Silver Bullet Pest ControlSkunk Removal in NJ: Get Skunks Out From Under Your Deck, Shed or Porch
A skunk smell every night, a fresh hole under the deck, or cone-shaped holes dug all over the lawn? Silver Bullet Pest Control removes skunks from under decks, sheds, porches and stoops across North Jersey, then closes off the space so the next skunk can't move in.
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Text a photo of the hole or the den entrance to 973-510-2585 — we'll tell you if it looks like a skunk.
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How do you get rid of a skunk under a deck or shed?
Skunk removal under a deck or shed works best as exclusion: confirm the skunk (and any babies) is using the den, let it leave through a one-way exit, and then close off the space with buried wire mesh so no skunk can dig back in. Trapping alone leaves the den open for the next one, and sealing a hole with a skunk or kits inside traps them under your house. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work — call or text 973-510-2585 for a free quote.
Signs you have a skunk, not a groundhog or raccoon
Skunks are shy and come out at night, so most people find the signs before they see the animal.
| Clue | Skunk | Groundhog | Raccoon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smell | Musky or spray smell, often at night | No smell | Usually no smell outside |
| Hole | Small, about fist-sized, under a deck, stoop or shed | Large hole with a big dirt mound, often near a foundation | Rarely digs dens; climbs into attics and chimneys |
| Lawn damage | Small cone-shaped holes where they dig for grubs | Eats plants and garden crops | Rolls back strips of sod looking for grubs |
| Active | Dusk to dawn | Daytime | Night |
| Tracks | Five toes, long front claws, waddling pattern | Four front toes | Hand-like prints |
Not sure? Sprinkle a thin layer of flour in front of the hole at dusk and check for tracks in the morning, or text us a photo. If it's a groundhog, see groundhog removal; for opossums, see opossum removal.
Where skunks den around North Jersey homes
Under decks
Low decks with open sides are the most common skunk den we see. The space is dry, dark and close to lawns full of grubs.
Under sheds
Sheds sitting on blocks or right on the ground leave a gap a skunk can dig into in one night.
Porches and stoops
Front porches, concrete stoops with a hollow space underneath, and additions built on piers.
Foundations and window wells
Gaps under slabs, crawl space vents and window wells. Skunks also fall into window wells and can't climb out.
Skunks are good diggers but poor climbers, so they almost always live at ground level. Noise in the attic is usually something else — see attic noises.
When skunks den — and why timing matters
Skunks follow a fairly steady yearly pattern in New Jersey, and it decides how we handle your job:
- Late winter (about February–March): mating season. Males travel at night looking for females, so skunk smell and road sightings jump. This is when many people first notice one under the deck.
- Spring (about April–June): females settle into a den to have their babies (kits), often under a deck or shed. A whole litter can be under there.
- Early summer: kits start following their mother out at night. You may see a line of small skunks crossing the yard.
- Fall: young skunks leave to find their own dens, and all skunks eat heavily and dig lawns for grubs.
- Winter: skunks don't truly hibernate, but they sleep for long stretches in a den during cold weather and come out on milder nights.
The key point: in spring and early summer, assume there may be babies. If the hole gets closed while the mother is out, the kits starve under your deck, and the mother may dig all around the structure trying to get back to them. If it's closed while she's inside, you now have a trapped skunk under your house. We check for kits before any den gets sealed. More on this: baby animal season in NJ.
How our skunk removal works
Find every opening
We walk the whole deck, shed or porch and look for the active den hole plus any other spots a skunk could dig under.
Confirm what's there
We check whether the den is active and whether it's one skunk or a mother with kits, so nothing gets sealed inside.
Get them out
Depending on the situation, we use a one-way exit at the den so the skunk leaves on its own at night, or remove it directly. All wildlife work is done under our NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife license.
Close it off for good
Once the den is empty, we install the exclusion barrier around the structure so the space stays closed.
A skunk loose in a garage, basement or window well? See emergency skunk removal — same-day service is often available.
Under-deck and shed exclusion: how we skunk-proof
Filling the hole with dirt or rocks doesn't work. A skunk digs around it the same night. What works is a barrier the skunk can't dig under:
- Sturdy wire mesh is attached around the open sides of the deck, shed or porch.
- The bottom edge is buried in a trench and bent outward, away from the structure, in an L shape. When a skunk digs at the base, it hits mesh and gives up.
- Corners, steps and gaps where the deck meets the house get closed too, since skunks find the one spot that was missed.
- A check after — we make sure nothing is digging at the barrier and no new holes have opened.
This kind of barrier also keeps out groundhogs, rabbits, opossums and other animals that like the same dark, dry space. If rats have been burrowing in the same area, the same visit is a good time to deal with it — see rat burrows around the house.
We also look at what drew the skunk in: open trash, pet food left outside, fallen birdseed, compost and a lawn full of grubs. Fixing those makes your yard a lot less attractive to the next one. For the whole house, see animal proofing and exclusion.
Skunk smell in the house or on your dog: what to do
Dog got sprayed
Keep the dog outside. A common home mix is hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and a little dish soap, used right away and rinsed well — keep it out of the eyes, never store it in a closed bottle, and ask your vet if you're unsure. If the dog was sprayed in the face or was bitten, call your vet.
Tomato juice?
Tomato juice mostly covers the smell for a while; it doesn't break down the oils that cause it.
Smell under the house
If a skunk sprayed under a deck, porch or crawl space, or one died under there, the smell can come up through floors and vents. Air out the house and run fans.
Odor control
After the skunk is out, we can treat the den area to control the odor. We handle wildlife odor control ourselves.
Can I get rid of a skunk myself? Do's and don'ts
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Keep pets inside at dusk and at night while a skunk is around | Corner a skunk, chase it or let your dog go after it |
| Bring in pet food and secure trash can lids | Close the hole without knowing if a skunk or kits are inside |
| Pick up fallen birdseed and fruit | Use poison — it's dangerous to pets and other animals and can leave a dead skunk under the deck |
| Turn on a light and talk loudly before going in the yard at night | Handle a skunk that's acting strange or active in daytime |
| Call us if you see kits or the den is under the house | Rely on mothballs, ammonia rags or plug-in repellers to fix it |
Skunks are one of the animals that can carry rabies in New Jersey. A skunk that's wobbly, very aggressive, or out in the middle of the day acting confused should be left alone — call your local animal control or police non-emergency line. If a person or pet was bitten or scratched, call a doctor or vet right away.
Related wildlife pages
Get a Free Skunk Removal Quote
Tell us where the skunk is living and what you've seen or smelled, and send a photo of the hole if you can. We'll give you a free quote for removal and exclusion.
Why people call us about skunks
- Skunk smell every night near the deck
- A fresh hole under the shed or porch
- Baby skunks following their mother across the yard
- The dog got sprayed and you want it to stop
- A skunk stuck in a window well or garage
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Skunk Removal Questions
How do I know if a skunk is living under my deck?
The clearest signs are a musky smell near the deck, especially at night, and a fist-sized hole at the edge with fresh dirt. Small cone-shaped holes in the lawn nearby also point to skunks. To confirm, sprinkle flour in front of the hole at dusk and look for five-toed tracks in the morning, or text us a photo.
What time of year do skunks have babies in NJ?
Skunks usually have their babies in late spring, roughly May into June, in a den under a deck, shed or porch. The kits stay in the den for several weeks, then follow the mother out at night in early summer. Any den sealed in spring or early summer should be checked for kits first.
Will a skunk leave on its own?
Sometimes a skunk moves on after a short stay, especially a male in mating season. A female with kits will stay until the young are older, and an empty den often gets taken over by another skunk later. If you want the space closed for good, it needs an exclusion barrier after the den is empty.
Can I just fill the hole with dirt?
No, filling the hole usually doesn't work. A skunk can dig around loose dirt or rocks in one night, and if a skunk or kits are inside, you've trapped them under your deck. The lasting fix is to confirm the den is empty, then install wire mesh buried in an L shape around the structure.
Do skunks hibernate in winter?
Skunks don't truly hibernate, but in cold weather they stay in their dens and sleep for long stretches, coming out on milder nights. That's why a skunk can seem to disappear in January and show up again in late winter, when mating season starts and they travel more.
Are skunks dangerous?
Healthy skunks are not aggressive and usually spray only when cornered or attacked. The bigger concerns are the spray, damage to lawns, and rabies — skunks are one of the animals that can carry it in New Jersey. Never handle a skunk, and get medical or vet help right away after any bite or scratch.
How do you get skunk smell out from under the house?
First the skunk has to be out and the den closed, otherwise it keeps coming back. Then the den area can be treated to control the odor, and the house aired out with fans. We handle wildlife odor control ourselves as part of the job when it's needed.
Do mothballs or ammonia get rid of skunks?
Mothballs and ammonia rags rarely solve a skunk problem. A skunk may avoid them for a short time, then move back in, and mothballs are toxic to kids and pets. Taking away food sources and putting up a buried mesh barrier works far better.
How much does skunk removal cost?
The cost depends on whether there's a mother with kits, how big the deck or shed is, how much exclusion barrier is needed, and how hard the site is to dig. We give a free quote after seeing the property. Our wildlife removal cost page explains the main factors.
Do you serve my town?
We're based in Garfield and serve Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. We also serve some towns in Morris and Union counties; visits there are scheduled ahead, and same-day service is sometimes possible. Call or text 973-510-2585 to check your town and get a free quote.
¿Pueden sacar un zorrillo de debajo de mi terraza?
Sí. Revisamos si hay crías, sacamos al zorrillo de forma segura y cerramos el espacio con malla enterrada para que no regrese. Hablamos español. Llame o mande texto al 973-510-2585 para una cotización gratis.
Skunk removal across North Jersey
From our base in Garfield we serve Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Our service area
Bergen County
973-510-2585- Allendale
- Bergenfield
- Bogota
- Carlstadt
- Cliffside Park
- Closter
- Cresskill
- Demarest
- Dumont
- East Rutherford
- Edgewater
- Elmwood Park
- Emerson
- Englewood
- Englewood Cliffs
- Fair Lawn
- Fairview
- Fort Lee
- Franklin Lakes
- Garfield
- Glen Rock
- Hackensack
- Harrington Park
- Hasbrouck Heights
- Haworth
- Hillsdale
- Ho-Ho-Kus
- Leonia
- Little Ferry
- Lodi
- Lyndhurst
- Mahwah
- Maywood
- Midland Park
- Montvale
- Moonachie
- New Milford
- North Arlington
- Northvale
- Norwood
- Oakland
- Old Tappan
- Oradell
- Palisades Park
- Paramus
- Park Ridge
- Ramsey
- Ridgefield
- Ridgefield Park
- Ridgewood
- River Edge
- River Vale
- Rochelle Park
- Rutherford
- Saddle Brook
- Saddle River
- South Hackensack
- Teaneck
- Tenafly
- Teterboro
- Upper Saddle River
- Waldwick
- Wallington
- Washington Township
- Westwood
- Woodcliff Lake
- Wood-Ridge
- Wyckoff
Passaic County
973-510-2585- Bloomingdale
- Clifton
- Haledon
- Hawthorne
- Little Falls
- North Haledon
- Passaic
- Paterson
- Pompton Lakes
- Prospect Park
- Ringwood
- Totowa
- Wanaque
- Wayne
- West Milford
- Woodland Park
Essex County
973-510-2585- Belleville
- Bloomfield
- Caldwell
- Cedar Grove
- East Orange
- Essex Fells
- Fairfield
- Glen Ridge
- Irvington
- Livingston
- Maplewood
- Millburn
- Montclair
- Newark
- North Caldwell
- Nutley
- Orange
- Roseland
- Short Hills
- South Orange
- Verona
- West Caldwell
- West Orange
Hudson County
973-510-2585Union County
973-510-2585- Berkeley Heights
- Clark
- Cranford
- Elizabeth
- Fanwood
- Garwood
- Hillside
- Kenilworth
- Linden
- Mountainside
- New Providence
- Plainfield
- Rahway
- Roselle
- Roselle Park
- Scotch Plains
- Springfield
- Summit
- Union
- Westfield
Morris County
973-510-2585- Boonton
- Butler
- Cedar Knolls
- Chatham
- Denville
- Dover
- East Hanover
- Florham Park
- Hanover
- Kinnelon
- Lincoln Park
- Madison
- Mendham
- Montville
- Morris Plains
- Morristown
- Mountain Lakes
- Parsippany
- Pequannock
- Randolph
- Riverdale
- Rockaway
- Roxbury
- Whippany
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B