A lot closer to when I was down in my apartment building's basement, after the cute widdle possums and the stray cat that snuck in and dropped a litter of kittens had officially become (runt would censor this big time) vermin, since they distributed a good case of fleas through several of the apartments that were above 'em...
Anywho, being in the city and all, I have to be particular about doing nasty things to such pests.
Shovels work VERY well on possums if you can catch 'em where you can get a good swing in. Got several of the little ones that way.
So, anywho, hear a yowling from the basement, and one of neighbors has discovered an unkilled portion of said vermin. She retreated to the safety of her apartment, and another guy and myself went looking to see what caused the ruckus. We find Mama Possum crawling along some pipes along the ceiling, and corner her... I run for implements of destruction, and come back with a bayonet.
I swear, I thought that my neighbor was going to FAINT! And the neighbor was a guy... "Ohmigawd! Don't do that!" And he really sorta lost it when I asked him to cover me with the shovel in event the possum-gigging experience caused the possum to go all nasty and try to chew off a pinky or two up to my elbow... Instant refusal.
Gave up on the whole concept, and came back later and zorched the critter without witnesses.
