Thread: When are Possum most active

I've started taking the kids out to a mate's property hunting and plucking possum. Over two night a week apart we got nearly a kg of fur - the kids are loving it.

This got me wondering what sorts of night we are likely to find more of them.

The weather must have a bit of an impact on their behaviour?

Also the time - we seem to see more from about 10pm onwards at the moment than we do in those couple of hours after dark.

I though the collective wisdom here might help. What do you reckon?

When the pines are in pollen in August trap them, and when the willows are in bud in early Sept shoot them up the trees on moonlight nights - just get the angle right so you can see them up the trees. They are active nearly every night but some nights they are out in the open clearings more playing.

Originally Posted by Vanman

I've started taking the kids out to a mate's property hunting and plucking possum. Over two night a week apart we got nearly a kg of fur - the kids are loving it.

This got me wondering what sorts of night we are likely to find more of them.

The weather must have a bit of an impact on their behaviour?

Also the time - we seem to see more from about 10pm onwards at the moment than we do in those couple of hours after dark.

I though the collective wisdom here might help. What do you reckon?

possums dont spend all night out -research has shown they alternate between feeding and going back to favourite nest areas where they socialise and spend time grooming - as has been said on farms if certain trees are on they will hit them hard - especially pines -we once got 60 from 3 big old pines on a farm at Warkworth -like wise willows poplars - and nice clover paddocks - if you are out and not many about check boundarys with bush for sign and under willows and pines - if you dont see any but theres possum shit around under the pines or clear pads coming out into paddocks- come back later

When the spotlight beam is on them

There was a pest calendar posted on the old F&H forum Maybe someone here's got a copy of it. I'll look on my PC later

You need to be aware of their favourite food sources in your local areas. Peaks of activity I have noticed in the Waikato:
Willow bud break - every possum in the district is in willows.
Kahikatea fruit ripe - every possum in the district is in the kahikatea.
Pine pollen ripe - every possum in the district is in the pines.

Moonlit nights - more scary and inclined to run rather than stay in tree. Just as many around.
Moonless nights - less scary more inclined to stay in tree. Just as many around.

Clear night after period of rain - more possums out in the first parts of the night which aligns with when most of us will be out hunting.

Light nights are the go.

If it's a bright night there'll be possums out.

If it's going to be wet and moist stay inside as they will too.

If there's been a cold snap they'll feed earlier in the night and feed later accordingly.

I got 2 off the bike the other day. 1 at 11 30am and 1 at 4pm. Been a pretty cold winter so far so I'd put it down to them trying to feed whilst it's warmer.

the early hours of morning can be very busy on the roads with lots of animals around.
apples falling on ground is another attractant for possums and pigs at times. walnut trees can be magnet too.
definately easier on night with less moonlight and a warmer night with little wind is more pleasant for humans to be out in...hot norwester absolutely sucks.

Much easier to hunt on dark, calm, moonless nights.

If it's windy they stay in dense cover so are harder to spot. On moonlit nights they can see you coming!
The first dry night after a few wet nights are good, all possums are out feeding.

For me the hours between 10pm - 1am are the most productive.

As others have said, know what they're feeding on at any time of the year and target your hunting accordingly.

have a quiet nosy round and if a doe or two is in season the bucks go mad as cut snakes could show stags a trick or two!theyllsnarl scrap and piss all over you if you get too close(been there done that -its not bloody eaude cologne either) in short they lose all caution regard you as an interloper till they get contraception via a terminal .22/12guage/.303/.270 present.
Ishot 4one afternoonright beside landlords cowshed as he was milking .yep a wee jacko gangbang which noone survived .willows pines and humans rubbish bins!

I have noticed despite a huge amount of both aerial poisoning and ground based hunting the humble possum is making a strong come back in the back country where we venture. Give the possum its due its a survivor.Its like a vaccum was created and they just poured in. Similarly noticed a huge increase in cats. All the cat lovers can scream blue murder but cats just slaughter our wild birds.

Originally Posted by kotuku

have a quiet nosy round and if a doe or two is in season the bucks go mad as cut snakes could show stags a trick or two!theyllsnarl scrap and piss all over you if you get too close(been there done that -its not bloody eaude cologne either) in short they lose all caution regard you as an interloper till they get contraception via a terminal .22/12guage/.303/.270 present.
Ishot 4one afternoonright beside landlords cowshed as he was milking .yep a wee jacko gangbang which noone survived .willows pines and humans rubbish bins!

Best I got was 4 with one cyanide bait. Was on an intersection of three game trails in native bush. There had been a fair bit of rogering going on, fur and spoof everywhere as one possum turned up and found a warm 'willing' partner, then went around the front to find out what that lovely cinnamon smell was, rinse and repeat...

As others have said, immediately after a horrible bout of weather they were out in the trees late afternoon. Pulled a few off branches by the tail and wacked them against a tree for their skin...but you had to be quick!

Speaking of possums-many years on the coast we lived at Moana.Mum and Dad had a fairly large section so up the back dad kept a pig -fed on veggie scraps from kitchen and took a one way trip every Xmas...... a new resident arrived early every new year!.

Anyhow as we backed on to native bush possums were a dime a dozen ,Twice dad shot em in his shed for harassing him whilst he cut the kindling .Dads trusty12g spoke and us kids thought him hero.

Alas Dad had a stroke in early 60s,didnt stop him duck shooting -he was gunnery officer my cousin was gunner-In fact he died returning from duckshooting.

This tale begins one night with a racket in our washhouse .Me and brother venture out with coal shovel to find a big brown head smeared liberally with illicit evidence peering at us from the ceiling space.Well a mexican standoff ensued.

Hello the cavalry in the shape of an uncle arrived,dressed up to the nines and a touch of DB draught on the breath! One look and it was -get your fathers gun and ammo.


Dad used german Hubertus loads -so two were loaded.

Up comes gun at literally12"range one hell of a roar ,bloody great hole in the house roof and possy no more!

Turns out uncle both barrels go at once .Possum,lost his head as Unc in blood spattered white shirt and ginger vbeard emerged from ceiling space bloodied with a body from front legs back but no head!

Mate up the road reckoned he heard shot and the head land on his parents roof!

Our gang being vivid in imagination gave that possum a full miliatry burial in a tomato box using cousins tonka fire engine as a hearse!!

Ah those were the days.actually whilst i think of it -those pole mounted power transformers ya used to see -was one up the road from home -yep occasionally moan aechoed to a loud bang and flash as Mr possum exited via a DIY electric chair!!


NOTE 'FOR THE SCHOLARLY PEDANTICS ON THIS FORUM iVE SCRUPULOUSLYT EDITED MY LOUSY TYPING AND GRAMMATICS IN ORDER NOT TO OFFEND YOUR DELICATE SENSIBILITIES!!

Kotuku, that's a hilarious read!

I remember as a young teenager taking the farm dog around the pine shelterbelts during afternoons. She'd sniff out where possums were sleeping in the trees and bark up a fuss. We'd climb up and poke them with a stick to wake them up... Then climb down again and shoot the now angry possum who'd be groggily climbing up the tree to get away from all the noise...