Possum ATTACK!

[RadarTech]

ok.. maybe the title is a bit aggressive.. But let me tell the story...

Let's set the stage:

I live in Western NC, and we are surrounded by woods on all sides. There are about 50 ac around us, and only 8 or 9 houses. Of those 6, are in a 10 acre area footprint.

We have a flock of 20-30 turkeys, at least 1 bobcat, a couple groundhogs, a few moles, a family of racoons, some possums, and at least 1 black bear (multiple people have seen it, I believe 400-500 lbs (as big as my 300CC ATV), a few have said 150-200 lbs).... I am sure there are deer, but never seen them....


It's been cold lately and I have just run off a groundhog that decided a culvert was his winter home.

And now that you have the situation, here is my story.. and I was resting in the recliner.....

Fire was going, I was cozy and then blam, cluck ding.. something fell on the back porch. What the heck... Well being a former US Marine, first thought get the rifle.

Ran to the bedroom, grabbed a little 22 semi-auto..

and flipped on the light on the porch..

And there he was, inside the base of my gas grill!
he knocked out the utentsils and a grill tray..
Hence the noise..
As I stepped out he hissed and growled..


I tried to get him to move along and as I leaned the rifle over to get a stick to push him away..He started to climb out.
and he latched onto my stick!!!

MAN he was fat!

So I drug him to the edge of the porch and tossed him and the stick over the side..

He did not move..
I went back inside..

10 minutes later I went back out and he was gone..
and there was no sign of him..

now here is where I wonder:

1. If he comes back, what would the game warden say if I shot and burried him? Since Possums are short lived anyway why would it matter..

2. there is no food laid out. so I guess the grease tray in the grill attracted him?

3. Why would he be aggressive to grab the stick I poked him with?
typically they just play possum..

4. Will a 22 kill a possum or will I have to shoot that sucker several times?
I figure several times, with fat and all...
I really don't want to use anything bigger... too loud and too many rocks...

anyway,
that's my evening story and I was resting the in the recliner...


Later,
J

 

[klrobert]

#1 I'm not sure about NC, but in AL there is no closed season and no bag limit on possum

#2 You're probably correct.

#3 I've seen them act this way many times, I guess this is just theur way of defending themselves

#4 One good shot should do the trick. You would be surprised what a .22 will kill with a well-placed shot.

 

[RadarTech]

I just went out and checked that...

RACCOON and OPOSSUM

(Raccoon Daily limit 3; no possession or season limits; Opossum no limits)

Through Feb. 28 (No raccoon or opossum hunting in Haywood County on the Harmon Den and Sherwood Bear Sanctuaries)

Since I'm not in Haywood County, it appears I can fire when ready...

hmmm.. Guess I better get a hunting license first though....

good point!

J

 

[newcountry]

Quick story and tip about shooting possum -- they've got rrreeeaaallllyyy little brains. I had one that kept trying to crawl into my garage at night, so I went out and had him pinned to the ground with my boot and decided to put one in the head, right? Popped him once and he just laid there (playing possum!), so I got off him and popped him again to make sure. Well, that shot woke him right up! He leaped into the air and ran under my car, bleeding all over. Took me ten minutes to get him out from under the car, then I unloaded the rest of the clip to make sure I finished him off as quick as I could. The wife stuck her head out the door - "What the H*LL is going on out here?!" I told her we were being seiged upon by a bunch of coyotes and get back inside and lock the door.

I felt bad, though, because I try to put an animal down as quickly as possible when I have to. Next time I will put two in the chest first.

 

[DieselPower]

Don't think he had rabies do you? I ask because there have been some rabid coons found around here lately. A small child was attacked by a rabid coon yesterday here in Lancaster County. Just something to keep in mind if the critter is acting lethargic.

Like newcountry said, they can be tricky little critters to kill. When I shoot them at night I either use one of my 17 HMR's or a 22 LR loaded with a CCI Quick Shock bullet. If it's during the day I just get out a big boom stick, aka. 12 Ga. pump.

 

[polo1665]

I just went out and checked that...

RACCOON and OPOSSUM

(Raccoon Daily limit 3; no possession or season limits; Opossum no limits)

Through Feb. 28 (No raccoon or opossum hunting in Haywood County on the Harmon Den and Sherwood Bear Sanctuaries)

Since I'm not in Haywood County, it appears I can fire when ready...

hmmm.. Guess I better get a hunting license first though....

good point!

J

I am not sure about laws in NC, but in Ohio no license is required on your own land. I don't have any trouble with opossum, but I did kill about 25 groundhogs in a 2 1/2 acre field last year. Mark my words, the groundhog you ran off from your culvert will be back. You may want to save some ammo for him too.

Mark

 

[RadarTech]

I am not sure about laws in NC, but in Ohio no license is required on your own land. I don't have any trouble with opossum, but I did kill about 25 groundhogs in a 2 1/2 acre field last year. Mark my words, the groundhog you ran off from your culvert will be back. You may want to save some ammo for him too.

Mark

I am about to go looking for the critters..
got a brick of ammo and I'll hit up the ole tractor for burial detail shortly...

We shall see....

J

 

[polo1665]

I am about to go looking for the critters..
got a brick of ammo and I'll hit up the ole tractor for burial detail shortly...

We shall see....

J

Good luck and good shootin'

Mark

 

[Bird]

#1 I'm not sure about NC, but in AL there is no closed season and no bag limit on possum

#2 You're probably correct.

#3 I've seen them act this way many times, I guess this is just theur way of defending themselves

#4 One good shot should do the trick. You would be surprised what a .22 will kill with a well-placed shot.

In my opinion, right on all four. As for #3, I never figured out how they decide when to fight and when to "play possum", but I do know either is normal.

 

[jinman]

My dad used to say, "Hit 'em in the head and they'll sull up." I watched him try to demonstrate that once with a 2-ft section of pipe. He smacked that possum good in the head and the possum just hissed at him. He hit him again and the same. It took about six times for the possum to quit. I picked him up on a shovel and hauled him to the edge of the yard. Two hours later, I said, "Dad, I think that possum is still "sulled" out at the edge of the yard." Sure enough. . .I had to bury that "sulled" possum.

 

[Bird]

Jim, I can remember, when I was just a little kid, seeing my dad get a possum by the tail with one hand and then just put the other hand on its hindquarters and make it sull. He said all you have to do is tickle it. But the only times I ever tried it, the rascals just tried to bite me.

But I also know one of my wife's brothers had a similar situation as RadarTech. When he heard the noise on the front porch that woke him up in the middle of the night, he got his shotgun and went to investigate. He found a possum eating the cat food he had put on the front porch, and just like in the cartoons, he dispatched the possum with the shotgun, blew a hole in his porch, then had to replace some boards the next day.

 

[actionaj]

Possum's can be hard to kill with a .22. Sitting around a fire one night had one come up on us. I emptied my 10/22 on him at close rang (10 rounds). I was sure he was dead, kicked him up near the base of the fire. I had forgot about it for a hour or so and then the next thing I know he was gone. By the looks of the tracks it got up and walked off. I have killed quite a few with a .22 but that must have been one tough possum I hope I don't meet him again.

 

[RadarTech]

Well, I found him..
I didn't see it last night, but the stick I used had a large splinter and when we saw it this morning it had a little blood on it..

Took 8 shots to get him.
Got him in the snout with 1 and he played possum and as we sat there and watched, he started moving again, but "snored" alot.

When he started moving I laid into him with 7 shots and he was surely dead..
And if he wasn't, well he got burried alive! No signs of him digging out after 2 hours so there is little chance he was alive...
Nice and deep..

anyway, lunch is over.. Time to get back out to the nice warm winter day..
it's 65 or so here...

Later,
J

 

[greenmule]

Possums growl,hiss,etc,nothing abnormal there. And they are slow,so,guess they have to make a little show.

And yes,they are hard to kill,put two 22 bullits in its head and it won't bother you no more. Or clean your grill.

Shot many possums,but the last one that came close to getting shot,just tapped him[or her] on the head with my 22 mag and said you are one lucky possum tonight,and told him to leave,he did,that was at least two years ago,ain't been bothered with a possum since. So....

 

[Pirate]

Along this line, does anyone know if it is legal to shoot stray cats on your own land (TN)?

 

[riptides]

I would have just turned the grill on the first time we met.

Just like deer in the freezer, if I can get them to walk closer, less work.

Yummy.

 

[greenmule]

Well unless you live in a place where its against the law to shoot your gun on your property,[in most states you got to be so far from a house to shoot].

Shoot all the strays you want,but just remember you got to make sure no one sees you shooting dogs and cats cause some of those strays might belong next door and people get real mad when you shoot their pet,even though they arn't taking care of it right,but if nobody actually sees you,than....
They won't bring csi out to do bullit and blood splatter tests,you just got a dead cat,that apparantly got shot,by...somebody..

I'm more apt to be mad at stray dogs than cats,cats are kinda a wild animal,dogs are more like kids,you have to watch them.

 

[wushaw]

I never killed a Opossum with a .22, just a pellet gun and shotguns, never had a problem with em leaving the scene of the shot with either pellet gun or shotgun.

I would recommend a little target practice ever so often just to keep the rifle on target since them iron sights can get out wack from time to time

 

[JB4310]

They are ugly, dirty, stinky critters when they get full size, but are remarkably clean and kinda cute when they're young.

We raised this orphaned one for a couple months till it got big enough to let go.

This one never played possum but he'd always put on a big act showing his jaw of teeth, never once bit though.

They must have small brains, ZERO personality, would not make a good pet.

JB.

 

[RadarTech]

They must have small brains, ZERO personality, would not make a good pet.
JB.

yea, small brain and thick skull!!!
J