Turns out that the lady had been hearing noises for months before she decided to call at midnight on a holiday weekend. I was told that an animal had fallen through a drop ceiling but on arrival all tiles were in place. I set traps and she will be paying pickup fees in addition to the emergency call. Just curious,what do you guys charge for after hours emergency calls?

Can't say I've actually had a real emergency call ...but had a customer call me at 8 o'clock on a Sunday evening to get a mouse that was dragging a trap around a drop cieling ...that they set !! was only a 15 min. ride and they paid me 300.00 to come get it and that was their offer. Got a opossum removal job from them too while i was there ....Must be nice to have money !

I charge triple, and I explain to them on the phone what normal rates and hours are. Most times they will go for scheduling later in the week at normal hours.

I tried, she wouldn't go for that. Called me again at 6:45 this morning saying that it really had fallen through the ceiling...it hadn't. Got there and found a baby raccoon in baited trap in drop ceiling. Mom was up there throwing a fit so I wired it in the back of a comstock single door and left. We'll see what happens

I charge double . After hours starts when I'm home got my boots off . Havent ever had to much luck using the baby's as bait tried again twice last week didn't work . I would go back before dark today put your comstock over the hole . Take the baby's away from the house . True story last year went to this house took a look around and was truely amazed at the coon carnage I found in the attic . Past trapper had been there and removed a few but with that much urine and coon crap I don't even think a total clean out would solve the coon from coming back . I told the guy your getting really close to these coons feeding out of your kitchen . The guy laughed it off went back inside came out screaming there's something in my kitchen making noose think its a raccoon . Yup sure was and what I felt like I was a coon mind reader or something . That will never happen again in a million years just per luck timing

So I caught mom in the spare bedroom. ( The roofers locked her in, so she made a hole in the bedroom ceiling ) I know she's got two babies upstairs because I've seen them. Got one two days later with my home-made 12 foot catchpole. Ceiling is low so I'm stooping and voice calling to find the other one. My left arm is resting on one of the two hundred cardboard boxes in the attic. All of a sudden my left elbow starts calling back. Three more babies in an empty box. What are the chances that my arm would be resting on that particular box? P.S. I did get the last one with my catchpole too.

I went to a job today with coons in the attic. 8 bags of rotten garbage on the porch, and a flooded basement. I wonder why the coons picked there house?

Rotten garbage, lol, sheww-eee.
I havent had an emergency call yet but when I do, the price will double my regular rate at least.

I stopped answering the phone once I climb in bed. Have been woken up at 2am way to many times by people all in fits about a bat flying around but seem to enjoy its company once they hear my fee to get dressed and rush right over.

Now they just leave a message and I call them in the morning.

At least double my price. Always funny to hear the wife in the background saying "I don't care how much it costs, get him out here now!"

Pretty much this. I operate off a cell phone as my business number. Have no cell service at the house. If its a true emergency both game & fish as well as the county and state law enforcement know how how to get in touch with me via the home phone, pager, or radio.

I did do it as a positive but all my doubles are on groundhog jobs so I used the baby to make sure she didnt refuse the set.

Most likely you'll find she refused the set because of the baby being in it . I hope I'm wrong but that is how it goes for me

I just got through with a 2 am call that I used 3 coon babies for bait since she has passed on my other bait for 2 days. Anyway, got mom in the trap and she was pitching a fit. I felt obligated to go take care of it since it was my trap she was in and keeping everyone awake. I'm considering quitting coons and doing moles only. They're makin me mad

There's my daytime rate.
Home and got my boots off rate.
Wake me up, change out of my jammies and go out into the dark rate.

Last time I tried using the babies as "bait" they were killed. Don't know if it was momma coon trying to remove them or a boar coon just looking for lunch. What ever killed the babies refused easy access to the coon babies through two Comstock double door traps and pulled the metal cover off the trap with the babies in it. All three traps were staked down for stabilization. Rain softened lawn and motivated coon made short work of complete set up. Nothing left except for two small coon skulls.

I started doing the same thing. Too many calls and not enough takers. Meanwhile your up now and can't get back to sleep.

The female can kill them trying to get them out of the trap. Just think of all the crap they pull into a trap when caged. Then think what they could do trying to pull a pup through a 1 inch square.

3 a.m call for something in the drywall--personal friends of ours.

25 mins away.

Only charged $250 and removed a opossum that had fallen down into the wall and couldn't get back out/up.

Had to break thru drywall.

Had already trapped coons twice in the attic for them.

Since I'm the boss ( Okay, that's a lie. My wife's the boss, then comes my son, so I'm like the assistant to the assistant boss ) anyway, I can give the customer a break on his or her bill if I see fit.

I don't normally, but if they're older than me and the job didn't take much time at all, I normally discount 10% or more. What amazes me is that people that are my age or older are very quick to tell you how much they appreciate the deduction. That always makes me head to the next job feeling good inside.

Ponyboy and others, if you haven't seen the aftermath of a female raccoon that pulled her babies through a one inch square mesh, count your blessings!

Ditto on Momma coon dismembering kits if she can reach 'em.