Possums are transients, meaning they do not "home." They are not territorial.
You can take it 5-10 miles away, to a place where there are no poultry (possums are only pests around poultry and sometimes fruit, they are not very troublesome animals otherwise) or horses (they can carry zoonoses of concern to horse owners) and release it. They are quite docile if you don't try to poke them with a finger in the face. This is an animal whose only superpower is going catatonic when frightened. Just open the trap where the possum can see cover (bush, fallen log) and he or she will leave. Don't be intimidated by the hissing and toothiness -- it's a show. Wear leather gloves when you open the trap if it makes you feel better. A little real knowledge about the behavior of different animal species goes a long way. Possums are interesting, if not very bright, native animals whose specific habits make them fairly easy pests to control with non-lethal means.
There's no reason to kill the animal. They are not major agricultural pests, they are not rabies vectors, they are not the embodiment of Satan on Earth. Just another guy trying to make a living. If you can only feel good once you've got "revenge" on an animal, then that's about you, not about pest control. (The generic "you," not addressed to the OP.)
I release in state gamelands or state parks, gas company lands, and other non-agricultural spaces.
Oh, and it's a lot safer than playing around with guns at short range, something best avoided. And the summer pelt is worthless. I'm not sure I'd eat it this time of year either, though I'm sure some people do.
At least be humane and put the trap into a cool dark place until your husband gets home. If you insist on shooting it, please be sure to hand-kill any babies in the pouch, rather than letting them slowly starve on their mother's corpse.
I do like the maggot-farm idea, and will use that when the dogs kill a groundhog or I have to kill something around here. Strikes me that if the chickens eat all the maggots, it will help cut down on the overall fly population, too. Not very practical for people with small acreage. I don't think it justifies an otherwise unnecessary revenge killing of a simple creature.
You can take it 5-10 miles away, to a place where there are no poultry (possums are only pests around poultry and sometimes fruit, they are not very troublesome animals otherwise) or horses (they can carry zoonoses of concern to horse owners) and release it. They are quite docile if you don't try to poke them with a finger in the face. This is an animal whose only superpower is going catatonic when frightened. Just open the trap where the possum can see cover (bush, fallen log) and he or she will leave. Don't be intimidated by the hissing and toothiness -- it's a show. Wear leather gloves when you open the trap if it makes you feel better. A little real knowledge about the behavior of different animal species goes a long way. Possums are interesting, if not very bright, native animals whose specific habits make them fairly easy pests to control with non-lethal means.
There's no reason to kill the animal. They are not major agricultural pests, they are not rabies vectors, they are not the embodiment of Satan on Earth. Just another guy trying to make a living. If you can only feel good once you've got "revenge" on an animal, then that's about you, not about pest control. (The generic "you," not addressed to the OP.)
I release in state gamelands or state parks, gas company lands, and other non-agricultural spaces.
Oh, and it's a lot safer than playing around with guns at short range, something best avoided. And the summer pelt is worthless. I'm not sure I'd eat it this time of year either, though I'm sure some people do.
At least be humane and put the trap into a cool dark place until your husband gets home. If you insist on shooting it, please be sure to hand-kill any babies in the pouch, rather than letting them slowly starve on their mother's corpse.
I do like the maggot-farm idea, and will use that when the dogs kill a groundhog or I have to kill something around here. Strikes me that if the chickens eat all the maggots, it will help cut down on the overall fly population, too. Not very practical for people with small acreage. I don't think it justifies an otherwise unnecessary revenge killing of a simple creature.
