Skunk burrows are most often found under porches, decks, sheds, and other low-lying structures rather than out in open ground. Unlike groundhogs, which dig their own large tunnel systems, skunks prefer to move into existing gaps beneath structures or take over burrows dug by other animals. Identifying a skunk burrow comes down to recognizing the entrance, checking for physical evidence nearby, and confirming whether the den is currently active.
Where Skunks Den
Skunks are opportunists. They gravitate toward dark, covered crawl spaces: the gap beneath a wooden deck, a concrete porch with eroded soil underneath, a garden shed sitting on bare ground, or a hole along a home’s foundation. They also use rock piles, woodpiles, and old drainage pipes. In rural areas, they may occupy abandoned groundhog or fox burrows in open fields, but around homes, a structure overhead is the common thread.
One important detail: a skunk odor is not always present near an active den. Many homeowners assume they’d smell a skunk if one were living under their porch, but skunks only spray when threatened. A den can be occupied for weeks without producing any noticeable smell.
What the Entrance Looks Like
Skunk burrow entrances are relatively modest compared to those of larger burrowing animals. You’ll typically see a hole roughly 3 to 4 inches in diameter, sometimes slightly wider, with a shallow fan of loosened soil pushed outward. The entrance tends to sit tight against a foundation wall, deck post, or the edge of a concrete slab rather than appearing in open lawn.
If you’re seeing a much larger opening (8 inches or more across) with a substantial mound of excavated dirt and rocks, that’s more consistent with a groundhog. Groundhogs are aggressive diggers that create extensive tunnel systems and leave conspicuous piles of soil. Skunk digging is shallower and less dramatic. Skunks have long front claws suited for scratching through topsoil, not for engineering deep burrow networks.
Signs of an Active Den
A hole alone doesn’t tell you much. The key is looking for signs of current occupation. Several types of evidence, often found together, point to a skunk actively using a den.
Droppings
Skunk droppings are tubular, roughly half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter and two to four inches long. They look similar to small cat or dog feces and are usually dark brown or black, fading to grayish-black as they dry. A closer look often reveals bits of insect exoskeletons, berry seeds, fur, or feathers mixed in, reflecting the skunk’s varied diet. Droppings heavy in berries can appear reddish or purple.
When a skunk is denning under a structure, droppings tend to accumulate near the den entrance, along pathways leading to and from it, and in sheltered spots protected from rain. Finding droppings repeatedly in the same area near your foundation, deck, or shed is a strong indicator of a resident skunk.
Foraging Holes in the Lawn
Small, cone-shaped holes scattered across your lawn are one of the most recognizable signs of skunk activity. Skunks press their noses to the ground and use their front claws to dig out grubs, earthworms, and other soil insects. Each hole is roughly nose-sized and surrounded by a small ring of loosened soil. A yard peppered with these shallow divots, especially overnight, strongly suggests a skunk is foraging from a nearby den.
Tracks
Skunk tracks show five toes on each foot, with visible claw marks extending ahead of the toe pads. The prints are compact and somewhat pigeon-toed. You’re most likely to spot them in soft mud, dust, or sand near the den entrance.
Other Clues
Disturbed mulch or landscaping near the suspected entrance, occasional faint skunk odor, and sightings of skunks at dusk or during the night all support the identification. Skunks are nocturnal, so you’re unlikely to catch one coming or going during the day.
How to Test If a Burrow Is Occupied
If you’ve found a suspicious hole and want to confirm activity before taking action, the flour test is a reliable low-tech method recommended by Penn State Extension. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of flour in about a two-foot circle on the ground in front of the opening. After dark, check the flour for tracks indicating the skunk has left to feed. If no tracks appear on the first check, look again an hour later. Skunks leave the den after dark to forage, so footprints through the flour confirm the burrow is in use.
This test also helps you time any exclusion work. Once you see tracks showing the skunk has left, you know the den is temporarily empty. The recommended approach is to seal the entrance immediately after the skunk exits, then reopen it briefly the following evening for about an hour after dark to let any remaining skunks (a mate or juveniles) leave before permanently closing it off.
Seasonal Patterns to Know
Skunk denning behavior shifts throughout the year, and the timing matters for identification and management.
In winter, skunks don’t truly hibernate but become inactive for days or weeks at a stretch, living off stored body fat. Several skunks may share a single den during cold months to conserve heat, so a winter den could house more than one animal. Breeding season starts in late January as males begin searching for females near winter dens, with mating occurring in February.
Young are born in May or June, with litters typically ranging from five to nine kits (occasionally as few as two or as many as 18). Mothers nurse the kits for about two months, making the den especially important from May through July. Families break up in August and September when juveniles disperse to find their own territory. This late-summer period is when new burrows or den sites may suddenly appear around your property as young skunks strike out on their own.
If you suspect a maternal den during the spring or early summer months, proceed carefully. Sealing a nursing mother out of her den traps the kits inside, and a mother separated from her young will work aggressively to dig back in.
Skunk Burrows vs. Other Animals
Several animals create holes around residential properties, and misidentification is common.
- Groundhogs leave large mounds of excavated soil and rocks near their burrow entrances. The openings are significantly bigger (often 10 to 12 inches across) and the tunnel systems run deep. Skunks produce much less displaced soil and smaller entrances.
- Raccoons don’t dig burrows at all. They den in tree hollows, attics, and chimneys. Raccoon damage in a yard looks different: torn-up sod in large patches rather than small, nose-sized holes.
- Moles create raised ridges of soil across the lawn surface and volcano-shaped mounds. Their damage is subsurface tunneling, not the discrete cone-shaped foraging holes skunks leave.
- Rats dig burrows with entrances around 2 to 3 inches across, smaller than a skunk’s, and often along walls or fences. Rat burrows lack the fan-shaped soil spread and won’t have the five-toed tracks or insect-laden droppings.
Preventing Skunks From Burrowing
Once you’ve confirmed a skunk burrow and the animal has vacated (verified by the flour test), exclusion is the most effective long-term fix. The standard method is an L-shaped hardware cloth barrier installed along the base of the structure the skunk was denning under.
Dig a trench about 4 inches deep and 18 inches outward from the base of the structure. Secure half-inch galvanized hardware cloth vertically against the foundation or structure wall, then bend it outward along the bottom of the trench so it forms an L shape pointing away from the building. The outer edge of the buried cloth should angle slightly downward, not upward. If it angles up, animals can dig underneath the entire barrier. Backfill the trench and pack the soil firmly.
Half-inch galvanized hardware cloth is the right material here. Lighter mesh or chicken wire won’t hold up against a skunk’s claws. Seal any additional small holes or cracks around foundations and outbuildings at the same time, since skunks can squeeze through surprisingly tight gaps.