Meaningful possum control far more achievable now. Photo supplied.

Possum presence becomes much more obvious to landowners at this time of year as the animals and their new offspring increase their vegetation plundering efforts in preparation for winter.

The good news is that baits and lures become highly attractive to these animals and meaningful possum control is far more achievable now than during the summer months.

Live traps, kill traps and bait stations all have their place in pest control. There are pros and cons for each method, and the final decision comes down to what is going to be the most appropriate choice for your location.

Live traps (cages) are great where there is a chance that you will catch non-target species or pets as you can simply open the door and let the animal out.

The downside is that any possum caught will still need to be dealt with and it is a legal requirement that live traps are checked each day.

Bait live traps with fruit and fruit essence or a sprinkle of cinnamon, and place cages near the plants that you are trying to protect or adjacent to possum runs/tracks.

Timms Kill traps are a long-time favourite of the small run holder- they kill the possum quickly and cleanly and it’s over to you as to how often you check them.

Removing rotting possums from traps is not a pleasant task so I would advise getting around your traps at least once per week.

Bait with a 10-12mm ring of carrot and use an additional lure such as flour or cooking oil scented with a concentrated form of aniseed, cinnamon or fruit sprinkled or squirted near the entrance of the trap.

Set near plants that you are trying to protect or 50-100 m spacings around boundaries/bush fringes.

Bait stations with toxic bait are an industry standard that provide for very cost efficient possum control. A big advantage of bait stations is that you will also make a good dent in the local rat population.

Care must be taken to keep all baits out of reach of pets, stock and children but this is easily achieved by placing stations out of reach up trees.

Bait stations should be placed at 100 m spacings around bush fringes/boundaries or at the rate of 2/hectare in bush. For best results follow all manufacturers’ guidelines for safe and efficient use. 

If you are suffering a heavy infestation or are on a large property that has no history of possum control it is likely that an initial knock-down using cyanide will be required. This is a fast and very cost efficient method but something that needs to be undertaken by a professional.

Whichever of these methods you prefer, be sure to have a thorough understanding of the method prior to using it.

Safe, economical and efficient possum control will provide benefits for the environment far beyond your own boundary.

Please help us to provide the advice you require by sending all pest animal questions to: info@coastalpestsolutions.co.nz