At first Ralph is merely curious as he can't figure out what it is. As he comes closer and he can see what it is he begins to feel uneasy and sikened. In a rage he lashes out at the skull and knocks it off of the stick. Remember, he hasn't been a part of the hunt, nor witnessed Simon's demise, so he only senses that this is something evil. He instinctively picks up the stick to use as a weapon for himself.
