Oregon Hikers

I was surprised to see a possum at 2000' in deep snow near Hamilton Mountain. Maybe they're always around, but more discreetly. We stared at each other until I got bored and moved on. Do you ever see them on hikes, or just splattered on the road?

I've seen them in my yard

In my yard late at night. I've never seen a possum in the woods. They are always last to the party when I put food out. Birds and squirrels in the daylight, racoons get some leftovers after dark and finally the possums come out and get whatever's left over. Far more splattered though. Sad. They must have bad vision to not see the cars coming, same with racoons.

Chip Down wrote: ↑

March 5th, 2021, 4:38 pm

I was surprised to see a possum at 2000' in deep snow near Hamilton Mountain.

I'd be surprised as well. Maybe as rare as spotting a cougar. Never seen one on a hike. We used to have them in my neighborhood, but they haven't been around for years, maybe cleared out by coyotes or disease.

Opossums eat ticks so I'm glad one was out there. Hopefully it reproduces.

Webfoot wrote: ↑

March 6th, 2021, 12:54 pm

Opossums eat ticks so I'm glad one was out there. Hopefully it reproduces.

There we go. The tick population in the gorge exploded a few years ago. Possums all fat-n-happy now!

Incidentally, in researching habitat, I learned there's only one opossum species in the US. Weird.