Possums are a marsupial species found in north America. After the young are born, they live for a time in the mother’s pouch, before they can go out into the big bad world.

In the US, possums are common in the southeastern and south central regions of the country. But now they can be found in other places, as in Oregon. The story is that someone from the South during the Great Depression time of the thirties who was working in Oregon on a government project brought some possums into the state. Homesick for the South?
Possums will sometimes pretend to be dead when they sense danger. Hence the expression, “playing possum.”

In Oklahoma where I grew up, possums were common and the farmers did not particularly like them. They have a fondness for chickens and other poultry. The eggs and bodies of any ground dwelling birds are prey for these rather dumb, slow moving creatures.
Up until a few years ago, we had lots of possums here in the Valley. They were the most common form of roadkill. I haven’t seen one for some time, now. The rumor is that the coyotes are getting them all.

But in some places, especially in the South, possums were often eaten by country folk. My Dad said they used to eat them during the Depression years. They are fairly easy to catch. You have to be careful because they have a mouthful of sharp teeth. Because they often dine on carrion, a captured possum needs to be caged and fed table scraps or whatever for a week or two to sweeten the flesh.
I think I would probably have to be pretty hungry to eat one. At one time, possums would come on our front porch and eat the cat’s food. I could tell it was a possum by the way the dish rattled. I would open the door and switch on the porch light and chase them off.
Do you have possums where you live? Have you ever eaten possum?