On Sun, 31 May 1998, Thomas Love wrote:

> While we're on the topic, I was wondering if anyone in tweeterland has any
> tips on locating and observing a Western Spotted Skunk. Any current,
> specific locations in western WA or western OR?

Wish I could help. Andrew Carey and others recently published some
results of trapping in the Puget Sound lowlands and Spotted Skunks
were noteworthy by their absence (if I remember the paper correctly).

When I was about 12 years old living northwest of Olympia, I
set a Havahart trap outside my homing pigeon house to try to
catch the predator killing my pigeons. I caught a Spotted
Skunk each of the three nights I set the trap. I remember
that I spray painted the fur of one of the animals so I
could tell if I caught the same skunk. I never saw the painted
skunk again.

Could Spotted Skunks be disappearing with hardly a notice?

Kelly McAllister