Cone-shaped holes appearing in the lawn overnight. A whiff of skunk around the deck at dusk. The dog refusing to settle because something is living under the porch. In Reading, November is when skunks choose their winter dens — and a sheltered spot under a deck, shed, or stoop near a well-kept Reading lawn full of grubs is hard for a skunk to pass up.

Harvey's Animal Evictions LLC is a licensed Massachusetts wildlife removal company based in Wilmington, with our shop in Medford. We humanely trap and remove skunks from Reading properties and seal the den with a buried, dig-proof barrier so the spot doesn't get reused next season.

Signs a skunk has moved in

• Skunk odor around a deck, porch, shed, or foundation — strongest at dawn and dusk

• Small, cone-shaped holes dug across the lawn (skunks dig for grubs and insects, and a grub-rich lawn can be torn up in a few nights)

• A gap or pushed-in section under a deck, shed, porch, or stoop, sometimes with a worn path leading to it

• Digging along foundation edges, fence lines, and stone walls

• Your dog barking at the same spot under the deck every night — or worse, coming back sprayed

• Sightings at dusk — a skunk working the same route along the fence or the edge of the woods

A denning skunk isn't just a smell problem. Skunks can spray pets and people that surprise them at close range, they dig up lawns hunting grubs, and a den under a structure fills the space above it with odor every time the animal comes and goes. Where one skunk winters happily, the spot stays attractive to others.

Where Reading skunks den

Reading's mix of older colonials and capes near downtown, ranches and split-levels on the streets off Main Street and Lowell Street, and wooded edges around Bare Meadow, the Town Forest, and the Ipswich River corridor gives skunks both food and shelter in the same yard:

• Under decks and porches — the number-one winter den: sheltered, dry, and rarely disturbed

• Under sheds and garage slabs — especially where an edge has rotted or the ground has settled

• Under concrete stoops and bulkheads — a small gap at the edge is all they need

• Along stone walls and woodpiles — classic Reading yard features that double as skunk cover

• Crawl spaces with broken or missing vent covers

Skunks don't hibernate the way bats do — they settle into a winter den and go quiet in the coldest stretches, coming out on milder nights to feed. A skunk that picked your deck in November plans to stay until spring.

How we get them out — and keep them out

Every job starts with an inspection, which you can book online through our website. We don't give estimates over the phone or online, because the price depends on what we find: how many skunks are using the den, how they're getting in, and what it takes to seal the structure properly.

• Inspection — We locate the den and its entry points, check how many skunks are using it, and assess any spraying or digging damage, then give you a clear plan and price before any work starts.

• Humane removal — Skunks are trapped and removed safely and humanely, in line with Massachusetts regulations — with care taken to avoid spraying during the process.

• Exclusion and repairs — We seal the den with durable, dig-proof exclusion — screening trenched into the ground around decks, porches, and sheds so skunks can't dig back under. Surface patches don't stop a digging animal; buried barriers do.

• Cleanup and odor advice — We can advise on airing out and treating the den area once the skunks are gone.

See our full skunk removal process and our wildlife exclusion and damage repair services.

Why Reading homeowners call Harvey's

• Licensed Massachusetts Problem Animal Control agents

• Wildlife only — no bugs, mice, or rats; skunks and other nuisance wildlife are all we do

• Removal + exclusion together — the skunk is gone and the den is sealed with a buried, dig-proof barrier

• 24/7 emergency service — a sprayed dog or a skunk trapped somewhere it shouldn't be is a call we take any time

• Next town over — based in Wilmington, we're in Reading for jobs every week

Reading skunk questions

How much does skunk removal cost in Reading?

It depends on the den location, how many skunks are using it, and how much exclusion work the structure needs, so we never quote a price without looking. Every job starts with an inspection — book online through our website, and the inspection fee is confirmed at booking. After the inspection, you get a clear price before any work starts.

My dog got sprayed. What should I do?

Keep the dog outside or in a garage if you can, and don't let them rub on furniture — the oil spreads. Call us about the skunk itself: until it's removed and the den is sealed, it will keep happening, because the skunk now considers your yard home. Don't try to trap or corner it yourself — a cornered skunk is a spraying skunk.

Can't I just block the hole under my deck?

Not while the skunk is home — blocking a den with the animal inside traps it to die under your house or forces it to dig out somewhere worse, and a sealed-in skunk is an odor problem that lasts for months. Removal first, then a buried dig-proof barrier: that's the order that works.

The holes in my lawn — is that the same skunk?

Very likely. Skunks dig cone-shaped holes hunting grubs, and a denning skunk feeds close to home. Removing the skunk stops the digging; if grubs keep drawing new skunks to the lawn, we can talk through what to do about the food source at the inspection.

Will more skunks use the same den next year?

If it's left open, very likely — good den sites get reused season after season. The trenched exclusion barrier is what breaks the cycle, because skunks dig at the base of a screen and give up when they hit the buried section.

Do you handle other animals in Reading?

Yes — raccoons, squirrels, bats, woodchucks, opossums, birds, and more, plus mole and vole lawn treatment. See the full list on our FAQ page.

Book your inspection

A skunk under the deck in November is a whole winter of odor waiting to happen. Book an inspection online, or call 1-800-692-0406 — emergency service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.