Broad-striped Skunk

[Wilma]

Here is something that at least a few of you might find interesting.  First, I hope there is such a thing as a broad-striped skunk, because I saw one yesterday morning. 

It was about 8:00 in the morning and we had just loaded up to go to Wichita, but Daughter had started the car and was just sitting there.  I noticed that she seemed to be looking at something across the street, so I checked it out.  Across the street, inside the County Road Yard fence there was a white spot that was moving north along the fence.  Upon closer scrutiny, I could tell it was a skunk.  The white stripe was so broad that it seemed to be dragging the ground.  The only black on it was it's face, chest, legs and underside of the tail.

I have thought about this maybe being some other animal, but a skunk has a distinctive way of moving.  I don't know whether to call it an amble or a waddle.  Whatever it was doing, it continued to the north fence, then followed the fence west.  It disappeared soon after turning west.

Now, tell me what I was seeing.

[W. Gray]

Maybe Pepe Le Pew was in the neighborhood, also.

He was always chasing a "skunk" with a wide white stripe painted down its back.

[Wilma]

Yo, ye non-believers, here is the proof of a long-haired, broad stripe skunk.  Daughter took this about 8:00 last night when it was dark outside.  She took it with her telephone, through the storm door, on her front porch with only the porch light for illumination..  I, of course, have trimmed and lightened the scene to make the skunk more visible.  Hopefully, I can still attach a photo.

[Wilma]

She isn't intentionally feeding the wildlife, just the neighborhood cats.

[Joanna]

That's a skunk of a different stripe! Ha! I hope he doesn't come in our neighborhood; but sounds like he's more north and west.
I used to feed feral cats, but when I figured out the opossums were coming up on the porch, I stopped.
My cat abandoned me and went to live with the neighbors a couple years ago - they had better food 

[Wilma]

While my husband was alive and we were living in Sedgwick County, he fed the neighborhood cats.  About half of them were actually ours.  We were feeding about 35 cats morning and night.  Then after dark the 'possums and skunks moved in.  There were probably 'coons, too, but we didn't see them.

My husband started catching the 'possums and we relocated them.  There were numerous small streams in the county west of us several miles and there was where we would take them.  One night, as he was unloading the evening's catch, I heard a chicken near by.  After freeing the catch, he investigated and found eight red hens, camped under a turned over ice chest that had been partially propped up in the ditch.  I don't know if the hens had been dumped or had fallen off a truck while being transported.  Anyways, having an empty cage in the back of the truck, he caught the hens, caged them and we took them home.

Being out in the country there was no problem about keeping them.  We had an unoccupied hen house and all the paraphernalia needed for chickens.  This all happened in the late fall.  On Christmas Day that year, they presented us with our first egg.  Maybe the nicest Christmas present we ever got.  In the following months we had all the eggs we could use or give away.  Not a bad investment for relocating one 'possum.

[Joanna]

What a great story, Wilma! I'm sure the hens were happy to be at your home and safe from the newly 'possom populated stream

[Wilma]

They were very happy.  They sang all day.  I have always enjoyed having poultry in the barnyard.

[readyaimduck]

Perhaps this was it?  a hooded skunk?

ready .....to purchase tomato juice!!!!

[readyaimduck]

Native to SW and Mexico.
Has the gentleman from AZ (Frawin?)  been bringing gifts to us?