You can't put any lattice work around your deck? That's what I have around the outside of my house, and it's good for climbing things too.

Get a heavy shallow pan that doesn't tip over easily, and pour an inch or so of ammonia in it. Slide it under the deck, you can use a stick if necessary. The smell will drive out the critter, this works great on raccoons, too. Professionals will come out for a raccoon in the chimney and do this and charge you $100 for putting a bowl of ammonia in your fireplace. Or so I'm told.

Unless you can block their entrance to the underside of the deck, you'll have to reapply the ammonia until they figure out it's not a good place to hang out.

Make sure there isn't any food around to encourage it, like cat food left outside.

My husband did the ammonia thing in the fireplace to drive out a mother raccoon and her litter. Mama took each baby one by one. We set the ammonia in a pan on top of a cinderblock so the fumes would waft into the chimney. We also changed the ammonia every day to keep it strong-smelling. Cheap, easy, effective--and no one got hurt. Then you have to hire someone to screen off the chimney. I assume the same thing would work under a porch, for instance.

We are in the process of putting up latticework, though we're going to keep one (invisible) spot open for access. I'll keep the ammonia trick in mind, though. I havent smelled the skunk in a few days, so maybe it was just passing through...

Thanks for the advice!

--Carolyn

It is May and skunk season according to the CT DEP wildlife info....and they must be under my deck too! I had a box of mothball flakes in the closet and threw it down between the boards, but I'm not hopeful. I tried mothballs a few years ago for the critters under my shed and it really didn't help. Just waited till Fall and using wire fencing, bricks, etc. I plugged the perimeter as best I could. Last year the bunnies were my enemy. But the skunks are back.

I could wire all around the deck (after they vacate - am going to try the ammonia trick above) except there is no way I can get the wire fencing to block off the space behind the deck stairs. It's really weird the way they are done on a corner and descend on each side of the corner. Drats!

One site I found talks about fox urine stuff as that is their enemy. Any one have luck with similar products??

At least I am not alone with this scourge - and you can't trap and relocate them in CT by law (or any animal that is rabid prone.)

Doris

Be careful with the mothballs, if I'm not mistaken, they are poisonous to animals.

The ammonia should work if you keep refreshing it until they give up trying to hang out there.

I can't bear thinking about where/how they get predator urine; try the ammonia, it probably works just as well and doesn't use an animal source.

Don't sic your dog on them, LOL!

I'm always an advocate of apex predators... but in this case, NO!!!