Opossum hunting
1 hunting trip from 1 outfitter starting from $700
Where to hunt Opossum
Opossums originated in South America, where they described over 100 species of these marsupials (meaning the female carry their young in a pouch, like Kangaroo). One of these species, the Virginia Opossum, managed to cross to North America and settled the greater part of what is now the United States. During the introduction craze of the late XIX-early XX centuries people released Opossums (and immediately wished they didn’t) in many places, including New Zealand.
Price distribution
Hardly any outfitter in the United States offers Opossum hunting, but a number of outfitters in New Zealand include the marsupial into their dog hunting packages, along with hare, rabbit, and wild boar. The price of such packages is usually $2,000 or slightly over for a 3-day hunt, slightly less if there are more than one hunter in the group.
When to hunt Opossum?
In most American states Opossum can be taken during any small game or deer hunting season. In New Zealand and other places that view Opossum as an invasive species as a pest, Opossum hunting can be carried out year round. There is no particular best time for Possum hunting, but most hunters prefer to visit New Zealand from April to September.
Hunting methods All hunting methods (5)
The original methods of Opossum hunting included trapping and hunting them with dogs. The dogs either chased an Opossum up a tree, where the hunter could hit it with a projectile from any weapon from gun to slingshot, or the Opossum “played dead”, and could be dispatched with any convenient means. In places where Opossums are considered pests, it is legal to hunt them at night with an artificial light. .22lr rifles and air guns are considered the best Opossum medicine. Today most Opossum hunting is done opportunistically, when dogs run into a Possum in the course of hunting for wild boar.
Why hunt Opossum?
In America, Opossum used to be an important food source, especially for the underprivileged groups in the South, as it could be taken with the most primitive equipment and/or a couple of mongrels. In fact, the earliest descriptions of the animal by European colonists mention that it “tastes like pork”. Today eating Opossum meat is not very common, especially, as a scavenger, it may accumulate various harmful substances. In places like New Zealand, where Opossums are an invasive species, Opossum hunting is done with the aim of controlling and reducing their numbers.
Interested in this animal? Create a subscription to get offers right to your inbox