Thread: Possuming 2019

I ran my first possum trap line last night.

30 traps

14 possums ( 1 was tiny and I didn't pluck it )
775 gms of fur

1 rat

1 hedgehog



It's about a month earlier than I would usually start putting out traps.
But I wanted to get even fitter for an upcoming tahr trip.
60 gms of fur per possum is ok for this early in the season.

So get out there guys, do your bit and maybe even make a tiny amount of toy money !

Well done.

Ask a friendly local farmer (even the un friendly ones might let you possum ).
Stick to their conditions and wishes and you never know you might be able to shoot some deer or pigs once you have proven yourself to them.

cheers

Hello,

I wanted to get back to you about my hunting trip as you were kind to offer advice.
First day, April 2 went to my friends secret spot. 2 Stags were really going at it, 1 was a monster, the other at decent 10 point. My friend shot the 10 point before I had a chance at the monster. Packed the meat out, went back the next day and shot a stag who had snapped off both of his antlers. He might have been a 10 or 12 point had he retained his antlers
Got the meat all packed out and in my friends freezer.
My friend and I rode mountain bikes from Lake Taylor to the Hurunui swing bridge in 2.5 hours. We made the mistake of dragging the bikes across the bridge but they weren't that useful on the other side as there are only cow trails to ride on.
We camped on Mackenzie stream and first day went to the tops in 4 hours. Did not see any deer up there but weather was a bit off-sleet. Came down the steep side back to Mackenzie stream. Sat and watched a long meadow for an hour and shot small 8 point. He had 3 hinds with him. Heard several roaring but when we moved in their direction they shut up.
Use the bike to pack all the meat back out to Lake Taylor and back in one day, 10 long hours.
Headed out the next day, got the meat in my friends freezer near Christ Church.
Went to the Hopkins for tahr ..Everyone else was going up the Huxley for deer. Was a long day up to Dassler Bivvy That "trail" is for mountain climber's only. 2.5 hours up to the hut. Saw 3 groups of tahr and only one small bull. Climbed to 6060 feet elevation at the base of the Dassler pinnacles. Shot him on a nice flat spot but he managed to go off a cliff anyway and could not find him.
Tried the Cameron for tahr, saw nothing. Improved the trail alot sawing through the matagori for 1.5 hours.
Went back to my friends place and flew home the next day. Brought about 90% of the meat home, probably 130 pounds of nice prime venison. I think I like it better than elk.
I think you had noted that the stags would be in the upper one third of the Bush but we found it to be the opposite, they were in the lower one third of the Bush with heavy deer sign.
Planning to return in August, would really like to get a nice bull tahr. Thinking about the Growler hut. Any advice? We found the mountain bikes useful On 4 Wheel Dr. roads but are pretty difficult to get across rivers more than knee deep.

Gonna set a trial run this arvo n check tomorrow morning then run them over Easter. Apparently have 80 odd traps to set.


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have about forty traps, victors and bushmasters, prefer the victors.

Originally Posted by MSL

have about forty traps, victors and bushmasters, prefer the victors.

Yep
Victor a step up again on the BM#1
But aint they like $30 each now (maybe that the 1.5 V)

The no.1’s were $15 when I brought them I think, maybe ten years ago though. They are a lightweight trap but seem to be made of a higher tensile steel so are tougher than some of the cheaper ones I found.
http://www.philproof.co.nz/products/...hold-trap.html

Well I put another 15 traps on that line because there were so many the first day.

Got 24 possums off 45 traps = 1.46 kg

And that's from an area I took 10 kg of fur out of last winter !!

Set 27 traps late yesterday afternoon. Supposed to be 30 but dropped a couple. Checked them this morning. 7 possums. Put out another 20 but not set so it’ll be 50 to set Good Friday and put out and set another 30. It’ll be interesting on the Saturday morning...


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Ask a friendly local farmer (even the un friendly ones might let you possum ).
Stick to their conditions and wishes and you never know you might be able to shoot some deer or pigs once you have proven yourself to them.

cheers

Yep Nice one just emailed a local farmer where i predator trap along his boundary any way plenty of possum sign so thought whats the worst that can happen

70 odd traps out yesterday.

Checked today

17 caught
940 gms fur.

$1.40/kg for possum body at average 1.5 kg..? = $35 ??






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You've left a heap of fur on them, take the lot, including the tail. This time of year you should be able to average 14 possums or less for a kg. Last line I did averaged $8.51 per possum, and about 30 possums per day, so around $240 for a days work.

Originally Posted by Husky1600

You've left a heap of fur on them, take the lot, including the tail. This time of year you should be able to average 14 possums or less for a kg. Last line I did averaged $8.51 per possum, and about 30 possums per day, so around $240 for a days work.

Including tail
Thought that a no no ??

If you saw my plucking you would cringe
I am very slack pluckier - F~~cker

I can can skin 3 to plucking 1

Originally Posted by Husky1600

You've left a heap of fur on them, take the lot, including the tail. This time of year you should be able to average 14 possums or less for a kg. Last line I did averaged $8.51 per possum, and about 30 possums per day, so around $240 for a days work.

I’ve read somewhere you can take tail fur but separate bag..??


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