Possum out there!

[SamuraiDave]

So this past week I set out my trash late in the evening expecting to take it to the dumpster of my apt complex early the next morning on the way to work.

When I picked it up the next morning I noticed a wierd tear down the side of the bag (Now I realize they were teeth marks). I didnt think much of it... I was pretty tired when I placed it out side my apt door and thought that I could have done it myself.

Tonight, after a group meeting, as I drive up from the street and park I see this funny looking cat. "Dayum big cat!" I think to myself, as I park. As I head up the stairs to my apt I realize it is looking at me from the top of the stairwell. I notice the cat has a long skinny tail, a grey hue, and a long and pointy face. "Holy Toledo... your're a possum... what are you doing out around these parts?" It was only 10pm or so and figured that he was smarter to come around at a later time.

I have noticed alot of trash being place out of people's apts recently, and now that I think of it I know he is reaping the rewards.

What should I do?
I can get into real trouble if I pop him, I live ~100 yds off campus. (Although a .22 short in my MkII would probably do it, really quiet. Or I could go for a head shot with my pellet rifle, but that could be messy, or maybe just make him angry. Angry marsupials are not fun.)

This is central Texas, I have never called animal control... If I see him again I guess I should.

Or maybe this is a reason to get that Ruger 10/22 or Marlin Model 60 (I dont want to keep up with magazines) that I have been hankering for.

Wait a minute... My HI Katana! I wouldent have to bend over to get to him. Of course that could be even more messy than the pellet gun.

I think I should do the nice thing for now and let him eat his trash.
Next time I see him I will tell him what I am thinking... after that the game is on.

We have discussed bears... what about Possums? Any suggestions on what to use yall?

 

[ddean]

4-5 years ago we found one out in the dog run; dead.
Dog (45 pounds) had shook it & snapped its neck.
Unfortunately, dog no longer available.

Back home, to keep them from killing the free-range tree chickens,
we either shot them with a .22 after spotlighting them in a tree,
or cage trapped them to shoot later.

Nasty teeth these creatures have.
They belong in the woods, not in residential areas.
Wish they could read, "No 'Possums Allowed".

Call animal control.

 

[Semper Fi]

The obvious solution is to eliminate the trash outside or at least put it in a sealed container. The possum will go away when food is removed.

Otherwise, set a 330 Conibear trap and hope the neighbors' dogs, cats, and kids don't find it first.

 

[Howard Wallace]

I dispatched a possum a few years ago with a khuk. I trapped him in a live trap, then emptied him from the trap into a garbage can. I whacked him on the head with a stick and he "played possum." Then I stretched him out on a board and lopped off his head with a khuk.

He wasn't half bad marinated and baked in a dutch oven.

 

[stevomiller]

SamuraiDave, in the following I'll tell you what you DON"T DO. I used to have possums and racoons all the time on the back fence and occasionaly in the yard (we backed up to a flood control ditch). They minded their own business most of the time so I left them alone. One day my three year old says "Daddy, I tried to pet the ugly cat but he hid behind the forge." WTF?!!!! So I go into the yard (leaving my boy in the house)and there behind the forge is about a 8-10 lb possum staring at me. I tried to get him to move with the broom and he scoots behind some other tools. Braniac Stevo decides "Hey, let's grab him by the tail with these here tongs and haul him out. Well, mind you, I didn't figure ahead of time what I'd do with him once I pulled him out. And, the slow moving mild mannered possum I had found was now a hissing, snapping, demonic looking thing swinging about at arms length. And doing everything in its power to get even with the dumba$$ at the other end of those tongs! I finally was able to swing/toss him about 5 feet away from me and we had a stand off for a while ~ me shaking and thinking a cold one and some new skivies would be nice, him looking like a mangy hellcat/sewer rat that wanted nothing more than to core sample my leg! After a while he backed away, then ran to the tree and over the fence. Moral of the story? Call animal control and they will trap it and take it away. And, if you're a redneck like me, resist that urge to say "Hey ya'all, watch this............"

 

[Yvsa]

Simple!
Use a club, Twice or Three times to make sure it's daid, little mess because generally all that's lost is a little blood outta the nose.
Don't let anyone see you dispose of the 'Possum in the trash.

A mole made the mistake of coming out from underground about a week ago. Since I wasn't dealing with a boatload of teeth I simply picked up a hand axe sized piece of flintrock and nailed the little sucka on the head, twice.
The 1st blow made him stiffen up and the 2nd one completely relaxed the varmint.

 

[Ben Arown-Awile]

The general tenure of these posts illustrates why I hold no hope for the human species to ever evolve beyond it’s flawed, primitive state.

We share this planet with many species and all we can think about when one of them comes to visit “our territory” is to kill it.

My wife and I occasionally see a possum on the back fence or on the neighbor‘s roof while we are out in the hot tub late at night, and recently three raccoons have been coming every night to eat the cat food that I leave out. So, I bought a 60lb bag of dog food for them and they seem to enjoy that. It’s really interesting to watch them pick up the nuggets with their little hands and to play in the water bowl.

We feel privileged when an animal comes into our yard to visit.

We have tomatoes, peppers, squash, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, lemons, apricots, grapes, and persimmons growing in the yard but the coons don’t seem to be interested in any of that. They just come onto the patio to eat the cat or dog food.

There doesn’t seem to be any conflict with the cats as I saw one of them laying in the garden about ten feet from the coon food and he was still in the same spot after the coons had come and eaten and left.

I have been experimenting with various remote camera setups to get pictures of them, but haven’t quite gotten it right yet.

Unless they were a threat because of disease, or destruction of property, I don’t know why anyone would want to kill one of these beautiful creatures, but I know that there will be some azzole who reads this post and all he can think of is killing one of these coons, ripping off it’s skin, and wearing it on his head.

 

[Howard Wallace]

Golly Ben, I hope you don't plan on eating any of those tomatoes, peppers, squash, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, lemons, apricots, grapes, and persimmons growing in the yard. You do realise that they're little embryos. Babies if you will. I can't believe the callous attitude I see people display towards our vegitable bretheren.



In all seriousness, I believe that it is possible to see the beauty, and respect other entities and still remain part of the web that involves birth, death, and consumption of entities. The time to die and to return our substance to the web will come for all of us.

Those that pretend to be apart from the web or above it are ... pretenders.

 

[firkin]

I get 'possums ocasionally--only time one was really a problem was when it got under the house. There were feral cats that thought they should live there, and the fights at night got pretty noisy. Pretty soon I guess he didn't want the hassle and moved out before I had to do anything.

The suckers are strong and can dig like hell.
He tore some stapled screen right off of the access, I could hear him do it one night. Also dug right under the outside wall-boards to get access.
Use some screws with big washers instead of staples on the screen and maybe pound some stakes in any places where one dig and get under the house if theres not a concrete footing or foundation.

Don't care where one lives, putting out garbage that's not in a container overnight is asking for it. Cats, dogs, 'coons, skunks, bears, rats, you name it. Think that practice is explicitly prohibited here, at least for collection.

When the loquat tree in the yard is fruiting, I know possums come for those--actually they seem to like 'em best when they are too close to rotten for me to eat, so they never take my share. Never any problem with them in my little vegetable patch either--guess they like junk-food like garbage better.

 

[stevomiller]

Hi Ben, I was unsure by your post if I was one of those there azzholes or not. Pretty strong words towards people who have not instigated a personal attack on yourself. The aforementioned possum wasn't injured by me during the incident, but so be it if it would have been. Until I felt that the critter posed a problem with the kids it was left alone ~ only then did I remove it. Both possums and racoons (especially racoons) can pose a direct threat to your pets. A friend of mines cat has one less eye because of one, and I've had friends whose dogs were pretty beat up because of them. Coons can be territorial, are smart, have big teeth and opposable thumbs ~ hope none of your pets find this out the hard way. I respect nature but I am not removed from it - I actively participate in "the circle of life". BTW, are you a vegan that does not consume/use any animal products or by- products such as leather (aka the coonskin cap you mentioned)? If you are, then I can respect your viewpoint and your perrogative to express it even though I disagree whole heartedly. If you are NOT, I respect neither. "Ye with out sin cast the first stone..........."

 

[Kismet]

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/misc/raccoon/raccoon.htmField

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteer/janfeb02/raccoon_field_notes.html

(AND this one from Minnesota:


Notes: Raccoons Carry Deadly Parasite
A parasite common to raccoons killed two Minnesota children within the past five years and poses a threat to others who play where raccoons feed and defecate, warns a Twin Cities medical researcher who played a key role in ascertaining the cause of death of the two children.

"It seems to be toddlers that are at greatest risk," says Christopher Moertel, medical director of hematology and oncology at Children's Hospitals and Clinics in St. Paul and a clinical associate professor at the University of Minnesota.

The parasitic nematode lives harmlessly in the brains of about 50 percent of the raccoons in Minnesota and perhaps as many as 75 percent in some other parts of the country, says Moertel. The worm can pass into people who touch raccoon feces and then touch their mouth or food. The nematode "has to be introduced into the intestinal tract so it can hatch," Moertel said. Children are susceptible because they play on the ground and often put their hands in their mouth.

Inside the body, the parasite migrates to the brain, inciting an immune response. The neurotoxin the human body produces to kill the worm also destroys the white matter of the brain. "Certainly when they travel to the brain, that's when devastation and death occur," Moertel says. Nationwide, the nematode has killed or seriously injured children in about 20 documented cases, he says.

The first known Minnesota victim was an Onamia boy whose family kept a pet raccoon. He contracted the disease about five years ago and died about two years ago when he was 5. The second state victim may have become infected from playing in the back yard or in a nearby park when the family lived in Richfield, a Minneapolis suburb. He contracted the disease when about 18 months old and died three years ago when he was 3. In both cases, over a period of months, the victim began to stumble and fall and eventually slipped into a coma before dying, says Moertel.

Both cases initially stumped doctors. Doctors treating the Onamia boy contacted Moertel because the victim was believed to have a rare blood disorder. Reviewing medical literature, Moertel discovered a disease with similar symptoms, described by Joseph Butterfield at Mayo Clinic. Testing the boy's cerebrospinal fluid, Butterfield was able to measure the concentration of neurotoxin. As the concentration increased, the boy's condition worsened. Doctors treated him with steroids and chemotherapy, but the boy's brain had already been destroyed.

At this point, Moertel and Butterfield still did not understand the origin of the disease. Several months later, the second case was reported. Again perusing the literature, Moertel discovered an article by Purdue University parasitologist Kevin Kazacos about the effects of raccoon roundworms on humans. Moertel sent samples of blood serum and CSF from the second victim to Kazacos. Kazacos tested the serum and fluid for antibodies to the raccoon nematode and both samples tested positive for large amounts.

The effects on the Minnesota boys "were among the most intense responses to the worms he had ever seen," Moertel says. Autopsies were never performed on the boys, but Kazacos' work left little doubt that the raccoon-borne nematodes were responsible, he says.

To protect youngsters from the disease, Moertel and Kazacos recommend the following:

Avoid attracting raccoons. Make sure bird feeders are raccoon-proof, and store feed where raccoons can't get into it.
Avoid domesticated raccoons.
Keep youngsters away from areas with signs of raccoons, such as feces or tracks.
Don't let children put soil or objects from the ground into their mouth.
Wash toddlers' hands.
If a child does ingest raccoon feces, bring the child and any remaining feces to a doctor right away. The disease can be prevented if treatment is begun in one to three days.

Greg Breining

 

[Ben Arown-Awile]

My post was about pointless killing of animals just because they are there.

I am not a vegan. Although I do not eat animal flesh, I have no issue with those who do, and I do not oppose hunting for food or utility.

Hunting for sport is another question and I can see both sides of the issue as I was an avid hunter in my younger days. To me it's an issue of spiritual awareness and discussion is pointless.

I have also hunted strictly for food and have lived off the land by hunting and gathering. Although I have now chosen a different path, I have no issue with those who kill for food.

I do not oppose killing possums or coons for food if your family needs this, although if someone is that far down on the ladder they can certainly qualify for food stamps. However, an ocassional roast possum to maintain your “down home” roots would be acceptable.

I would have no issue with the coonskin cap wearer if he truly needed it for warmth or protection from the elements. But for someone to kill an innocent animal just so he can dress up in a costume and play "Mountain Man", is the height of insensitive vanity. I buy my outdoor gear from Cabela’s and they have hats that are much more efficient that coonskin.

I also have no problem with killing any species, including human, to defend my home or family. I am well acquainted with the damage a coon can do to a hound and I know that they can harbor disease and parasites, but I have determined that these particular animals are not a threat and I choose to treat them like friends not enemies.

If the picture should change, so would my attitude.

 

[SamuraiDave]

Ok... this is what I have come up with so far.

A. Call animal Control -- absolutely no fun on my part, but maybe it would be to watch (depending on how bad a job the guy does).

B. Baseball Bat/ short staff -- brutal, interesting, not very messy, I dont think I can get in trouble for it, but I cant screw up. If he enters in I become a late night Possum munchie... not good.

C. (I got this idea off another site) A Wrist rocket (sling shot) with some of them cheapo .50 cal lead balls from wal-mart. (I got one of these that needs a new band.) This enables me stand off capability and gives him a sporting chance.
This was one of my favorite toys in high school and I could hit a 4" circle regularly from 10 yards away.

I think I will stick with choice C (It just seems more fun.), but I wont implement 'operation grey muff' untill tomorrow night... I have a final to study for.

 

[ddean]

Originally posted by SamuraiDave
Wrist rocket (sling shot)

Just check your backgrounds and asides before shooting anything at anything.

As I tell my daughter RE cars & traffic, "Always checking, always careful."

 

[Chopsticks]

Originally posted by Ben Arown-Awile
I am not a vegan. Although I do not eat animal flesh, I have no issue with those who do, and I do not oppose hunting for food or utility.

I don't get something here. Vegans = people who don't eat meat. You only eat human flesh?

I can't understand the reason for not eating meat. Is it about the killing?

Because eating almost anything harvested or farmed nowadays involves the killing of animals too (think of dust croppers or big harvesting equipment squashing and tearing rodents, snakes, leprechuans, and etc!).

If the species isn't even threatened or rare and it's bothering me, I would get rid of it, by trapping and relocating, calling animal control or killing. No need to wait for a child or pet to get hurt before taking action.

You may not do it and that's not fine, but whatever.. :grumpy: but no need to get all "Disney" :barf: about it when people take care of their own business and decide to take action.

 

[firkin]

Vegatarians don't eat meat

Vegans are a bit more broad-reaching, though the definiton is a bit fuzzy.

Vegans = people that don't "exploit" animals

No leather, no raising sheep for wool, no eggs, no dairy, no draft animals, no animal testing...

No honey seems pretty certain, I guess raising bees and locating them in citrus groves to pollinate the flowers, or raising ladybugs for "organic" pest control must count also.

Presumably no keeping animals as pets, seeing eye dogs,...--but who knows? Whatever--it's as clear as anything else described as a "life-style".

How do they know what fruits and vegatables have been raised without exploiting insects? You'll have to ask them.

Dunno about using buffalo chips as fuel or collecting shed feathers or antlers?

 

[Semper Fi]

Vegans=tree huggers, in my book.

As for coons, I kill everyone I can find. And I find alot. Their hides aren't worth much anymore so not many people trap them now. But the main problem I have with them is they are destructive. Especially turkey nests. Wild turkeys are a far more valuable resource, IMHO, than raccoons. Turkeys nest on the ground and their eggs are easy prey for coons.

While I am on a rant here, coyotes, wild dogs, and feral cats are in the same boat with coons as far as I am concerned. I don't tolerate them either.

 

[Ben Arown-Awile]

"I can't understand the reason for not eating meat. Is it about the killing?"

No. I consider killing an efficient method to eliminate a threat to myself or my family regardless of from what species the threat comes.

It's about many things on many levels. On the Physical level it’s about politics, and greed, and health. On the Emotional level it’s about the love for all of God’s creatures, and on the Spiritual level it’s about the understanding that all sentient life is connected by a spiritual web. This is called by many names including The Spirit, Spiritual Essence, Soul, Life Force, and God. And, no Howard, it doesn’t include our “vegetable brethren”.

I first quit eating meat sometime in the late sixties as part of an organized boycott to protest a price fixing scandal in the pork industry.

As time went on I noticed beneficial changes in my body. I did research on vegetarianism and moved to the next level of understanding.

That led me into more studies and I eventually arrived at the spiritual reasons as put forth in various religions, mainly Buddhism, and teachings from India that espouse not only not eating animals, but practicing a harmless lifestyle (Ahisma).

I was also influenced by the teachings of St. Francis and many others from various traditions and cultures. The more I studied the more it became apparent that to achieve higher spiritual awareness, one should not consume his brothers of different species.

Now, I don’t think about any of that. It has just become part of me and is how I live. I never think about eating meat anymore than I would think about eating a rock. But, I don’t care what anyone else eats. As a matter of fact I wish people would stop finding out about the benefits of not consuming flesh as it only drives up the price of soybeans.

 

[Chopsticks]

Originally posted by firkin
Vegatarians don't eat meat

Vegans are a bit more broad-reaching, though the definiton is a bit fuzzy.

Vegans = people that don't "exploit" animals

No leather, no raising sheep for wool, no eggs, no dairy, no draft animals, no animal testing...

No honey seems pretty certain, I guess raising bees and locating them in citrus groves to pollinate the flowers, or raising ladybugs for "organic" pest control must count also.

Presumably no keeping animals as pets, seeing eye dogs,...--but who knows? Whatever--it's as clear as anything else described as a "life-style".

How do they know what fruits and vegatables have been raised without exploiting insects? You'll have to ask them.

Dunno about using buffalo chips as fuel or collecting shed feathers or antlers?

Ah... Thanks for clearing that up. I was thinking only PETA types were like that. PETA = Vegan I guess. :barf:

 

[Howard Wallace]

Originally posted by Ben Arown-Awile
On the Emotional level it’s about the love for all of God’s creatures, and on the Spiritual level it’s about the understanding that all sentient life is connected by a spiritual web. This is called by many names including The Spirit, Spiritual Essence, Soul, Life Force, and God. And, no Howard, it doesn’t include our “vegetable brethren”.

Well, Ben, as you said earlier some things are unlikely to be resolved by discussion. Perhaps some day you will have insight as to how all life, even plants, and all matter, are integrated into the web.

On the other hand, perhaps some day I'll realize I'm full of $#!^.