I'd like to thank Anthony DeNicola Ph.D, the President of White Buffalo for his very government-like explanation. Sorry, but you

haven't buffaloed all of us. Nobody thinks that the government will be rushing to NWCOA's door, just because they threw out all

our old certifications and charged us for new ones. The truth of the matter is that NWCOA wants more money and with guys like

Tony De making it sound like this is a good thing, a lot of you dumbbells are going to buy it. What they are, in fact, saying is

that everyone who got certified is now less qualified than they were when they got certification, but just to prove that they are

wrong and that you have actually learned a lot since then, please send them more money and they will agree that you're smarter.

So who thinks I'm wrong?

Wink,

I'm assuming this is about the article in the newsletter? I haven't read it yet. Imagine not everyone on here is going to have it or have read it, though
I realize those that have been around awhile will know the gist of what you are talking about.

You're right Justin. I thought that since I was on vacation that everyone but me was aware of this, but I guess I stand corrected.

My problem with this whole re-certification thing is that they are trying to make us believe that this is needed for government

recognition. You should know better than anyone that will never happen, just like NWCOA does. We could all have Master's degrees

and we would still be in direct competition with your old employer. If you have to get re-certified, what they are basically saying

is that instead of getting more intelligent and proficient at ADC work, you're actually getting dumber. But if you pay us, maybe

we're wrong.

WOW! I'm out of the loop, I don't advertise, word of mouth gets me most of my work, but I was a NCOWA member years ago. I follow what goes on, Wink, you are spot on.

Paul are you saying that the state government is trying to lock out private industry for the benefit of the Feds? Really?

Besides....you know how much work it is to operate a wildlife control company. If the Feds want to raise cash....taxing is much easier way to make some dough....as is cranking up the printing presses.

I have never been certified by anyone and dont know many who have my experience who are more qualified to say they certified me to their standards. Thats why I never found any importance to get certified as it is a piece of paper/sticker I never felt served to provide verification of my experience besides a sticker on my truck.

Most if not all of these individuals setting these standards werent born or were toddlers when I began trapping in the early years of doing wildlife control work. For the younger less experienced generation it may be a seemingly progressive necessity.

Customers talking to you on the phone after a few minutes can usually recognize in most cases you talk and walk the walk competently or not.The rest is your language skill presentation making a sale.

I do understand the reason for the face advertising stating you have met some sort of standards set forth in the industry but for me it isnt something that sets me apart from any other experienced field operator. With a little money you can also get a good rating from the better business bureau as well.

I totally agree with Paul also.

Dave, your post confuses me. The NWCOA newsletter stated that we don't receive enough government recognition and that we are supposed

to believe that getting re-certified will change that. You're right about the taxing though; only this is a NWCOA tax.

An attempt to make the organization relevant?

There's only one real way to control WCOs and that's getting government acquiescence.

Article in question...Seems pretty straightforward to me...No one seems to be asking anything of anyone... and the understanding of what a trade associations mission is would go along way to ending the spin. NWCOA's mission statement has not changed, the goals set in past (by past boards) are being achieved...

By Anthony DeNicola, Ph.D., President of White Buffalo, Inc., Current NWCOA Board At-Large Director

Historically, the government has been the only group responsible for wildlife management and has focused on professional development through The Wildlife Society. The Wildlife Society uses general academic and work histories to classify members as either Associate or Certified Wildlife Biologists. As valuable as those designations are, they have do not signify ability in work-specific skills. In contrast, NWCOA is the first organization within the wildlife profession to develop rigorous standards and protocols (also known as Best Management Practices/BMP), not just low/entry level training to conduct specific tasks. Whether we like it or not, BMPs help us generate public/political recognition for the skills we have and offer. Without BMPs, the public will never differentiate us from recreational hunters and trappers.

To further complicate our mission, we have rarely been actively included/welcomed in the professional ranks of the government, and in fact been looked upon as inferior in most cases. In contrast, private and government foresters work together to define the profession, standards, and future professional development. This may be a product of their longstanding relationship, but in the interim we have to work independently to establish our credibility. We will get greater recognition as more academically trained people join NWCOA and there is a greater overlap of backgrounds. But in the meantime, we have to use certifications and training to help prove our worth.

NWCOA is up to the task. To obtain professional recognition, we have to continue to define and improve ourselves. We have established goose and bat training, and operational standards to earn the respect of the government regulators to allow us to do the work we are fully capable of conducting. We need to maintain this trajectory if we are to expand our opportunities in the future. Both state and federal professionals have looked down on us in the past and have done little to help us. We have not been considered “qualified or competent” for more “complex” programs like goose, deer, or airport work by most state and federal agencies. Therefore, we have to build the internal capacity to demonstrate our value and show that we are true leaders in our field and far more knowledgeable and capable than our regulatory counterparts and the competing federal agency, USDA-APHISWildlife Services.

Therefore, we need to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that we are better trained and more capable of meeting the public’s expectations. This will require continued training and emphasis on professional conduct (scientific methods and meeting public expectations). Another consideration, is that we want to be sure not to take for granted the tremendous support we have received from various Universities, and we should continue to build these relationships to bolster our credibility over a wide spectrum of species and conflicts.

I recently instructed a firearms training for our Association where a group with diverse backgrounds, interests, and capabilities were represented. I was impressed by everyone’s focus and interest in learning. My goal is to develop a set of BMPs for firearms suitable for our industry, to set us apart and above others in our discipline. I have tried to get non-WCOs in our profession to join in the development and integrate firearm BMPs, but have received little serious interest/action. Because government officials rely on their titles to garner credibility, they are not motivated to improve.

I want to work with our membership to set the tone and standard for how firearm use is defined for our profession and then let those outside of our Association try to join us and match our level of conduct. As part of my course, I stress that there are three primary components to handling wildlife conflicts: technical/scientific, human dimensions, and respect for animals. We should strive to improve ourselves in all facets of our work in regard to these principles to be more valued/ respected by regulatory agencies, our peers, and the general public. This process does not only define a professional, but also is smart business.

In conclusion, one cannot continue to be the leader, or be considered superior in a discipline, by title alone. We have to set standards that demonstrate our expertise in technique and concern for the welfare of our clients, the public, and the natural resources. That’s why we need another certification

I can skin a buck...and run a trot line...a country boy can survive. Hey men...you can still do that...and get certified...right?

Charles, it still boils down to "If we retest all of our CWCPs the government will accept us!" Which is a huge pile of baloney. I

certainly understand where this idea came from. The state retests our guys every five years to maintain our pest control licenses.

This is not because they have forgotten how to put bait in a bait box, but because the state government needs a steady flow of cash

for things like welfare checks. This is such a fraud that it is laughable. If you're a complete moron, for a lot more money you can

go to a class on how to pass a pest control test and they guarantee that you will pass. I have been told by a reliable source that

you need a score of 85% to become re-certified. What happens if you fail?

Paul,

Don't know what article had to do with C.W.C.P. BUT C.W.C.P. was never forever you had to submit continuing education/training and pay renewal every few years to keep C.W.C.P. status.

As we have discussed in past threads there were many CWCP's who had no relevant (or any) documentation to prove they went through the process of earning such status - either bad management/bookkeeping of CWCP paper work or the waive of magic wand granting CWCP status - before my time so don't ask me which.

To get my CWCP I followed directions and submitted and Dirk reviewed my submission and OK-ed status based on relevant documentation. I will more than likely have to test again because even though I am at EXPO I have been able to sit through very few full training presentations as I am in and out taking pictures helping with this and that and so on and won't have 75 documented hours. So just being at event sitting in hallway talking to friends won't do it.

I have not seen the test but if I fail I guess I will need to study and re-test or go through the entire process again and test. If it is like most NWCOA testing it will be straight forward with relevant questions that operators should be able to answer and like other tests those with learning disabilities will be provided with resources to accommodate. Here is CWCP info...Please read it Paul not much different than what you went through and if you notice second to last line might be relevant to your question about testing (option 2). Again Paul no hidden agenda everything laid out to be fair to all even made sure that written reports on articles, books, videos were included for those who may not have financial resources to attend training events.

The Certified Wildlife Control Professional (CWCP) program has been revamped and NWCOA will be relaunching it this Fall. This means that WCOs with expired certifications must renew. Since many members have been confused about the requirements to certify and recertify, let me provide a brief description to help clear the air.

First, the biggest change to the program is that training must meet NWCOA standards in order to qualify for certification. NWCOA will only allow training that verifies that the WCO attended the training and that the trainer is qualified to teach the class. The other change involved the inclusion of an exam. Beyond those 2 differences, the CWCP program is essentially the same as it was in the past. Requirements to Certify as a CWCP. Applicants must have: 1. 6,000 hours of professional WCO experience in 3 years or 12,000 hours of professional WCO
in 6 years. In layman’s terms you have to work 50 (40 hour) weeks for 3 years.

2. 200 hours of training time in classes or study that meet NWCOA standards. In order for a class to meet NWCOA standards the instructor must be an MNI, CNI, CWCP, or prove he/she has the relevant experience/training to instruct the class. The training class also must prove that the trainee attended the class. All training provided by NWCOA meets NWCOA standards. Non-NWCOA training planners can have their programs approved by NWCOA simply by submitting training agendas along with instructor resumes to the Certification Committee for review.

Training hours also can be obtained by reading articles and watching videos from approved sources and writing a short description of the content and what you learned from it. Contact the NWCOA office for the form used to submit reading/ watching hours.

Of the 200 hours, 150 hours must fall into 3 categories (50 hours each minimum).

Category 1. Wildlife Biology and Handling. Topics include information relating to life cycles, habits, and effects of control on wildlife, health of wildlife, population dynamics, and habitat management. Handling shall encompass animal care, euthanasia,
diagnostics of diseases, and anything relating to the possession of an animal.

Category 2. Technical. Topics include industry standards, best practices, methods, techniques, equipment, research and business management.

Category 3. Human Health, Safety and Community Relations. Topics relating to the human aspects of wildlife damage management, including zoonosis, equipment and work safety, employee, public and client safety, risk management, legalities, and other related topics.

3. Successfully pass a 200 question exam.

4.Pay fees. CWCPs seeking to renew their certification have 2 ways to renew: Option 1. Pass the CWCP exam and pay the renewal fee. The exam will be offered at the Wildlife Expo on February 3, 2015 at 2:00 pm.

Option 2. Submit 75 hours of approved training (in any category(ies)) and pay the renewal fee.

NWCOA will contact individuals who have been certified in the past. If you have been certified but have not heard from the office, please contact the NWCOA office immediately to prevent any lapses in your certification.

That test was developed by Dr. Steve Vantassel at the University of Nebraska wasn't it?

As the test is scheduled to be given only once a year at the Expo, CWCPs with expiration dates of 2015 taking it for renewal would need a passing grade or they will have to reapply and do the 200 hrs plus pass the test to qualify. Only CWCPs that have an expiration date of 2016 or later would be able to fail the test and then retest at a later date to maintain their CWCP.

Questions with the recertification test include:

1. Aside from the recertification fees what, if anything, is the cost of the test?

2. Where/what are the study guides and manuals for the test?

3. Am I able to just take the test, or do I need to attend the Expo as well?

Personally, I can't image that there are that many CWCPs that qualify for renewal as I am one of the few that did renew back in 2010. Meaning that only those that were awarded their CWCP in 2010 or completed their renewal in 2010 would need to take the test in 2015 unless they want to show 75 CEU's. I realize that others can take the test, but only those from 2010 "need" to test this February.

I do question the renewal changes for those that were already awarded CWCP recognition or received their CWCP renewal before these changes were made. The question I'm posing is whether or not it is right to change renewal criteria right before someone has to renew. For instance, if the renewal program only called for 40 CEU's for a CWCP, is it right to suddenly change it to 75 a year or two before they need to renew? I feel that all renewals should be grandfathered in terms of whatever the criteria was when they were awarded their CWCP status is what they should be required to fulfill. After they renew, they would fall under the new guidelines so a renewal in 2015 means that the criteria at that time frame is the requirement for renewal in 2020.

I have my CWCP and was one of the first. I thought the program was a great idea and as state association President got it accepted in Mass, If you came here with the CWCP you didn't have to take the state exam because you already proved you have more knowledge then the test asked you to prove. Now the big problem. Over the years many of the regional, state, and other groups seminars and training that were accepted are now left out. Now these must PAY for their training to be NWCOA accepted. I have to say the PAY part is the killer for me. Its become a business onto its self. This has all the ear marks of NPMA and I as an independent WCO (no bugs) have a major problem with that. I feel it has cheapened the whole program and made a jke out of it. There are many of these certifications in the medical field and they aren't worth the paper there written on. Only academics types give these any worth, because they make their living by teaching not doing.
I agree with Bob Jameson. I also have to say in my 20 years I have never been asked if I had a CWCP.
Don LaFountain CWCP(expired)

Thanks Don, I think it's important that people like Don LaFountain, Bob Jameson, and many other well known names lend support to

what I'm saying. Don's first sentence pertains to myself also. I was very proud of the fact that I was the very first one from our

state to become certified. ( And perhaps the last one ) I'm sure by now that most of you know that I was one of the first to join

NWCOA, was a state rep, and then became very upset with the new regimen's unfounded accusations that the old regimen had become

wealthy from NWCOA! As I've grown older I've tried to patch up differences in a hope that we could all have less animosity.

( If you find this hard to believe, refer to my last few posts on the subject ) I like Charles Holt and Jason Reger and a host of

other NWCOA reps. I don't know why they go out of their way to tick me off? Okay, actually I do. Getting rid of the old guys by

really ticking them off, is a great idea. I'm guessing that the fact that we are living longer must really upset NWCOA. Too Bad!!!

Mike,

As I have not seen the test and didn't work on it I have no idea who came up with questions on test. But Stephen would be hard to beat as the go to person for it. He is a little "dry" until you get to know him... I was privileged to put on NWCTP with him recently and had an attendee who had the knowledge to pass test but she had an issue with testing (reading comprehension perhaps a little more than that) and he made sure this lady had just as good a chance to pass as others and she did. She had to work for it and she put in the effort and I was happy for her.

Eric,

To the best of my knowledge the fee's would be covered by renewal fee. Like Bat standards and NWCTP being or going online I see online testing to be added if enough interest but I would expect additional fees associated with that to support it. As i am going to have to test or get hours before my CWCP is up I had figured it was a basic knowledge associated with industry type test and would take test based on that, study guides never entered my mind as topics in categories 1,2,and 3 should be in my knowledge base as a CWCP but I do see your point and will check on it and let you know.

Don,

OK but a trade association will have revenue besides membership dues. Don't like it don't renew. No one is making anyone do anything UNLESS one chooses to use NWCOA owned marks, certifications, logo's ETC in advertising. While you think the current program is a joke I felt the same way about old program...go to a event and get credit for entire event...even if you spent all your time in hallway, craps table or bar....you know it went on and I know it went on...wheres the value in that? Some of us don't wait to be asked if we are CWCP's we use it in marketing efforts to property management companies, cities, corporate accounts and yes even residential accounts and if you don't think those in a corporate environment, have degrees or levels of competency in their lives make business choices based on measurable amounts of training of service providers... you are wrong. If one is more of an ADC type business it may not matter as much as a WCO working in an urban environment.

Paul Live long and prosper...Heck make a few more babies...But no one in NWCOA is discussing you or any non-member...We don't have time with more states picking up NWCTP and looking into other NWCOA training as well as private entities and non-profits selecting NWCOA to provide training along with working on EXPO we have no time for non-members. The only reason I come here is that we do have members here and I address issues concerning NWCOA. If you want a voice concerning direction of association you know what you need to do...You don't agree with NWCOA...I understand and not a problem but we have membership that does and have voted for this direction for their trade association when they want a change they will vote for it...until then we will stay the course directed by majority of membership.

I'm also a CWCP who is up for this renewal. I have also been in the business for over 20 years making a real living not just dabbling. I trapped my first raccoon at 9 years old have had many conversations person to person with Bob Jameson, Don LaFountain, Mike Page, Ron Jones, Jim Driesacker, Bob Meakin, Alan Huot and various other professionals in this industry. I hate to say it but we know way more from just doing than any test or certification ever will be. Yes I'm a CWCP who will not be feeling forced to attend a convention to take a test or prove 75 more hours of training. I have sent my $250 dollars to retain my professional status as a CWCP from the day I was certified. That is not enough?? I think this has all "done got out of hand". I will be spending February in Costa Rica and Florida catching fish and taking some time to stop and smell the roses not reproving to anyone what I have already earned in the past.

Craig Conway CWCP
Advanced Nuisance Wildlife Control Services