From the books I have read, skunk is the long-call scent for winter trapping. Predators love skunk meat and fat, as it has a much lower freezing point than other animals. I have read this and can confirm this through my observation. You know how venison fat/tallow gets hard as a rock? If you have skunk fat right next to it, you will find that it remains soft and mushy.
Mallard loaned me a Russ Carman fox trapping book last year, and I remember it said something like....." the 3 most effective scents for winter fox trapping are skunk, skunk and skunk".
And in my copy of Ray Milligan's Coyote Fever book, he clearly states that skunk and its essence are the attractors to use for canines in winter.
I have extracted the essence from 4 skunks and have it saved (underground) in a maple syrup bottle (because I dont drink whisky). I plan to add a drop or three to a pint of glycerine, and mix my winter meat baits in it....for a touch of spice and calling power.
Finally, I will say that one of my best baits for canine this fall has been fresh skunk, as a whole carcass or chunked meat and glands.
-NC