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Post by wildhorseluvr on Dec 26, 2022 23:39:19 GMT
My fireman neighbor and I were discussing local wildlife a few days ago and he’d mentioned a year or two ago there was a serious possum problem in the neighborhood. Apparently someone had a big lumber/trashpile and created a favorable environment for them and the population exploded. He said they’d pretty much eradicated them since then. So after getting gas today I’m pulling in my driveway and saw a possum carrying what looked like a chunk of bread crossing my yard and driveway ☹️
I’m guessing they’re like mice..you see one, you’ve probably got 10-20 you can’t see. I’ve never had to deal with possums before, and almost certain I can’t shoot in town. I gave away my skunk size live trap but still have a small one, not sure it’s big enough for a possum. Anyone have any tips? Where to get rid of them is another issue.
I have nothing around my yard to attract them, no trash cans, no bird feeders, etc. But my neighbor has chickens with feed and scraps available (that was the direction the possum was coming from) and my other neighbor has a couple open sheds plus a big scrap lumber pile. So food and shelter right there. Yuck, I hate possums.
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Dec 27, 2022 1:17:21 GMT
I'd suggest a pellet gun. Most jurisdictions don't classify them as firearms, but in a .22 caliber most do about 1800 fps, plenty to do in a possum. Just don't try to handle it unless it's laid there for quite a while, they've got teeth and claws you don't want to deal with.
I trapped one not too long ago in a live small live trap, the size you'd use for squirrels. I took it about a mile away and opened the trap. It appeared dead until the trap opened, then it was off like a shot.
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Post by Billy G on Dec 27, 2022 9:57:31 GMT
I wouldn't give them too much thought, things keep going the way they are and they'll be considered the other-other white meat .
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Post by Jolly on Dec 27, 2022 14:05:18 GMT
Too greasy.
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Post by woolybear on Dec 27, 2022 16:44:16 GMT
LOL I bought an old cookbook because it had a recipe for cooking groundhog. I'll have to find it and see if they have a possum recipe
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Dec 27, 2022 18:28:25 GMT
LOL I bought an old cookbook because it had a recipe for cooking groundhog. I'll have to find it and see if they have a possum recipe I think I have a cookbook or two around with recipes for possums, etc.
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Post by farmrbrown on Dec 27, 2022 21:10:40 GMT
I've never been hungry enough to eat one but there's always a first time, lol. Anything that greasy I'd put on an open fire and spit roast it and if at all possible trap it and feed it something clean for a week or two like corn or grain before YOU have dinner.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Dec 27, 2022 21:37:48 GMT
I've never been hungry enough to eat one but there's always a first time, lol. Anything that greasy I'd put on an open fire and spit roast it and if at all possible trap it and feed it something clean for a week or two like corn or grain before YOU have dinner. Agreed. It would take some doing before I could force myself to eat one and I’d have to be awfully hungry. Fortunately there’s a lot of squirrels around here. 😁
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Post by ohiodreamer on Dec 28, 2022 17:22:44 GMT
Boil, then roast. That's how Great-grandma did it. Never tried it, I grew up in town. But I was taught how...just in case (mom had it a time or two). Mom always said we'd try the same way if we had to eat rats.... I should check a few of my cookbooks....I might have recipes.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Dec 28, 2022 17:44:09 GMT
Plenty of possum recipes online, from possum pot pie to possum sausage. Sounds like a person would want to take care in handling possums and sanitizing utensils and surfaces…lots of diseases and bacteria. Also it seems that taste would depend a lot on their diet…berries, etc. produce a gamey tasting meat, garbage scraps would make them taste like, well…garbage. Acorns and nuts produce the best tasting meat, if a person wanted to cage them for a time and feed them.
I would just have a very difficult time getting past the rat like appearance. 🤮
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Post by ohiodreamer on Dec 28, 2022 19:49:07 GMT
I would just have a very difficult time getting past the rat like appearance. 🤮 Couple years back one got in our basement. Didn't know it was there for days at least. DS went downstairs one night to do his laundry, turned on the light and looked down. There was a possum eating at the cat food bowl. Cat sitting there looking at DS like "told you I wasn't eating all that food". Freaked DS out....bought him a stuffed possum as a gag that Christmas. He can't stand to even be near that!! His B-day is in 2 days.....he's getting "possumed" from us and his girlfriend, lol. He might not talk to us till Easter, lol. Even he doesn't know why possums absolutely send this 6"2" man into hysterics, lol
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Post by woolybear on Dec 29, 2022 14:07:59 GMT
Well people you all missed your chance at some great possum pie. I "dispatched" a rather large, snarling, hissing, snotting specimen last night that was found in the chicken coop behind the nest box. Sadly it was dark and I "accidentally" left him outside (a very obvious him) instead of prepping him for dinner. Please accept my apologies for not providing "vittles" to the CC family.
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Post by Billy G on Dec 29, 2022 15:40:27 GMT
If it was that obvious you most certainly didn't notice the female that was hiding underneath him and now you'll have to deal with a whole litter of them come spring !
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Post by woolybear on Dec 29, 2022 15:43:49 GMT
If it was that obvious you most certainly didn't notice the female that was hiding underneath him and now you'll have to deal with a whole litter of them come spring ! NOOooo a possum pox upon you. I shall Fedex any offspring straight to you lol
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Post by Billy G on Dec 29, 2022 15:51:02 GMT
Fedex you say......they'll never get here! I'd go with a flat-rate box from the letter carriers.
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