Dirk, I've been watching Ohio with great interest. I didn't know the history of it though I knew it had some issues to still work out.
I'd like something similar here. At this point when asked my prototype is a mirrored copy of what we have here in the structural pest control board. Seems like, other than costs, the simplest to get through the legislature.

In Ontario,we dont care who does the bugs and bats but furbearerer management, whether for fur or nuisance(because fur harvest is not currently allowed in some urban areas)is the responsibility of the federation of Ontario trappers.

I think that plays a major part in the transition from fur trapper to nwco. Dealing with the customers in a business-like and friendly manner, being able to feel customers out,joke around with them and find some common ground for conversation is a big part of getting and keeping customers. They don't want a guy that just shows up, sets up his traps, spits some tobacco on the ground and tells them how he can catch any animal that walks the earth.

7 years in retail helps with customer relations. Not by any means in liking people more!

Boco, as a fur trapper gone ADC, I kind of went along with Ontario's thinking. Since my son has taken over, I now realize what he is going through trying to run a full time business, especially in a northern climate.

I had read, on many occasions, about how easy it was for ADC guys to do pest control. Now being a pure animal guy myself, I had to kind of get my feet wet to see that, and yeah, after capturing raccoons, yellow jackets were fairly easy, at least for me.

Now bear in mind that our employees are really kind of interested in only one thing and it's called a paycheck. If they can catch raccoons, squirrels, spray for stinging insects and rebait mouse boxes at the same site, financially, that's as good as it gets. ( I know because I've had one of those for the last 14 years )

Wink, next to WC, yellow jacket work is like printing money, long's you take a few basic precautions.
batman, are you saying that WCO's will take a job under the table knowing the customer doesn't want to pay the going rate?
That's despicable; like having a surgeon tell you he'll do your appendectomy in his basement for $200. It hurts everybody, including the customer.

I started out as a fur trapper. I dealt mainly with beaver.

After getting so many calls to trap beaver for this one or that one I realized that I couldn't do it without some compensation. But, I was told that with just a trapping license I could not charge for my work. SO... I went and took the Damage Control class, paid my fee and got certified.

Now, I'm trying to run a business but keep finding that there are a LOT of trappers, with only a trapping license, who are getting the bulk of the work and charging WAY more than I do to do it!

It's funny when I think about it. Before, I was getting calls for beaver right and left. Now that I'm a "certified" professional, I'm chasing squirrels and bats and the fur trappers are still getting all the beaver jobs.

Just don't seem fair somehow.

Muddawg, if you are anything like me, there will come a time when you can catch several hundred dollars worth of squirrels a whole lot easier and faster than several hundred dollars worth of beaver. I do appreciate the complete change of atmosphere however.

Amen to that.

Wackin' squirrels gets old quick for me. I really appreciate the handful of beaver jobs I get. Wish I could get more.

Its happening all the time here in NC....mainly because the Wildlife Commission has their system set up to refer the public to the "non charging" fur trappers..who actually do charge for the work.
I'm not a fur trapper nor am I a coyote/beaver/muskrat/nutria trapper...I deal with the "in your house critters"...so I don't have much of a dog in this fight. But I do hear my peers complaining.

I am looking forward to being a ADC guy masquerading as a fur trapper this fall.

NCbatman,

You may know,... Did the laws change after I got my certification or have I been misinformed? The understanding I had when I went into this was that I could NOT trap beaver out of season OR charge for my work without being certified.

But I know a lot of trappers doing it and year round.

I think a lot of us got into this field from fur. I know I did. I was playing with depredation work in 79, y real desire was to be a long liner. when the fur crash came in the early 80's my sights changed. and squirrels soon became my target critter. ( with the help of my wife and some little ones grabbing my legs) I can remember being at a wct in the 90's with Mike Page Fred Stine and I believe Bob Jameson was as also in the group. and some one saying that we was the new professional trappers.

With the economy the way it is, the last few years, the good trapper or even not so good trapper are jumping on board. along the animal lovers trying to save the baby polyesters, now add in the landscapers, roofers (#1compatistion in my area and has NO idea) pest control, town animal control and deer hunters trying to gain land for the big boys.(I call them groundhog wonder boys) LOL (they know there are groundhogs there but wonder how to take care of them) LOL

In the big picture for me here in NJ, I don't worry about the trapper taking a few coon in the winter. heck I keep them to! that is when jobs come in, My coon calls start when the fur is not prime anymore for the most part, other areas may be different. The farmer is not going to pay to have the coon, coyote or fox taken, and the trapper is not going to trap too much there in the off season, as they are only cutting their own throat. So I am not losing there. so the trapper is not hurting me. who is hurting me Bad, more than anyone else is the landscapers and the roofers, they do wildlife control as a side to get the big job. Yet know nothing about laws or the animal Nor could care less about knowing law or the animal. Lawn care do mole and ground hogs to get the long term landscaping, Roofers do the bang and chase thing on squirrels, coon and Bats to get the re-roof and soffits jobs. Ever see a roof not to a complete roof ad soffit job in June because of baby bats? they get the call first, The average person in my area Urban and suburban areas has no concept of wildlife. they don't even think about wildlife control, they call the business that deals with the spot. IE roof line or attic Roofer, Hole in the yard Landscaper. The only people that have common sense to the wildlife problem call wildlife control is the poor people and they don't want to Pay LOL Here in NJ we have no Lic to do wildlife just a permit. those of you that have the lic, the only people you are stopping from doing wildlife are the people that want to do it only or charge for the service. the real problem people are the ones that do wildlife as a no charge to get the bigger job. look at how many roofers and lawn care services you have in your areas, and see how many of them do wildlife. the people doing it and not seen as doing it are the real problems.

Don't hate me Jonesie but not only do our roofers and landscapers recommend us but they also use us at their place of business.

This happened last week; One of our more expensive landscapers bought a good sized parcel of land next to one of my better customers. They bulldozed it and building should start any day now. I told my wife that we should contact them and let them know we can help them and their customers.

At this point my wife told me that they have been our customer for years and if I wouldn't spend so much time on the stupid computer talking to you guys I would probably already know this. ( Consider me chastised )

P.S. It just occurred to me that I have already worked as both a landscaper and a roofer. Apparently these are two professions I want to forget. I also drove a beer truck. Now there's one I can't even remember. Try drinking beer at ten in the morning; you won't remember anything either!