caught my first possum of the summer last night

[Motrv8d Steve]

I got out our trap cage last night, first time all year and laid the bait with bread smeared with real stinky rouquefort cheese. Lo and behold I'm one for one already. Little tiny fucker... it's a real baby. Caught four of them last year.

Well I'm off to get rid of it, I'm going to go put him back in a field far from my house where I won't see 'im again.

Anybody know if possums are harmful to the yard? Sometimes we get up in the morning and something is eating our roots in our flowerbeds, pulling up plants and destroying them. We don't know if the possums are really the culprit, as a lady at the animal control office told me they only eat snails and bugs...

hmmmm.
btw this is one of the little bastards I caught last year

[gettin sideways]

kill 'em all!!!

even tho ive never had to deal with one around my area

kill 'em all!!!

[mwhbossman1983]

people hit them on the road around here alot, I have shot some with my .22 for shits and giggles.

[Motrv8d Steve]

i'm not going to kill anything.
I live in teh suburbs so I'd have to bury the damn thing and that's not going to happien.

[Motrv8d Steve]

they are road kill for sure.

[Aerialist]

The possum is high on cuteness, and equally high in nuisance value ...

http://www.doc.govt.nz/Conservation/...sums/index.asp

More possums:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Possum

[snaggeltooth]

Wow I never caught one...never wanted to. Send i down my way, I know some people might think he is good for stew....

[Motrv8d Steve]

hmmmm. I never knew this: (from Wikipedia)

As a native species possums are protected by regulations, even when they reside in urban neighbourhoods, and cannot be baited. They cannot be killed as pests, and if captured the regulations stipulate that they must be released within a small radius of that locality, since they are territorial creatures. Preventative measures such as blocking off their access to the roof spaces or building a possum nesting box for an alternative home are instead recommended.

so I'm supposed to just let these critters run free on my property? The way my landscaping is, there's no way I can block them off, too many trees and bushes around...

[snaggeltooth]

better hope Pookie has a full clip....lol...

[shadegray]

hmmmm. I never knew this: (from Wikipedia)

so I'm supposed to just let these critters run free on my property? The way my landscaping is, there's no way I can block them off, too many trees and bushes around...

No, I'm pretty sure there's provisions in your state law for stuff like this. In WA, you can fill out some kind of pest animal application on the fish and wildlife website, send it in, and get permission to kill or trap whatever animal is destroying your property.

[Bigrus]

Racoons usually are the ones digging up your shit, however opossums can get into fights with your dogs, or screw up your trash, and make holes in your roof so they can crawl inside. So just dump them off at animal control or they will just come back each time you let them loose.

Animal control usually kills them.

[Motrv8d Steve]

yeah I've had coons run thru my yard, I even caught one of them last year. they're prolly the ones who do the most damage. I've even had two at one time come thru the yard. It's a regular suburban zoo!

I just dropped the baby off miles away from my house, I doubt he'll be back.

[tnthub]

Possum Stew:

Ingredients:
1 big possum (cut up)
½ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
4 carrots, cut in thick slices
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
3 strips of thick-cut bacon diced
½ cup tomato juice
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 Habanero peppers diced (wear gloves)
¼ cup red wine
10-12 drops Tabasco
salt and pepper to taste
6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced

Preparation:

1. Rub possum with salt and pepper.
2. Brown possum in olive oil in a large skillet.
3. Transfer possum to large dutch oven or stock pot.
4. Fill oven/pot 2/3 full with water.
5. Add red wine, onions, carrots, corn, and habanero peppers.
6. Bring to boil and add bacon.
7. Cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
8. Bring to boil and add potatoes, garlic, tabasco, tomatoes and juice.
9. Cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer for another hour.
10. Make a no lump paste of cornstarch and warm water.
11. Add enough paste to stew until thickened to wanted consistency.
12. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer 15 more minutes.

[whitelightnin99]

possums are NASTY animals. i shoot the filthy bastards , cant stand even looking at them

[nitrox28]

I use a trap like that in my backyard. I usually drown the cats and possums I catch in a trashcan filled with water, or shoot it in the head with a bb gun.

[DrMilhouse]

That wouldn't bother me so much if I thought you were kidding...

I'm kinda surprised a bb gun would do much damage to the head of a cat or one of these for that matter.

[Motrv8d Steve]

I use a trap like that in my backyard. I usually drown the cats and possums I catch in a trashcan filled with water, or shoot it in the head with a bb gun.

i can see killing a varmint such as a possum but drowning cats or shooting them in the head with a BB gun?
dude, if you are serious, you are one cruel fucker.

[Motrv8d Steve]

oh and thanks for the Possum stew recipe. I'll give it to the GF and see what she says! Honey, what are we having for supper?
BTW, I caught another one of those little fuckers last night, prolly it's sister or brother. About the size of a large hamster.