No, I think they're the same, just that here in Maryland they aren't the state animal. I think in Virginia the squashed possum in the road is state animal. My grand dad used to catch one about three weeks before Thanksgiving and put it in a trash can and feed it table scraps. Granny would then roast it (post mortem) stuffed with persimmons and sweet potatoes. Grand dad like the head on. It was a bit of a shock to see that on the table along with the turkey and ham. Looked like a real mean rat.
But, to stay on topic, the fur works very well for dubbing and tailing. of course the tail hair has to be used on really really small flies. Steve, In Maryland On 2/9/07, Chuck Alexander <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Steve.. You mean there is a difference between Virginny possums and Bama possums??? Just a different type??? I wonder if they don't tan so well cause they are real greasy, like some ducks.. My Mother In Law used to cook "possum and sweet potatoes" years ago, and she'd boil them, pour out the water to get rid of some of that oil/grease/fat... Then, cook them in a baking pan... Good if your were REAL hungry LOL...That was in FL, and they had a real thin coat of fur, and I didn't tie then, so I don't know how those would be..I'm gonna pick up the next one I find and see how it does for rsure.. Chuck ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Brettell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 5:21 PM Subject: Re: [VFB] Re: SLF Dubbing- now possum > I've used Didelphis virginiana, the wiley Virginia (not Alabama) > opossum, for tying. It works a lot like grey hares' mask: good under > fur and stiff guard hairs, and since squashed on the road is a natural > death for the little critters, there's plenty of them around. > > I just don't have much luck with tanning any of these things, so I > salt 'em down, and when they get funky, throw 'em away. > > They's a good well fed one living under my porch right now; well fed > out of my trash cans. > > Steve, > In Maryland > > On 2/9/07, Chuck Alexander <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> >> Don, How does regular ol Alabama possum work??? I JUST ran across one a >> while ago, but My wife had groceries in the car and wouldn't let me stop >> and get it LOL, But I run across them pretty often here, Chuck >> ----- Original Message ----- >> >> From: DonO >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 1:17 PM >> Subject: Re: [VFB] Re: SLF Dubbing- now possum >> >> >> Reuven, >> >> I LOVE that Australian possum hide that you sent Jimi for the swap. >> It rope-dubbs perfectly, blends great, and stacks like wool. >> >> Those who got the possum strips in Jimi's material swap have gotta try >> it out. >> >> I've seen Australian and New Zealand possum dubbings in bags, but it's >> already clipped and blended, so stacking is out. Also, when it's >> pre-blended, one cannot choose a particular portion of the hide to >> harvest hair for a particular look in the dubbing. >> >> >> Now I can't wait for the wombat. >> >> Don
