Wild Kingdom...Watch Out!

The other morning Shiloh would not stop barking. Josh went on the deck & fussed at her before he left for work. She quieted down a bit but was still agitated about something. This is not really uncommon...she is very protective (not in a mean way, but don't tell...good deterrent for local ruffians).

Well, I didn't think much more about it. Later that morning during breakfast I went outside on the deck for some reason & noticed a rustling in the Japanese Maple that is beside & overlooking our deck. I figured that Shiloh had treed a squirrel so I took a look, but this is what I saw instead!

This possum made the mistake of wandering into our backyard & getting himself stranded in our maple. Just to give you an idea this is how close the tree is located to our deck -

Sam & Troy came out & checked out the possum. After calling several people to get a suggestion about what to do with this possum I finally talked with a lady with the "nuisance wildlife line" of the DNR. She said not to worry about the possum being sick or messing with the dogs. She did let me know that since we don't live in the city limits if the possum was bothering me too much I could just shoot it. Great...then I would have to clean possum guts off my deck.

I decided to just leave the thing alone & not worry too much about it (which is what Josh & my dad said to do in the first place). Well after lunch I went out to check on the situation & didn't see the possum. I leaned over the railing & saw him prostrate on the ground about 5 feet from the trunk of the tree. I wasn't sure if he was dead or simply doing a good job "playing possum". I pulled the dogs up on the deck so they would leave the possum alone until I could decide what to do with it.

I have no doubt that Shiloh allowed the possum to be lulled into a false sense of security & then made her statement to all possum-kind that if you come in her yard she will stake you out and then catch & shake you until your neck breaks. She very much has the respect of possums, & I dare say of all marsupials, in the Golden Corner.