While skunks aren't likely to move long distances, some have traveled as far as 6 miles away from where they were captured. Skunks are slow moving and docile. Their senses of sight, hearing, and smell are poor compared to many predators. When cornered or pursued closely, they usually face the intruder, arch their backs, raise their tails, and stamp the ground with their front feet. If a skunk's warning is ignored, it turns around with its tail raised and facing the threat so that it's in a good position for discharging its musk.
Most predators avoid skunks, but domestic dogs, coyotes, badgers, and great-horned owls kill a few.
Diseases, vehicles, and farm machinery are more important sources of mortality. Striped skunks eat a lot during the fall and build a thick layer of fat by the end of October. Building a fat reserve is important because it provides energy through the winter when they spend most of their time sleeping inside dens. Skunks are not true hibernators. They venture out of their dens for short distances when temperatures are near the freezing mark and snow conditions are favorable.