(NZ)Throwing dead possums for sport in NZ

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Organisers no longer playing possum about possum tossing

Saturday, 31-March 2001

Otago Daily Times

By Allison Rudd

 

In Waitati they've come up with a novel but tasteless use for pesky

possums - throwing them.

 

It's no joke. For $2 a pop, competitors can win prizes at today's

annual Blueskin A and P Society show at Waitati by seeing who can toss

a dead possum the farthest.

 

" It's a bit like gumboot throwing, only more awkward, " committee member

Mark ( " just call me possum hunter " ) Brown told the Otago Daily Times

last night.

 

Mr Brown admitted he and his mates on the committee were a bit new to

proper possum tossing techniques. But they reckon swinging the possum

round and round your head by its tail and flinging it as far as you can

ought to do the trick.

 

" We know the possums have to be fresh. If the possums are any older

than four days, their tails fall off. "

 

Apparently they can't be gutted either, or they don't bounce when they

land, he said. But Mr Brown knows there could be surprises this

afternoon. " There's still a lot we don't know about possum throwing,

but we're learning fast. "

 

By last night, four possums were hanging in a shed ready for the show

and " the boys " were out hunting another two. For no particular reason,

it was decided six possums was the optimum number needed.

 

The committee has kept its possum tossing competition quiet for fear

" townies " would take offence, Mr Brown said.

 

But he said no-one in Waitati had any qualms about the idea.

 

" The possums are causing so much damage in the native bush we have to

get our own back. We go out of our way to run them over on the road so

why not throw them? "

 

So could this be a competition that will take off at other A and P

shows around the country?

 

" I don't know about that, but the possums will certainly be taking

off, " Mr Brown said.

 

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