Though they are not social animals, as many as ten or more skunks may den together in the winter. Skunks leave their dens in late February and early March to breed. After mating, males become solitary until autumn. Young are born blind and helpless, nurse for the first two months and may remain with the female through the first winter. Young are capable of expelling musk by the time they are seven weeks old.
Skunks normally range within a quarter to one-half a square mile of their den.
As with many wildlife species, their range is determined by the availability of food. Skunks have few natural enemies, as a single encounter with the irritating eye burning musk is usually enough to keep most predators away. However, skunks are preyed upon by man, great-horned owls, bobcats, fox, fisher, lynx and coyotes. In the northern part of the skunk's range, it is an important furbearer. Pelts with the least amount of white are the most valuable.