I'm still new, and all I have had to deal with is skunks, which is easy as pie. How do you guys branch out and learn new skills while keeping your customers happy. How do you guys handle jobs outside of your comfort zone.

If you think skunks are easy as pie, I really don't think you'll have a problem dealing with much of anything. Of course, I don't know exactly what you're going to run up against in California. One of the guys a went to school with lives out there and he said that raccoons were the number one problem where he lived. I can't imagine that they would be a problem for you.

If you mention some of the wildlife that would be outside your comfort zone, there's probably someone on here to help with almost everything.

although I've never trapped 'em, coons don't seem to be too tricky to me. I guess where I see trouble is gophers, moles, and squirrels. We don't have the tree rat infestation that some of you do, but o have never had one in a cage trap

If you think coons ain't tricky then you need more experience. The first twenty or so are easy then you meet the ring tail from [Please excuse my language... I'm an idiot]. That one will teach you every trick in the book and some that ain't.

Moles and gophers, you got one of the greats in fellow californian Steve Albano. Look him up on his site and he has some great videos that'll be a starting point.

Training.

You can gain experience trapping squirrels, skunks and raccoons by asking family, friends and neighbors if you can trap their property for the experience. Before I started charging, I offered to clean out two trailer parks for free. Excellent experience.

I did a half dozen beaver jobs before I started charging just to gain experience and a little confidence. I also took advantage of the fur season to gain more experience.

Take any opportunity to trap. The more you trap, the more confident you will be.

Alot of service areas were way out of my comfort zone many years ago. I just didnt have a clue as to what to do or how to do it with many services. Squirrels, moles,voles and bats were a very challenging area that took me quite a while to get good with those animals behavior,biology and methods of control.

Before going full time in the nuisance wildlife control business, I could trap coyotes, fox and cats with the best of them at that time whether fur trapping or doing ADC work.

But when it came to working specialized animal work in structure settings for pay it was very intimidating to say the least.

You will learn to go as you grow as most of us have had to do if you want to continue to build your skills.

It is a continuing learning and challenging process adding skill sets. With todays training, video support and equipment life is so much easier for folks in this industry. I had to make due with what I had or build what I needed to make something work.

It takes time, circumstances and a practical mind set to build your skill level over the years.The road is long and bumpy but an enjoyable challenge most of the time if you keep a positive attitude.

These are good answers to your question Throw Back. Above all the thing that I always keep in mind is that it might take me far longer than the guy who has done this for 20 years to get a job done to the level it needs to be. I won't see everything they do, although each job teaches me more and I spot more problems and constraints up front now. I deal with 99% exclusion and though I could run traps all day every day, I don't as it doesn't fit what I want to be doing.

Each business model is different, Steve A was mentioned, and he and others have shown how moles and gophers alone can setup a whole shop if thats all you desire to do and you have the right population of species for it (and clients willing to pay). Or you have folks that pretty much don't turn down any animal or bird species that comes their way whether or not they've tackled it before.

Going to meetings, trainings, gathering info online in places like this forum or professional forums like .info and others are great ways as well to learn. I've asked many questions since launching my own shop and have received amazing answers often in pm's but sometimes just shared with the group, others have offered to call me with info and my network of folks that I can call or rely on for an answer or advice has grown immensely.

The one thing you can't be afraid to do in my humble opinion is to keep learning and asking questions, as well as not being afraid to fail. I've attempted some jobs that really strained my belief that I should be doing them, but I kept on it, figured it out and ultimately made sure that before I walked away it was done right and the client was fully satisfied which is my benchmark for success.

Anyone can hang out a shingle and get paid to do things we do, but doing them "right" or to the level needed ranges widely as do opinions on what is "right" and what is not acceptable.

My rambling will start heading off course if I don't cut this off now, so off to do some pigeon exclusion and enjoy the sunshine!



Good luck!

Justin

I'm just starting out myself and it's not easy trying to set a cubby set and stake a 1 1/2 leghold for raccoons in an attic! I have been a trapper many years and love it, now nuisance trapping in homes is frustrating because its completely different. I can see, hear and smell them but can't seem to put a finger on it. I enjoy the challenge but am afraid I may seem too unsure for the clients. Many times I am. I know the concept just need to execute properly with an audience per say. Everyone I have done so far is a learning experience. I do know just keeping the homeowner relaxed, about the critter, is such a relief to them.

Throwback you made a statement that I am going to call you on, I am not doing this to beat up on ya but to show you something. you said "although I've never trapped 'em, coons don't seem to be too tricky to me." Let me ask ya right here, and what are the answers right now no looking them up. what phase are YOUR coon in right now? how many young is a real average for YOUR area, not book but real, when was the real breeding season for YOUR area, not book but real. what is the time frame of YOUR boar coon travel circuits? same for the sows? how do YOU know when a sow is getting ready to drop her young? how does any of this help YOU as a wildlife control professional? Many moons ago I was, a at least in my mind LOL a top notch fox, coon and skunk man. I was called up by a older lady that had squirrel and she said to me I hear you are pretty good at trapping, think you can trap some squirrel out of my attic, My reply was NO PROBLEM. she said again are you sure you can do it, My reply they are only grey squirrels NO PROBLEM LOL well Eric has that job in a written article in the archives, that was way back in the 90's some time. that job kicked my butt. LOL it is also the job that scent me on a hard core real, life long research on grey squirrels.

How do you branch out?
1 realize that those new areas are just that, New and most likely you are going to get your butt kicked at first, but you will learn if you are smart, At first in these new areas, anything you may think is based only on what you have heard, or based on what you think just because you think it LOL Most likely wrong LOL Go slow and pay attention to every little detail big or small, By the way the small details are going to be the make or break details. remember doing something right every time does not teach you anything, but doing it wrong will teach much and stay with you for ever.
2. there is a saying in a good book, A wise man learns from the mistakes of others, but a fool learns from his own mistakes. Training, and listening to others will shorten the curve. the right questions asked in the right way will gain you much, but asked wrong and you will get nothing.
3. don't be afraid to try something new as a service, just remember the 2 above LOL and you may want to tell the customer this is a new one for ya that way you don't get sued LOL

I faked it and used Yahoo..............

Now most of Jonesie's advice is golden but if my wife had gone slow and paid attention to every little detail, I would still be single.