Skunks do not chew their way into a house the way rats do. They dig, and they squeeze. That means the entry points you are looking for are almost always at ground level: a gap under a deck, a rotted vent, a soft patch of dirt along the foundation.
Finding the exact spot is the first step in keeping them out for good. If you skip it and just start sealing random gaps, you will either trap one inside or watch it dig a new hole right next to your patch job. Here is how I work through a property to find every opening a skunk can use.
Know how skunks move
Skunks are nocturnal, with poor eyesight and a great nose. They travel along the same routes night after night: fence lines, foundation edges, the edges of shrubs, drainage ditches. If you see a skunk cross your yard the same way at the same time each evening, it is telling you its route.
They do not climb well, so they stay low. They can squeeze through a gap about four inches wide, and they will widen a small opening by digging with their front claws. One skunk can keep several dens and rotate between them, so a hole that shows no fresh signs this week still needs to be sealed.
Where to look
Foundation and crawlspaces
Walk the whole perimeter twice. Look at where the foundation meets the dirt, especially where soil has settled. Check for cracks, loose mortar, and gaps around pipes and wires where they enter the house.
Crawlspace vents are a favorite. Rusted, broken, or unscreened vents are an open door. Same for crawlspace doors that do not close flush.
Decks, porches, and steps
The space under a low deck or porch is the most common skunk den there is. Skunks dig at the edges where the framing meets the soil. If the lattice or skirting is loose, broken, or missing, they walk right in without digging. Check the riser boards on porch steps for rot.
Sheds, garages, and outbuildings
Go over every outbuilding the same way you did the house. Look at the gap under shed skirting, the corners, and the door thresholds. A garage door with a cracked or missing bottom seal is a surprisingly common entry point.
Landscaping
Rock piles, wood piles, brush, and thick shrubs give skunks cover and a place to dig. Dense ground cover against the foundation creates a hidden path right up to the house. Keep it trimmed back.
Signs that tell you a spot is active
- Digging: small cone-shaped holes in the lawn, a couple inches deep, where a skunk dug for grubs. Digging concentrated along a foundation means it is working on an opening.
- Tracks: five toes with visible claw marks on each foot. A skunk track is different from a raccoon track if you look at the heel.
- Smell: the obvious one. A strong, persistent odor near a gap means an active den. A faint smell with no fresh signs usually means the spot is abandoned.
- Droppings: skunk scat is tubular with blunt ends, often full of insect parts and seeds, usually dropped near the den entrance.
Confirm the spot before you seal
If you have found a gap but have not caught the skunk using it, a tracking patch will settle it. Smooth a thin layer of flour or baby powder in front of the opening in the evening, and check for paw prints in the morning.
A trail camera pointed at the opening for a few nights is even better, and it tells you how many skunks are coming and going and whether they have young with them.
One warning: never stick your hand or arm into a dark gap to check for a skunk. Use a flashlight and a mirror first. If you think a skunk is in there, back off and call a professional.
What to do once you find the holes
Handle the active ones first. Evict the skunk, or wait until you have watched it leave, then seal. Inactive gaps can be sealed right away as prevention.
Most repairs come down to 1/2 inch galvanized hardware cloth, screws, expanding foam for small gaps, and backfill dirt. Bury the hardware cloth a few inches under the soil line at decks and fences so a skunk cannot just dig underneath your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
About four inches, if the opening leads to a dark, sheltered spot. They will also claw a smaller opening wider, so seal cracks too.
Yes. They dig under the bottom edge of a fence even when the fence itself is fine. Burying an L-shaped strip of hardware cloth at the fence line stops it.
Usually. They are creatures of habit and stick to a route that works. That makes their entry points easier to find and to seal.
Twice a year is a good rhythm, once in early spring and once in early fall. Also check after big storms or any landscaping work that could have opened a gap.
They cannot crack concrete, but their digging can loosen the soil around a slab and speed up settling. The real risk is the void they create under a deck or step.
