SKUNKED?: Bill Jamieson of Mendota, Ill., has an answer to our
Hazel Hurst reader whose lawn was torn up – possibly by bears. Bill
writes: “Regarding the item about ground being torn up by an
animal: Probably correct that the animal is digging for grubs but
rather than a bear it’s more likely skunks. We have problems with
them on our golf course every fall. It’s amazing how much damage
they can do it a single night.”

JARHEAD: While we’re on that subject, we pass along this
photograph of a hapless skunk with a peanut butter jar over its
head. While it may look comical, the Game Commission reports that
these instances can be quite deadly for wildlife.

But first, the skunk – with a happy “ending” for all.

Tyler Woods of Cole Avenue tells us his dad had gotten up for
work one day last week and spotted the jarheaded skunk. Armed with
a camera, Tyler followed the animal around the neighborhood and
snapped the photos.

A neighbor, Vinnie Reynolds, finally got a stick and held the
jar down. With that, the skunk backed out of the jar. The skunk
looked around – but never sprayed his rescuers. In fact, it came
back to the area two more times.

Tyler, who is 18 and out of school, had this to say: “I have no
life so that’s what I do. Take peanut butter jars off skunks’
heads.”

Believe it or not, Tyler’s story isn’t all that uncommon. The
Pennsylvania Game Commission tells us that, each year, wildlife
rehabilitators are presented with wildlife, especially water birds,
entangled in discarded fishing line, or skunks or raccoons with
plastic containers stuck on their heads.

Earlier this year, a young male, white-tailed deer in Cumberland
County was found dead with a clear, plastic jug over its head that
once likely held pretzels or pickles. A resident that reported
finding the dead deer on his property noted that it appeared that
the animal had suffered from dehydration and malnutrition, but was
able to breathe.

We have additional information on this subject from the Game
Commission in tomorrow’s Round the Square.