Spotted in Sisters...

Hearing from your kids and grandkids is wonderful, especially when you haven't seen or heard from them in a long time. It's the same thing with me regarding our wildlife family around Sisters. I worry about them.

One of the animals that I haven't seen around here in a very long time is the Western spotted skunk, Spilogale gracilis. I was updated last week in the form of a phone call and images from Chuck Beatie, who lives southeast of Sisters.

"Jim," Chuck began, "I want to tell you how much I enjoy your column in The Nugget, and the last one, "Gettin' By," those guys sounded like great entrepreneurs." Then, like with most calls, Chuck switched subjects.

"But that's not what I'm calling about. I have this strange-looking black-and-white weasel using the shelter I put out for those poor feral cats in my neighborhood; I've never seen anything quite like it. It looks like a skunk, but the stripes are going the wrong way, and it's way too small to be a skunk."

Oh, boy! My heartbeat went up, and my hopes along with it. I said, "It sounds as though you may have a wild spotted skunk visiting your cat shelter, tell me more."

"It doesn't seem to be scared of me," Chuck added, "and it has small rounded ears, a white spot on it's face and a lot of white on the end of the tail."

That did it! No question in my mind; this was the first report I've had of a spotted skunk since 1983, when a friend called me from Bend about one he had in a live-trap in his garage near Pilot Butte.

"What do I do now...?" he asked. I replied that whatever he did, do it slowly and be nice.

I ended up taking it out to Bull Flat and released it into a good-looking rock pile.

When I first rolled into Bend on my Harley, way back in 1951, you could find spotted skunks all around the outskirts of town. I had them running all over the Hollinshead Ranch, where I lived with Dean and Lily Hollinshead. Any given night I could find one in the barn, milking parlor, machinery shed and hen house.

In fact, I had a wonderful adventure with two of them (that I thought was only one) I found eating eggs laid by Dean's hens. If you have a copy of my book "Tales From A Northwest Naturalist," the story begins on page 61; I think it speaks well of my mentality...

The Western spotted skunk has been recognized by the scientific hair-splitters as a separate species from the Eastern variety, Spilogale putorius - by size, different markings and range. Our Western variety is a little larger and with more white on the tail and face, however, both were once found commonly in suitable habitat throughout North America, including Mexico.

Spotted skunks protect themselves by stomping their front feet (Warning Number One), then standing on front legs with its tail over the back (Warning Number Two), and then as a last resort, spraying the intruder in that standing position, or dropping to all fours, arching the body so head and tail are aimed in the right direction and letting fly with the typical skunk scent.

I say, "typical," but if you're a connoisseur of skunks scents, you will find it not nearly as strong and unpleasant as that of the spotted skunks big cousin and arch enemy, the striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis. Those big guys shoot first and ask questions later, and their scent will gag a maggot and be noticeably unpleasant for a week. As far as I'm concerned, spotted skunks are the "gentlemen" of the skunk tribe. (But they are not civet cats, who live in Africa.)

I lived with a spotted skunk in our home when I was the manager of Ramsey Canyon Preserve in the Huachuca Mountains of southeast Arizona. We would often meet at night when said skunk was foraging for mice and insects in the house, and I was headed for the bathroom. We were, thankfully, both very polite to each other; skunk by patiently stomping its feet to make sure I was aware of its presence, and I by apologizing, walking slowly and giving it a wide berth.

About the only time you may be aware of a spotted skunk in your immediate vicinity will be a significant drop in the population of white-footed mice, and during the skunk's mating time. For some reason, skunks have to do a bit of stinking up the countryside when mating, but it's not that powerful, unpleasant stench, just a mere whisper. I guess they just get carried away in the ecstasy of the moment.

If you should happen to meet up with any member of the skunk tribe and be foolish enough to make too much noise or fuss, and get sprayed, or your dog or cat comes home stinking to high heaven, forget the tomato juice. Talk to your veterinarian and try a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide, or baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). On clothing, liquid laundry bleach works fairly well, but burying your clothing is also a final and best solution.

If you happen to have a spotted skunk living with you, be nice. I think we may be the reason we don't see them as often as we used to. We have invaded their habitat and brought along the poor little guy's nemeses, feral cats and striped skunks, both of whom love to live around people.