Missouri Lets You Kill a Damage-Causing Skunk Out of Season, but Spotted Skunks Are Fully Protected by Law
November 14, 2026
Can you kill skunks in Missouri? Yes, in most cases, but the answer depends on which skunk you are dealing with and why you want to act. The state treats the common striped skunk as a game animal and furbearer, while the rare eastern spotted skunk is off limits.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) also lets you deal with a skunk that is damaging your property, even outside hunting and trapping seasons. That permission comes with limits, and a wrong move can cost you more than a ruined evening. The sections below walk through each situation so you know where the lines are before you pick up a trap or a rifle.
Can You Kill Skunks in Missouri?
You can kill striped skunks in Missouri in two ways: during the open hunting and trapping seasons, or at any time when a skunk is causing damage on property you own or control. Both routes come from the Wildlife Code of Missouri, which is the rulebook MDC enforces.
The Wildlife Code classifies the striped skunk as a furbearer and game mammal that may be taken during prescribed hunting and trapping seasons. It also specifies that damage-causing striped skunks may be shot or trapped out of season without a permit.
What you cannot do is kill a skunk just because you dislike having it around. Without an open season or actual damage, you have no legal footing.
Pro Tip: Make the yard less attractive first. MDC advises deterring skunks by making pet food, garbage, and animal feed unavailable. That often ends the problem without a trap.
Are Skunks Protected, Furbearers, or Unprotected in Missouri?
Missouri has two skunk species, and they sit in different legal categories. The striped skunk is a regulated furbearer with an open season. The eastern spotted skunk is protected.
| Species | Legal Status in Missouri | Can You Kill It? |
|---|---|---|
| Striped skunk | Furbearer and game mammal | Yes, in season or when causing property damage |
| Eastern spotted skunk | Protected, rare | No |
MDC describes the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) as occurring in much smaller numbers and as a species of conservation concern that may not be shot or trapped under the property-protection rule. The common species is the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), which is the one most Missouri homeowners meet under a porch or in a garden.
Can You Kill a Skunk on Your Own Property in Missouri?
Yes, if the skunk is damaging your property. The rule is 3 CSR 10-4.130, titled Owner May Protect Property; Public Safety. It allows wildlife to be controlled only on the owner’s property to prevent further damage.
That wording matters. You cannot chase a skunk onto a neighbor’s land or onto public ground and kill it there under this rule. The skunk must be causing damage, and you act on your own property.
The same rule is where Missouri draws its exclusions. It covers any wildlife except white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, turkeys, black bears, mountain lions, and endangered species. The text you can read at the MDC rule page is the place to confirm current wording.
Do You Need a Hunting or Trapping License to Kill a Skunk in Missouri?
It depends on which route you use. For a damage-causing striped skunk on your own property, MDC says you can shoot or trap out of season without a permit.
During the regular seasons, the rules change. MDC lists the permits that apply to striped skunk hunting and trapping, including the Small Game Hunting Permit, Resident Trapping Permit, and Nonresident Furbearer Hunting and Trapping Permit. If you plan to take skunks as a hunter or trapper rather than as a property owner solving a damage problem, check the striped skunk regulations page for exemptions and permit details.
Trapping on state conservation areas is separate. Trappers must have a special-use permit to trap on conservation areas.
Skunk Hunting and Trapping Seasons in Missouri
Striped skunk seasons run for most of the year, with a short gap in late fall. As of MDC’s listing for the 2026 to 2027 season, the dates are August 1 to October 15, 2026, and November 15, 2026 to February 28, 2027, with no daily or possession limit.
- Early season: August 1 through October 15, 2026
- Main season: November 15, 2026 through February 28, 2027
- Extended trapping on private land: March 1 through April 14
The extended period is written into the trapping rule. Coyote, opossum, raccoon, and striped skunk may also be taken on private lands from March 1 through April 14. Trap timing is strict: traps may not be placed before midnight of the first day of the season and must be removed by midnight of the last day.
Spotted skunks have no season. MDC’s regulation summary notes that open seasons exist for all furbearers except mountain lions, spotted skunks, and long-tailed weasels.
Can You Kill a Skunk That Is Damaging Property or Killing Chickens in Missouri?
Yes. This is the situation the property-protection rule was written for. A striped skunk raiding a henhouse, tearing up a lawn, or denning under your deck can be shot or trapped without waiting for a season.
Damage is the trigger, so be ready to explain it. A skunk walking through the yard is not damage. Eggs gone, birds dead, or a den under the foundation is.
Prevention works better than a trap here. Close the coop at night, remove food sources, and block gaps beneath structures. MDC notes that skunks’ digging and burrowing, and their habit of taking refuge under porches and buildings, are what lead to conflicts.
Common Mistake: Trapping a skunk after the damage has stopped, or on a neighbor’s land, can put you outside the protection rule. Act only on your own property and only to stop ongoing damage.
Can You Shoot a Skunk in Missouri?
You can, in season or when it is causing damage. The practical problem is the smell, not the law.
MDC’s skunk control page warns that shooting a skunk almost always causes it to spray and recommends against it unless the odor will not be a problem where you are. A skunk shot near your house, kennel, or well can leave you with a worse mess than the one you started with.
Standard safety and local discharge rules still apply. Shooting inside many city limits is restricted, which the city and county section below covers.
Pro Tip: If a skunk may have been exposed to rabies, do not shoot it in the head. MU Extension notes the health department requires the head to determine whether the animal was rabid.
Legal Ways to Trap or Kill a Skunk in Missouri
Live trapping is the method wildlife specialists favor. A live trap, often a cage trap, lets you catch the skunk without spraying and then deal with it humanely. MU Extension’s skunk publication covers both species found in the state and is a solid reference for trap choice and setup. You can read it in full on the MU Extension skunk guide.
- Confirm the animal is a striped skunk, not a spotted skunk.
- Decide whether you are acting in season or under the property-damage rule.
- Set the trap only on your own property.
- Check the trap often and cover it with a cloth before approaching.
- Release a non-target animal right away, and never keep a spotted skunk.
Some devices are restricted. Body-grip traps are not allowed for dry-land sets in Missouri. The department also lists rules for foot-hold traps, snares, and cable restraints on its regulations page, so read those before you buy equipment.
Can You Relocate a Trapped Skunk in Missouri?
You should not count on it. Missouri’s wildlife rules control how wildlife may be taken and handled, and moving a skunk onto someone else’s land or public land creates problems for you and the animal.
The practical issues are strong too. Relocated skunks often struggle in unfamiliar territory, and a skunk dropped on a neighbor’s property becomes their problem. The safer and more common approach is to dispose of a trapped striped skunk humanely on your own property, or to hire a licensed professional.
If you want to release an animal, ask MDC first. The department’s wildlife control guidelines are the place to start, and a local conservation agent can tell you what applies in your county.
Can You Kill a Skunk That Is Sick, Aggressive, or Rabid in Missouri?
A sick or aggressive striped skunk is still a striped skunk, so the same damage and season rules apply. Public safety adds weight to your decision, and the rule you rely on is literally titled Owner May Protect Property; Public Safety.
Healthy skunks rarely attack. They are generally even-tempered and reluctant to spray unless harassed, so stay calm, move slowly, and avoid sudden movements. A skunk that is out in daylight, stumbling, or unafraid of people may be ill.
Keep your distance and call your local health department or a conservation agent. Rabies is the main concern for pets and livestock. If the animal has to be killed, avoid shooting the head and submit it to the state public health department for testing.
Is It Illegal to Kill a Spotted Skunk in Missouri?
Yes. This is the firm line in Missouri skunk law. MU Extension describes the eastern spotted skunk as rarely found in the state and fully protected as a threatened species under state regulations.
MDC says the same. The spotted skunk has been declining drastically in recent years because of habitat loss. There is no open season, and the property-protection rule does not cover endangered species.
Telling them apart takes a close look. The spotted skunk has white splotches on its back and sides, while the striped skunk has the familiar long stripes. If you cannot tell which one is under your shed, do not kill it. Photograph it from a distance and ask a conservation agent.
Can You Hire a Wildlife Control Operator to Remove a Skunk in Missouri?
Yes, and for many people it is the easiest route. Missouri recognizes Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators, and MDC defines them as persons or businesses who kill, capture, transport, or release damage-causing wildlife for profit.
These operators work under the same Wildlife Code. Failure to meet reporting requirements may be considered a violation of the Wildlife Code. That gives you a reason to ask any company about its reporting and its handling of non-target species.
Federal help exists too. MU Extension lists the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, at 573-449-3033. Get a price in writing and confirm how the company will handle a spotted skunk if it turns up in the trap.
Do City or County Rules Change the Answer in Missouri?
They can. The Wildlife Code sets the statewide baseline, but cities and counties often add their own limits on discharging firearms, trapping, and animal control. A rule that is fine on a rural farm may be banned inside a town.
Check your municipal code or call your city hall or county office before you shoot or set a trap in a developed area. Ask specifically about firearm discharge, trap restrictions, and any animal-control ordinance.
If you are unsure, an MDC conservation agent can tell you how state rules apply and point you to the right local office. You can also read about related rules in our Missouri wildlife removal laws article.
What Can You Do With a Dead Skunk in Missouri?
You have a few options. A skunk you took legally can be disposed of on your own property, and a skunk taken in season can be kept as a furbearer. The trapping rule also sets seasons for selling pelts and carcasses of furbearers, striped skunk included.
Spotted skunks are different. If you find one dead, do not keep it. Report it to MDC.
A skunk found on the road is a separate question with its own rules. Other states handle roadkill differently, and you can compare how it works elsewhere in our guides on roadkill laws in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and South Dakota. For a similar species question, see can you kill raccoons in Iowa.
If the skunk may have had rabies, handle it with gloves or a shovel and contact your health department before disposal.