  There is no limit.

[Jonathan_S]

Sorry to hear.  Glad your trap wasn't taken

Had a similar situation earlier this year with a cat trap.  All the tell tale signs including guard hairs still rubbed off inside the trap.  Sure is aggravating.

[Dhoey07]

Set it back up with a game cam on it.