Dead skunks

Found two adolescent skunks dead today in the pasture. They were about 30 or 40 yards from each other. Neither showed any signs of trauma and neither had sprayed, no stink in the air whatsoever. They looked like they hadn't been dead very long at all. Anyone have any ideas about what might have happened to them?

Heat? Drought- lack of water?

There is plenty of water in the pasture, not far away. What's the chances of them dying about the same time purely from the heat? I dunno

Rabies is running rampant right now. There is a good chance that they died from this disease. DO NOT touch them. TPWD suggests to bury all dead animals found and then to clorox the shovel. We have done that on several occasions.

Rabies was/is one of my first thoughts. It still seems odd that they expired so close together timewise. Buzzards didn't want any part of them either. Normally anything killed out there has buzzards on it within a few minutes.

I would guess starvation because of the drought. I have seen various young skunks and coons kicked out early and since the young will usually hang out together for a while, I'd bet they starved or dehydrated since they are in close proximity to each other.

Rabid animals seem to wonder aimlessly until they die, at least that is what I've seen, so less likely to stay together.

Either way , smart to er on caution.

I was out on my nightly run a couple hours ago and nearly ran into one!

How far were they from any of your neighbors fence?

I agree with the statement above...very likely rabies.

prolly 2 hundred yards

Maybe he putting out a little bait for the varmints.