Thread: The Oldies possum trapping 2021

Havent had possum yet. Only ever seen a few possums over many years where I normally go night shooting. Shot at one, but could never find the carcass. Might splurge on a 'possum confit' recipe if I get the chance.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Is that whole plucked or is there further processing required?

Na we dont do the wholes @veitnamcam just the willies. Oh... sorry didn't read that right. Plucked to every hair we can get, heads feet n tail chopped off gutted and glands under tail removed. We hand pluck and get $2-20 kg but $2-50kg for machine plucked bodies,

Great thread to follow @BeeMan thanks, gleaming a bit of knowledge. Have dabbled last few years for loose change, did our 1st line of the year at the weekend (40 traps)for woeful returns, I’m time poor but it’s about getting the boys out there eh. If things pick up will start our own thread “ Young guns ( and me ) but wouldn’t hold my breath, ............ see what I’m dealing with?

Good on you @Sparrow real cool training for the young fellows, and they will enjoy it. If you can prefeed a couple of times over a week it will make a huge difference to your kill over the first couple of nights. Nice simple cheap feed is maize, what ever lure/smell you put in your flour pour some over a couple of pockets full of maize then dribble it out while inspecting your area. Works a treat and like I said wont break the bank, take a bigger fur bag.

Been catching a few at work each day.

This big old gray doe probably should have been a skinner but it just ended up plucked. The bag is growing





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Nice looking possum alright the more of them in the bag the better, bumps up the weight real quick.

@Mooseman @Mrs Beeman and me doing it again in the rain today. 70 traps set, plan on another 30-40 set tomorrow after plucking 56 fat fluffy apple eating tree bears'

Gee thats a nice grey bear there.Back in the early 70s when i was building in Te Anau.Freezing workers use to come up from Dunedin in the winter trapping possums.They would get 4000 or 5000 for the winter each,big money in those days for skins.

Thought today was tough, already sweating thinking about tomorrow. Plucked 37 possums and set another 40 traps. Bring it on. This is a barrel set, used when the scrub/blackberry is so thick you can't get of the tracks/roads. Works a treat. .. Trapping in Sherwood

Bloody cold start, all good tho, these oldies are tough. We were doing it before global warming was around. Peekaboo A big possum in the heath. 35 out of those new 40 sets, 50 for the cold day, still better than a poke in the eye with a stick.

If you make socks out of possum skin with the fur on the inside you'll never get cold feet again.
Haven't tried them wet though.

hahaha, thanks I will tell @Mooseman, he moans all day and most of the night about having cold feet.

Probably un-PC to ask - but how do you pop off them in the traps?

Originally Posted by davetapson

Probably un-PC to ask - but how do you pop off them in the traps?

Hey dave this is how we pop them off, we stun them with a well placed blow between the ears with a solid stick ( possum donger ). Then remove them from the trap before another well placed blow to finish them off.

34 possum day, not the best but boy for sure the cleanest crispest air you could breathe. We feel privileged to bee the first to sample it before it moves North. A warm 0% deg this morning after a -6 yesterday morning. This was 1st kill today.