What to do Between Coyote Hunting Trips?

hm1996

hm1996

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Around here, the next best thing is to go after the pawa pirate (possum) which has invaded the back yard most nights recently, attacking every pawa which falls on the ground overnight.
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The pawa is a Mexican relative to the conventional avocado, but the smaller ones are softball size.

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Since I live in the city, the AR is out of the question
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so had to resort to a

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Uh-oh, first night the culprit managed to polish off the bait but did not spring the trap. That's very unusual; must be dealing with an educated possum.

Moved trap to another location and put a drop of oil on the trigger the next night, but bait was untouched. Yep, educated for sure!

Third night conditions were perfect. Waning moon, approaching norther with rain predicted. Optimism was high when I chose yet a third location for the trap; you know, you can't be too careful when dealing with an educated possum!

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Didn't check his teeth, but judging by size, believe to be YOY. Not educated, just too light to spring the trap.

Hmmm, now I may have to take up hunting sparrows with the air rifle or something....

Regards,
hm




 
Unfortunately work mostly..
But in Montana there is almost always big game of some sort to hunt. I think there's only 6 weeks a year I can't be pursuing something... actually never.. coyotes never out of season.

Between elk, deer, fall and spring bear, Turkey's, lions and wolves... and coyote... hardly any time to get chores done around the house..
 
Looks like a few teeth in there.
I have mine set with hair trigger and always put the bait up where they have to step on the hot spot.
Then they get a ride to the limited existence farm.
 
Originally Posted By: tripod3Looks like a few teeth in there.
I have mine set with hair trigger and always put the bait up where they have to step on the hot spot.
Then they get a ride to the limited existence farm.

My trap resides in a carport and I did not notice the trigger had rusted up a bit. I place the bait behind the trip plate. Not sure how he got the bait first night unless combination of light possum and heavy trigger.
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After cleaning and a drop of oil it worked pretty smooth.

Regards,
hm
 
You know when they play dead, it is an involuntary reaction? Usually accompanied with deification. I've killed some and after further inspection they have a pouch full of blind, bald offspring. As a kid, black snakes and possums where the unholy wraths haunting the chicken coop after dark. Unless they are near my house, I usually don't kill this awkward creature anymore.
 
Yep, Jeremy, I usually don't molest them as long as they behave. This year they left the pawas alone most of the season, but just recently found them so, game on.

Caught an adult about a week ago and didn't have any problems for a few nights so thought the problem was solved.......Then they hit again.

Thought this was YOY since they were able to get past the trip pad and eat the bait w/o tripping trap, and 2nd one seemed to be on the small size.

Sure enough, set the trap again last night and

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Definitely a youngun. Guess the sparrows are safe for a spell.
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Regards,
Clarence
 
I use to kill them when caught them in my traps.. They do plug up some of my better sets.. Then I educated myself after I was told they eat rattlesnakes and are immune to their venom.. I don't use food base baits as often and it lowered my possum catch rate.. So when I do catch one I turn them loose.. They do love sardines though...Dan
 
Originally Posted By: dan158I use to kill them when caught them in my traps.. They do plug up some of my better sets.. Then I educated myself after I was told they eat rattlesnakes and are immune to their venom.. I don't use food base baits as often and it lowered my possum catch rate.. So when I do catch one I turn them loose.. They do love sardines though...Dan

Thanks for your input, Dan. Did not know possums are immune to RS venom.

Have never seen a possum on the ranches I hunt; guess there are too many predators for them to survive. Don't have any rattlesnakes in town, but knowing that possums eat rattlesnakes, I'd sure leave them alone if there were. In fact, if they'd leave my pawas alone we'd get along better.
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Another animal I've heard is immune it the wild hog. One of the ranches I hunt has wild hogs, another does not but is 60 miles farther inland.

The inland ranch has LOTS of rattlers, the one nearer coast, not so much and seems to me that in over 14 years spent on this ranch, the snake populations seem to decline with hog population increase. This causes me to believe that hogs eat snakes and I've heard they are immune to their poison, as well. However, a little research reveal that hogs are not immune, just harder for the venom to penetrate the thick "armor plate" and fat layer to enter bloodstream. Interesting video:

Rattler Attacks Hogs

ETA: Wouldn't have thought you'd have that many rattlers that far north, Dan. ??

Regards,
hm
 
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I have heard that a possum will eat thousands of ticks each year. I don't know it to be a fact but have stopped killing them.
 
Wow thats some video.
There must have been some really good stuff the pigs were getting there.
Looked like the paid no attention to the snake at all.
 
Originally Posted By: hm1996Wouldn't have thought you'd have that many rattlers that far north, Dan. ??



They allow one permit for one RS per permitted person.. They have exploded around here...We have timber rattlers and the massasauga rattlesnake along with the copperhead...So we have 3 poisonous snakes here in PA.. Just 3 months ago they found a den close to the highway here in central pa. and relocated over 50 Timber RS.. To many for my liking..Dan
 
Well, still unable to hunt coyotes, but the possum trappline still producing. Caught #5 last night so sparrows safe for another few days.

Amazing what a bored predator hunter will do to amuse himself, isn't it?

Regards,
hm
 
Originally Posted By: dan158Originally Posted By: hm1996Wouldn't have thought you'd have that many rattlers that far north, Dan. ??



They allow one permit for one RS per permitted person.. They have exploded around here...We have timber rattlers and the massasauga rattlesnake along with the copperhead...So we have 3 poisonous snakes here in PA.. Just 3 months ago they found a den close to the highway here in central pa. and relocated over 50 Timber RS.. To many for my liking..Dan

Sorry I missed your reply, Dan. "They allow one permit for one RS per permitted person". Permit/limits for rattlesnakes? Unbelievable! That's enough to lead some folks astray.
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Regards,
hm
 
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