Hello I'm a Kiwi who is in the UK for the next 6 months (Norfolk). I am a possum trapper in New Zealand. I usually spend between 10 to 12 weeks each time in the bush. Due to the possum blocks being in remote areas I go in and out by helicopter. I average around 2000 possums per trip. The possum fur is worth $100 per kilo with about 20 possums making 1 kilo of fur.
I shoot deer and pigs for my meat. I catch trout and eel and there is always stuff like watercress etc near the creeks for me to eat. Plus I fly food in with me. I use 200 leg hold traps. A trap line is normally around 100 traps and can cover up to 15 kilometres of ridge lines etc which usually means I am climbing up and down hills all day!
Most trips I won't see another human until the chopper pilot arrives to pick me up. It can be hard work, trapping from dawn to dusk and having to deal with mother nature with things like flooded rivers, snow storms etc but when I get back to the hut after a 15 hour day and get a roaring fire going, sitting down having a hot cup of tea there is no better feeling.
John
I shoot deer and pigs for my meat. I catch trout and eel and there is always stuff like watercress etc near the creeks for me to eat. Plus I fly food in with me. I use 200 leg hold traps. A trap line is normally around 100 traps and can cover up to 15 kilometres of ridge lines etc which usually means I am climbing up and down hills all day!
Most trips I won't see another human until the chopper pilot arrives to pick me up. It can be hard work, trapping from dawn to dusk and having to deal with mother nature with things like flooded rivers, snow storms etc but when I get back to the hut after a 15 hour day and get a roaring fire going, sitting down having a hot cup of tea there is no better feeling.
John