[lockstock]

What's the story on possums? I know they are a serious pest and that they make really messy roadkill but who's allowed to despatch them, where and when. Is there a huntin'/shootin'/fishin' brigade? Are there strict gunlaws for hunters? Licences? Working with dogs? Does anyone on the forum work their gundogs or know anyone in a gundog club?

[Timbo]

I cant help on the gunlaw bit, but anyone is welcome to kill Possums. In fact I know some people who try and aim for them when driving.
The main form of supposed control is the use of 1080 poison, usually by way of air drops into forest areas. This remains a very controversial policy, but DOC insist it is perfectly safe.:(
Most of the hunting in our part of the country is for wild pigs, goats and possums.
The pigs are usually hunted for with dogs, and it is not unusual to see the locals at the vet clinic on a monday morning, waiting to get the dogs patched up after an encounter with an angry Boar.
Plenty of target gun clubs around as well.

You can get a better idea from the following link, but please dont open it if you are offended by scenes of hunting etc.

http://www.huntingandfishing.co.nz/index.php/ps_pagename/braggallery

[Smiler]

Round here (when OH isn't aiming for them) DOC have a guy come in who hunts and poisons them. :( He puts the poison into traps the deer can't get into. There are regulations on using the stuff, like signs etc on boundaries.

In a week last summer he got over 500, his wife comes with him and they stay up in the forest and she plucks the fur, usually from the belly and that is sold too. At the moment it's getting $105 a kilo.

Our landlords had big dogs so the possums kept away from the house. But before OH got his gun license, they were in the garden with avengence. :wah In the course of two nights, they stripped the heavily laden lemon and grapefruit trees.

Our neighbour shoots them and gives them to his dogs as food, along with the wild goats.

If you see posssum's (or should it be possa?)moving around in the daylight, quite slowly, they are usually sick with pneumonia or TB.

[Timbo]

http://www.kcc.org.nz/pests/possum.asp

[IanW99]

...
Our neighbour shoots them and gives them to his dogs as food, along with the wild goats.
...


Just a word of caution for those that don't know, dogs are particularly susceptible to 1080 poisoning. They can also be poisoned if they eat the carcasses of animals poisoned by 1080, such as possums or rabbits.

The general advice for those with dogs, is to treat all possums as if they have been poisoned by 1080 and steer well clear.

Ian

[Smiler]

Just a word of caution for those that don't know, dogs are particularly susceptible to 1080 poisoning. They can also be poisoned if they eat the carcasses of animals poisoned by 1080, such as possums or rabbits.

The general advice for those with dogs, is to treat all possums as if they have been poisoned by 1080 and steer well clear.

Ian

Thanks Ian :nice1

Sorry yes I wasn't suggesting everyone does it, he's a hunter/farmer/expert and I guess he knows what he's doing. :confused:

[Timbo]

IE; not from DOC.


http://www.stop1080poison.com/

I am still not convinced that the continued use of this poison is A; an effective way of controlling possums. B; doing the clean green image of NZ any good on the global stage.
It strikes me as a sledge hammer to crack a nut kind of policy. Just my opinion though.