OPOSSUM TRAPPING IN RIMUTAKA.

Otaki Mail, 22 August 1923, Page 3

OPOSSUM TRAPPING IN RIMUTAKA.

* Aal ‘O KXaiM AN a PARADISE. Mr. I-’. O’Keefe, who, beared and very Jit looking, came inlu Levin re- . ceiiily from a six weeks’ opossum- | binning trip in die liimitakas, Fells uj aoiv mildly ruininisoeiit oi Happing ' ill ine great not til-west. I tspeu-kiiig lo a -‘Olu unieie'’ rep re ■ \ .seiuative uurilig the day, lie explained sliat be unu ills palmer, Mr Her- 1 ielt, uoiuuied a license to trap in a iriui.K ol dOUt) acres ol Guvei timenl itinit on the snow Jnie ai u sj'-'t nine .mivs along the Hut; Hoad lrom W'ut-ivait-ae, and From mere about 12 miles Hirougih tiie bash into tiie ranges.

JHe access ill I otign_! be, btisli was ,ty a track winch tin-, tuippins e'a/.c i Uietnseives over very uinieuit eouiitry, and over widen all sloies ii ad lo ne caii ied. Dili lug lie wlioie tune they were ira piping —-six wee its—Mr I’Keeie says, Un-re was mi;y uju- nay on wliioli snow did not Fad. and lii" >\oathei: was iuitei 1\ cjo. :.igm and da\. six u iier itappets ot niiFeient parties also Obtained iiecnses to obtain skins UJ this particular locality, nut alt pulled out Having found the weaker too set ere.. As indicating die . ppeui wiiicii opossum-trapping n’laiie.s, il limy be iiieuiiuiicd tltai one ol these men was u Medniyion docnn , ami another a. hi-Wyer. i tie ad'aUlage ol tins high loead y j lay in tin; great stipe: n.inty i.ie •,a;,:s ui'tallied nuiu there, over UlOsU grt ,vn ai iwui.net levels. During the six Weeks in iitcll Happing was Uune vii u'hecle and ills partner uhtaiued 250 skins, Fur winch an oiler o. Jos eai i had been rtuused, aitiiougii tne pri,-o ui tne average skin is diluted at tis. J lie length ui'i uonuoss ui tint itn uini i.lid.;".:-., ol the skins owing io the moie I'gijiuio citiuaie explains •he uiljertllee in tm. , me. two mem ajs u. ig Uie pus-ani s c c- euipioj ci, i.:,c principal uuo ui winch was snaiuig •> Ui eojipei- wire stiares o,,ui i jotni.i with stung. Witen a nee Was locate I in which it Was obv loue til at- lilt annuals lived, a number oi .saplings. Four to Five feet m length, were laid against il at mi angle n J about la degrees, wu tu,.fc,e | Tie snare was iixed, tno loop being so atiunged mat the animal v.neu cinnbiiig- ujj the saiduig ou its return to in home rail is necii thiougii Flie noose. To,-life skill is rotjujied m arranging Lite nooses and llixxng the size, as an coipssum vvili escape ~ it con get one Rirc-ieg through. Fhese nooses were also set on tiie run-ways or •■pussies" j —all Australian term which lias a wide currency ag a slang expression. Jn this case a"stout stick is laid across the path aiij-i Fixed at u neiglrt ol a I loot oi so above it, the nouse being suspended From tins. liabbu-u-a-ps ■ Fiaited with apple were also used. Tbs other method employed "as shooting. A fine night was necessary’, and the equipment required, a dog which understands the business on hand, a pea-rifle and an e-lecuic toicii. 1 lie opossum leeds by night, and the dog's part is to hunt them up a tree or Fallen stump, where they are i ‘ fixed” by being dazzle* by the eleoI tric-torch. [ The locality Mr O'Keefe describes i 11= a ioortsnian's paradise. Deer me I very plentiful and during the time ! he was in camp a number ol splendid i bucks were seen, including a 12 and 15 pointer, pigs were literally in hand- | reels, and wild gaats aisu very xuimerous. Ift the stream by which the ! camp was pitched, rainbow nuut were j to he seen 'everywhere, some appari ently of seven or eight pounds. From 1 his description there is no doubt that i the locality offers great opportunities I lor general sport, and will become

j popular among the more virile oi our j sportsmen m the future. Duiing diis I tune ui the year, however, it is not i j likely to be overcrowded. Mr O'Keefe' j remarked that on the morning on j wltieh camp was struck Fie obtained ! water from the creek in which to 1 wash and ulwr breaklasting returned i to get the basin, when he Found that | over half cm inch of ice had Formed i during the half hour or so which the : meal had taken. The. tent when • | struck had to be spread on a lock m j the sun tor two hours before it tlsaw- ■ led out sufficiently to permit of being ■ ; rolled. - i Mr O'Keefe and ids partner are e.x- ---• i-perieneed trappers and contend that ' . their catch should have been eonsid- '; erablv larger but lor the Fact that me ! ! ground had lieen cleaned up pretty 1 1 thoroughly by poachers before tne ! season” opened. Evidences os’ SheiC I operations were apparent in sticks

erected for nooses, &&£ Zaini* sites, U ud owinc to the remoteness and :>iaccessibility of the country, the v-'orV 01 the Acclimatisation officer- m testing these persons ss no. ea? '