Opossums protected by state law

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Thursday, May 15, 2003 | Michael A. Fuoco

[Willie Green]

Personnel at a Westmoreland County wildlife rehabilitation center plan to report to state game officials that an Arnold man beat an opossum to death with a shovel when it wandered into his yard on Mother's Day.

Mel Schake, information and education supervisor for the Pennsylvania Game Commission's 10-county Southwest Region, said he hadn't yet heard about the Arnold incident but, speaking generally, said people need to realize that wildlife are protected by law.

[HairOfTheDog]

I have had raccoons that would look pretty intently at my cat... Look right past me and fixate on the cat. Raccoons deserve more concern and caution than a opossom.

[Osage Orange]

You wrote:

"They just walk around, mostly at night. Harmless critters."

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You've never cornered a possum, I gather. lol!!

This story reminded me of something that happened a number of years ago. Seems...I woke up one early, early morning to our dog barking that bark..that say's this is serious!! ( vbg ) I went out the back door towards the corner of the yard...where "Buddy" was madly barking. When I got there...I still couldn't see what Buddy was so worked up about....I moved closer. Apparently too close...as out rushed this hissing, head full of sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight...As I skipped and hopped backwards...( and as things will be...I was barefoot..) I stepped right into the biggest dog pile in the yard. With the dog doo squeezing up thru my toes I ran as fast as I could to the backdoor...with the dog now behind and chasing the possum...and the half crazed & scared possum chasing me....spitting, hissing..and looking like some nuclear accident Tasmanian Devil..!!!

Oh...twas a night to remember!! LOL!!

FRegards,

[MineralMan]

"I have had raccoons that would look pretty intently at my cat... Look right past me and fixate on the cat. Raccoons deserve more concern and caution than a opossom.
"

They seem to get along OK in my yard. I've not seen any aggressive behavior between the 'coons and the cats, although the cats tend to keep their distance and just watch them. I did have a four-month-old kitten, though, that walked right up to a big male raccoon and sniff noses with it. No harm done.

[Stay the course]

Believe it or not, I appreciate wildlife too. I just don't revere it to the point that I put its right to exist above my right to earn a living. That's pure PETA crap. Should I let it crap on my hay and kill my cows? Should I travel 10 miles to set one free every time it shows up? I appreciate wildlife, and I also sometimes kill it and eat it, because that's it's there for that purpose too.

[MineralMan]

"You've never cornered a possum, I gather. lol!!

"

No, but I've picked up wild ones to move them off the road. They hiss a bit, but I've never heard of one actually biting anyone. If you pick them up just behind the front legs, they sorta go limp. Then you can carry them off the road and put them down in a safe place. Works for me.

The hissing is a sham, and those long jaws full of sharp teeth are supposed to scare you off. If you don't scare, the 'possum gives up.

[HairOfTheDog]

That surprises me.... I have had cats stitched up from fights that looked more serious than the average catfight, but I haven't witnessed them tangled.

[cav68]

Chicken stealing, bitty eating SOB, add a jar of John Boy and Billy's BBQ Sauce and have at it. Reminds of me of the Darling Family's Annual 4th of July Picnic fixings on Andy Griffith show.

[Calpernia]

You are VERY lucky you used a shovel. *I* would have been fooled by that and tried to check to see if it had a pouch to try to save the babies. I would have been bit!

[TBall]

Why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the Opossum that it could be done.

[HairOfTheDog]

HA! Maybe you would have been bit, maybe not.... They are not real aggressive, despite the wild stories here!

[MineralMan]

"I would have been bit!"

Maybe, but probably not. I've never heard of a 'possum biting anyone. They bluff, but they don't generally bite. Of course, I've never tried rummaging through one's pouch to look at the babies.

[Junior]

We only have possums around here. Opossums are purely yankee critters.

[Calvin Locke]

Worked with a woman originally from TN. Out on a date with her first real boyfriend. Sees dead opossum in the road.
He stops, throws in the back. "Dinner tomorrow". End of first real boyfriend.

[Wacka]

If you leave cat food out in California, it attracts the roof rats. The cats outside at night may get eaten by coyotes.

[HairOfTheDog]

Believe it or not, I appreciate wildlife too.

Well that is a different outlook on your poor life than you expressed in your first post: "Possums, coons, skunks, they're all disease-ridden, thieving pains in the ass. They like to take up residence in my barn in the winter and eat my corn and crap all over my hay. I say terminate with extreme prejudice. Shovel, pitchfork, crowbar, whatever's handy. I usually drown the skunks, though. No sense taking chances."

'Egads calm down!' was what I thought... the local wildlife of the country just seemed to piss you off.... thought maybe you would be happier in the city where you couldn't be victimized by them.

I have cats and a dog that keep the rodents down, but the existance of animals doesn't cause me the same grief you expressed.

[Willie Green]

Oh.

[Calpernia]

I think any 'mom' would bite if you put your hand near their babies. That is a good tip though. If my dog succeeds in getting one (real well meaning and loving but DUMB dog), I will keep that playing dead stunt in mind before intervening.

[TEXASPROUD]

Possum is the greasiest meat I have eaten. My Grandmother in Georgia used to make it.

[Malsua]

>>They don't bite.<<

Bullschiesse they don't bite. I have a 1/4 scar on the inside of my left thumb where one of these "non biting" critters bit thru my leather glove.

These roadkill feeders are pretty pathetic and disgusting animals. They are also very "greasy" when you skin them. Coons are too, but possums are exceptionally nasty.

In the late 70s I used to trap and there's nothing worse than having a possum wreck a nice set. Then you have to reboil the trap, re-dye it and re-wax it. It's a big pita.
Then after all this work and skinning the stupid thing, the hide guy only gives you a buck for it.
They always got one of those "This*whack*is*whack*what*whack*you*whack*get*whack*for*whack*ruining*whack*my*whack*set*Whack*whack*Die already*whack*whack*C'mon dammit die*whack*whack*Sheesh*Whack.

I have a really disturbing tale about this one possum that just refused to die, but I'll spare everyone. heh.

[razbinn]

Here's a couple of pics of one of those little buggers that came into the basement through the cat-door.The top one is "Opie" sitting on my bench,the lower one is him up in the beams as I was trying to get him out.It took about a half hour to get him on his way,didn't cause him any distress though.

God Bless america