Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-23
HUNTING THE OPOSSUM.
A Place Where He Is Found North of Mason
and DixOn's Line

and DIXOn'S Line.
No one ever locates the opossum-h hunt
anywhere but in the gum swamps or
among the persimmon trees of the south
where they are ever associated with the
spectacle of the bullying eyed and expect
ant darby, carrying aloft his flaming pine
knot torch, while his lean and lanky dog
leads him to the tree where the much
priced possum has sought refuge. That
the Opossum existed and was hunted
above Mason and Dixon's line probably
few people would believe, writes Suffern
N. Y, correspondent of New York Times,
yet on the mountains that overlook the
Ramapo valley here and in this vicinity,
thirty miles from New York, the possum
is plenty, and he grows as fat as he does
in the southern swamps and is hunted as
assiduously as he is there and by the same
race of people. To Haverstrow noun
tains, or southwestern end of spur of
the Hudson highlands, are divided from
the Ramapo mountains at Suffern by the
Ramapo river, and through the deep gap
made by this the Erie railway enters the
valley. The mountain sides are so rocky
that the land, if there is any, can not be
used, aud a thick growth of woods covers
them. In this wild and rocky region a
a community of negroes has grown up.
The pioneers of this community antedat-
ed the Revolution. Their descendants
have married and intermarried and
their rude cabins are scattered about in
t he woods and among the rocks. They
live by berry picking, hunting, trapping,
and doing occasional work for the farm
ers in the valley and back on the fertile
SUBMITS of the range. To them the pos
sum, which is rarely seen anywhere else in
this state or in the neighbing state of
New Jersey, is as mamma in the wilder
ness.
The season for possum hunting is now
fairly begun. The negroes of the Rama
pc mountains are not such picturesque
hunters as their brethren of the south.
They do not carry the pine torch
but use gun if they car get one. The
southern darkey never uses a gun in
hunting possum. When the dog trees
the game generally in persimmon tree)
the hunter climbs the tree with his torch,
which he thrusts before the eyes of the
'possum, dazzling it so it is easily caught
and killed. The 'possum of the Ramapo
is exactly like his southern fellow. They
go into winter quarters literal balls Of fat,
roll themselves up and live on their own
tissue until spring. They eat vegetables,
insects, fruit, and do not forget to pay an
occasional visit to a convenient hen-roost
which is a weakness, also, of the indi-
viduals who hunt them. When 'possum
goes to sleep he climbs tree, winds his
long, hairless tail around a limb, and
hangs head downward like bat. The
female 'possum brings forth big litter
of young ones, and carries them in time
of danger, in pouch provided by nature
for that purpose. When too closely
pressed the 'possum pretends to be dead,
but it can't fool the dogs that hunt it.
Moonlight nights are chosen by the
Ramapo negoes who have guns for
hunting the 'possum., Those who have
no guns set traps. The figure 4 dead
fall are used. A big fat stone if held up
on one side from the ground by sticks,
which are placed in the shape of a figure
by means of notches cut in the sides of
two Of them, into which the ends of the
other two fit. An apple is stuck on the
end of and of the sticks. When the pos
sum comes along and nibbles at the bait
the trap is sprung and the stone falls and
pins the possum to the ground.
From all accounts, a person with de-
licate palate would not banker after more
than one taste of a Ramapo 'possum.
Even the negroes, who are fond Of the
animal: parboil and reparboil the 'possum
before the ''gamy" flavor is sufficiently re-
duced to make the meat ''set we'll" After
parboiling, if the hunter or trapper has a
stove in his hut, which is not the case in
all the dwelling place of the Ramapo
darky, the 'possum is put in a pan and
placed in the oven to roast. The animals
are so fat that in short time the pan
will be half full of liquid grease. Then
potatoes are put in. The 'possum hunter
has not arrived at the dignity of stove
big wood fire is started in the rude fire.
place. When the wood has burned to
Goals, which grow red-hot in big heap
on the hearth, a hole is scooped out in the
pile and the 'possum is laid in it and
coverde with embers. Ears of corn and
potatoes with the jackets on" are buried
in the hot ashes to roast 'longwid de
'possum." From now until cold weather
sends the greasy opossum to his winter
quarters for his long sleep the darky of
the Ramapo mountains will die on the
fat OF the land not only $50 to speak, but
literally.
Bone dishes are among the regular &C
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