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Determining the Best Bait

People often ask, “What is the best bait?” Bait formulations is kind of a dark art in wildlife control. Bait manufacturers have the aura of the ancient alchemists, those who can turn the common material into gold. Unfortunately, determining the best bait takes time and a diligent record keeping. But if you are willing to do the work, you will be rewarded.

So how does one go about determining the best bait? You could go on various wildlife and pest control group pages and ask for suggestions. While that is a really easy tactic and can help you find some quality baits, it may not help you find the bait that works in your area. You also have to consider that some of the comments may be biased in favor of a particular brand of professionally manufactured bait due to unstated relationships.

A better method would be to consult with reputable bait manufacturers. The best bait manufacturers will have years of trapping experience and refuse to overhype their bait. They will tell you straight out when to use and when not to use a particular bait.

But if you want to know how to determine the best bait on your own, then I would suggest the following steps. First, select three baits that you want to test. Let’s call them Bait A, B, and C. Next you want to know how well these baits work on a particular species, say skunk. Take a notebook and create four columns. Column 1 is the date and columns 2-4 will be labeled bait A-C respectively. Gather your traps, you will want to be sure that you will use three traps at every skunk job. Set all three traps in an identical manner, such as distance from the hole or trail. Since this is often impossible to do, you will need to randomize the order, so that at Job 1, trap with Bait A will be closest to the hole, and at Job. 2 Bait B will be closest to the hole and so on. Use care not to cross contaminate traps with other odors. You should flame or wash your traps between jobs so that “clean” traps are used each time.

Trap placement when testing three different baits.
Trap placement (A, B, C) around the skunk den entrance to test bait attractiveness. Image by Stephen M. Vantassel.

After about 20 jobs or so, evaluate your data. Which bait had the most success? If it isn’t clear, keep at it. Ideally, you want to do this for an entire year or at least for each season. Sometimes some bait works better at certain times of the year. You may find that all three baits work the same. Let the data teach you. Once you have an answer, you can then study other baits by the same process.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel) along with several books (https://wildlifecontrolconsultant.com/store-2/). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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A New Safety Publication

Little Giant-type ladder used on one-floor structure. Photo: Stephen M. Vantassel.
Little Giant-type ladder used on one-floor structure. Photo: Stephen M. Vantassel.

Safety is essential for everyone but it can be particularly acute for those in the working trades like wildlife control. Most wildlife control operators (WCOs) are self-employed. So if they get hurt, they pay for sick days out of their own pocket through lost wages. WCOs need access to safety publications but life is too short and fragile to learn from mistakes. 

But finding safety publications or information dedicated to the needs of wildlife control operators are difficulty to find. Where do we send WCOs to get information that can protect them from harm without making them learn the hard way?

Fortunately, I and Brenda K. Osthus, Safety director at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, have a written a safety publication that moves WCOs in the right direction. This safety publication was originally to be published in the fifth edition of the Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. But unfortunately, that revised publication has been delayed for years so we offered the article to the USDA-Wildlife Services to be part of the Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series. The Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series, to my understanding, was created to fill the gap left by the Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. Readers of my column may recall this is the second article I have published with the USDA-Wildlife Services. 

You can download a copy of this new safety publication by clicking  Safety Publication

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel) along with several books (https://wildlifecontrolconsultant.com/store-2/). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a WCO

5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a WCO

While I give tips on how to handle your own animal damage problems, there are times when you just want to hire a wildlife control operator (WCO). The problem is you don’t want to hire a bad one. Since Spring is upon us, I thought it might help my visitors evaluate contractors to find the best WCO. That is why I am giving you 5 questions to ask before hiring a WCO to handle your wildlife problem.

WCO (Wildlife Control Operator). Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.
WCO (Wildlife Control Operator). Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.

Before we get to the questions, you need to understand the difference between pest controller operators (PCO) and WCO, also known as Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) also known as Problem Animal Controllers (PAC). A PCO is someone who handles bugs through the use of poison. A WCO is someone who handles vertebrate pests (animals with a backbone) with traps, exclusion etc. PCOs are licensed through their state’s Dept. of Food and Agriculture or Department of Agriculture. WCOs, if their state licenses them at all, will be regulated usually by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife or Department of Natural Resources.

Obviously, the first thing you should do is to look for a WCO (Wildlife Control Operator) to handle your wildlife problem and not a (PCO) Pest Control Operator. Once you know what you are looking for you should ask the following 5 questions before hiring a WCO.

1. Ask how many years have you been a WCO? This question is not to be confused with how many years in the PCO (Pest Control Operator) business. Bug killing is very different from controlling wildlife. Too many PCOs start doing WCO work with little to no trapping or wildlife experience.

2. Are you licensed? Is the contractor licensed to do animal damage control work in the state you live in? While some states don’t require licenses, many do. Ask if the person has completed a state certified trapping course. While most trapping courses teach fur trapping (not nuisance work), going through the training gives at least information about state laws.

3. Do you carry liability insurance? A surprising number do not.

4. Can you send me a copy of the contract? Does the WCO provide a clear contract along with an explanation of what services he/she will and will not provide?

5. Ask if the WCO is a member of the National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA). Membership doesn’t prove competence, but it does show a certain level of commitment to the industry. Don’t just take their word for it. Contact the Association at NWCOA.com to see if the person is a member. Full disclosure, I am the Western Director for the Association.

These aren’t the only questions that you should ask, but they are an important start. You want your wildlife problem resolved inexpensively but also properly. Don’t let the stress of wildlife problems force you to make a bad hiring decision.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel) along with several books (https://wildlifecontrolconsultant.com/store-2/). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Job Description: Wildlife Control Operator

Business owners that have more work than they can handle have to decide to either turn work away by ignoring calls, raising prices, or both. OR they must swallow the bitter-sweet pill of hiring additional help. Now I recommend that business owners hire an office person first. Administration staff, like a secretary, can maximize your time by saving you from spending time on answering calls, handling book keeping and other office chores, thereby allowing you to be on the job producing (i.e. making money). 

This book contains my article on becoming a nuisance wildlife control operator.
This book contains my article on becoming a nuisance wildlife control operator.

Sometimes, though you need to hire help in servicing customer needs. You have to hire a wildlife control operator (WCO), a tech. But how do you write up the job description? Well I have written a description and it is available in a new book, Becoming a Wildlife Professional edited by Scott E. Henke and Paul R. Krausman. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017.  This book, as the title suggests, seeks to help undergraduate wildlife biologists think and plan about their career path by describing the options and detailing what skills are necessary to obtain those jobs. 

I wrote the section on Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator pp. 88-90.  The book is available at https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/becoming-wildlife-professional It is a bit pricey at 85 dollars, but prices may be lower at other retailers. But despite the price, you also have to consider the value of your time. Do you really want to write up your own job description? 

Stephen M. Vantassel is a specialist in wildlife control. He has published numerous books and articles on the subject. He is available for research, training, seminars, and writing. 

 

 

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Lifts & Lawns

Lifts & Lawns

Tracks from a lift that damaged the turf. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.
Tracks from a lift that damaged the turf. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.

Wildlife control operators (WCO) use lifts to access high points for exclusion and wildlife control work. Lifts are an important tool and can greatly speed up work and enhance worker safety.

But before you drive one on your client’ s property, make sure you warn him/her about the potential damage to their turf and sidewalks. Otherwise, any advantages you may gain from the lift may be lost with an angry client.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a Certified Wildlife Control Operator (CWCP®) who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. He has written the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. Reach him at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

Copyright

All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

About Stephen

Stephen M. Vantassel MNI, CNI, CWCP, ACP Bio Stephen M. Vantassel is the Vertebrate Pest Specialist for the Montana Department of Agriculture (2015-present). Formerly, he was the Program Coordinator of Distance Education-Wildlife Damage Management for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources from 2004-2014. Stephen filled the position vacated by Dallas Virchow, who … Learn More

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