Good morning!!!!

[mostly_gas]

Good afternoon all. Today's high was 54F sunny and breezy, tomorrow 55F then a 15F cool down. Mid-week on back to below normal temps, need to split more wood.

 

[mostly_gas]

TxDon happy birthday!

We specialize in racoons, were feeding that cat outside. We trapped 15-20 racoons wife would take them 20 miles north across interstate highway and river and release them. Last 5 or so got a orange paint mark to see if they were coming back but no paint showed in the trap. Have had minimal trouble since, dry cat seams to work quit well :shocked::licking:

 

[toppop52]

Hand plucked possum fur is being bought at $125 per kg (2.2lb). The fur is said to be hollow and when mixed with Merino wool it is knitted into gloves, mittens, socks and scarves.
They are very warm and not cheap.

I did know of one small cottage industry venture that was canning them and selling it as dog food.

I still find it ironic that you have a non native marsupial problem in NZ.

 

[300UGUY]

I guess. :laughing:

Not many opossums around here, a few. Raccoons are around but not in great numbers. Plenty of skunks. We have more porcupines than opossums.

When my pond was dug, the excavator guy stacked up a bunch of junky trees in a tall pile. The porcupines took up residence in that pile. Now, a lot of the trees growing around that pile have had their bark stripped off by the porcupines. They can kill a small-average size tree in about one year. Oh well, it gives the pileated woodpeckers somewhere to work. :laughing:

Long-term, it's good for wildlife. After the woodpeckers make some cavities, birds and flying squirrels nest in them.

When I was a kid, opossums were very rare, they were found rarely, and mostly in the very south end of Michigan. Now they are very common, even in northern Michigan.

 

[Jim Shooz]

I still find it ironic that you have a non native marsupial problem in NZ.

There were never any marsupials in NZ until the introduction of the possum.

But it's the same with the Mongoose introduced to Hawaii in 1883 to control rats and snakes or the cane toad into Australia in order to control the Cane and the Frenchi beetles. Back in those days there was not too much thought given to what could happen in the future.

We also have introduced the rabbit, goat, deer and wallaby which are in the wild, not in great numbers, but are controlled to a degree (well, not so much the rabbits)
Nobody has 'wild' animals (lion tiger, bear) as pets which could escape and we have NO snakes.

 

[deerseeker001]

that is a good thing

There were never any marsupials in NZ until the introduction of the possum.

But it's the same with the Mongoose introduced to Hawaii in 1883 to control rats and snakes or the cane toad into Australia in order to control the Cane and the Frenchi beetles. Back in those days there was not too much thought given to what could happen in the future.

We also have introduced the rabbit, goat, deer and wallaby which are in the wild, not in great numbers, but are controlled to a degree (well, not so much the rabbits)
Nobody has 'wild' animals (lion tiger, bear) as pets which could escape and we have NO snakes.

 

[dave1949]

33*F now with misty rain ending--finally. About 1" of slushy snow this morning then misty rain & fog the rest of today with a high of 34*F.

Had a VFD call out for a car accident traffic control earlier. One pickup, one car left on wreckers, no injuries. Happened on a nearby curve on a hill that eats cars on a regular basis in winter. The roads are still a mess with ice cakes on the edges, wet slush and nowhere for the rain to drain off easily.

Tomorrow is still looking good. Low 40's & sunny. Could be a little windy though, SSW at 10-20 mph.

Opossums in Maine:
Opossums: Maine IF&W
Opossums are relative new comers to Maine. Prior to European settlement of North America, they lived only in Central America and the southeastern United States. During the 1900s, the population expanded northward into New England. Most opossums in Maine live in the southern part of the state. Cold temperatures block their northward expansion. Opossums do not hibernate and they are prone to frost bite on tails, ears and digits.

I never thought about possums not hibernating. They are moving north here too, but I think a winter like this one would wipe out most of them around here. I don't know what they could find to eat, they can't very well get to the ground when it's covered in snow and layers of ice. There is a layer of ice on the field clearing I started last summer that is strong enough to support my tractor, and there is some snow beneath that. Cover like that has to be hard on the native critters that feed on mice and voles.

Maine
“In the last 10-15 years, people started seeing them in southern Maine,” said Lisa Kane, natural science educator for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “They just started moving here, and it’s kind of weird because it’s so cold in Maine.”

Opossums, with naked feet, tails and ears, aren’t built for the cold. In fact, in Maine, if they don’t find proper shelter for the coldest months, they perish. Mainers who find them in the winter will often bring them to the Maine Wildlife Park with partial ears and frostbitten toes.

Nevertheless, since last year’s mild winter, opossums have been spotted farther and farther north.

“I have opossums all over the place [on my property in Poland],” said Maine Wildlife Park gamekeeper Howie Powell. “I have one living under my steps. And I’ve never seen one in Poland until this year.”

“They’ve adapted well to cities and have been found as far north — as far as I know — as Bangor, being hit by cars,” Kane said.

 

[sodamo]

Don't have possums or coons here, but we do have mongoose and rats. Never saw a possum when I lived in southern Maine, but saw plenty when I lived I Ga.

David Sent from my iPad Air using TractorByNet

 

[sodamo]

Ok, tractor pic




David Sent from my iPad Air using TractorByNet

 

[Thomas]

29F Clear sky,upper 30's today and tomorrow.
Slush froze now its icy about anywhere you step,plan to scraper blade what I can once temps warms than spread some heavy grid.
Guess I better be thinking about shagging butt..scrape driveway,sand driveway,dump run,clean up all before noon,Wife wants to travel to Brass Pro opening an hour half drive this afternoon.