I have been thinking of starting a little side venture to occupy some of my spare time and doing wildlife control. I hope I'm not stepping on any toes by asking this but... here it goes. I would really love to know about how to get started, is there certain things a person needs to do? I am not trying to make a full time career out of this but I was hoping to get some extra trapping time in and get better at it all. Any information would be really appreciated.

Most of this kind of work falls under state reg's, so best bet is to start there. Contact your states F&G to find out their requirements as to training, permits etc.

Thanks BigBob... I feel really dumb right now not thinking of that myself. really appreciate the help

That's why we're here!

To see some discussions about operating a commercial ADC operation, check the ADC Archives- (https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/17/1/Animal_Damage_Control_Archive) for STARTING or PRICING and other interesting looking threads. You can also, use the SEARCH feature of the forum (https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads....?__#Post1980258) for much more current information on just about any subject you may be interested in.

My 1-year SEARCH for starting brought up 30 posts containing that word.

Nice Ron, thanks!
Hobbs,
I recently did what your talking about. I had to study last fall for a Nuisance Wildlife Control License in order to have the ability to trap outside of the fur season for money.

In Oklahoma it's a big perk because I can use traps and snares that other trappers cannot.

After you get all the licensing and permits out of the way drop cards off at the local police and animal control stations.
Eventually it will get around.

Good luck.

Thank you everyone for all the help.

Logically many start out using single door cages with bait. I did. If a guy can begin using positive den sets, with double door traps, without baits, also setting trails, it is a big asset to gaining confidence and actually turning a profit right from the beginning.

If you are planning on making a living at ADC work you have to have a customer base of around 200,000 people. Also depends a lot on if you live in the City or country. Lots of factors. I find three factors always to follow, be honest, fare and consistent. JMO PS buy the best trap you can afford, those tractor supply trap do not last long.

You are right on about equipment. The biggest enemy is a wised up animal via a miss or a loss due to equipment, a nightmare at times. Though at the time when paying upfront for the tools of the trade it may seem like a lot It can be difficult to figure the expense in time wasted and gas burned making many trips to wrap up a job that should have taken two, not to mention the headaches that go with it.

I will repeat what has been said, buy the best equipment. I have some cage traps that are 20 plus years old and still catching and holding animals as day one. I would rather start off with a few cages you can count on than several that are questionable. Advertising is also key, a couple hundred business cards and a firm handshake are a good start. Always give out at least two cards to whomever you are giving cards out to, one for them and one for a friend. Good luck.

What I would do is become a member of my state Trapping Association and go to their conventions. You can learn a lot there. Be careful about watching trapping videos on YouTube. You'll learn a bunch of hooey on there. If you do watch Wolfernation videos by Clint Lockear. Tom Krause out of Wyoming is a good guy to learn from. What king of animals are you after? If I know that I can give out a little more info if your interested.

Tell me what you want to trap and I might be able to give you some advice!

Hobbs, I am in the midst of doing the same thing here in Nebraska and I have run into some of the same issues. Basically where I am from the State issues a Commercial Wildlife Damage Control Permit from the Game and Parks division. They require annual reports of animals taken, methodology, disposal, etc. and you have to re-apply annually. In my state if I am just setting traps and cages this is all I need for ADC work, but if I choose to work with bats or pesticides/poison then that is where the additional qualifications come into play. If I do get to this level then I would most likely have to become licensed and insured as a small business corporation as liability is ALWAYS an issue.

Sounds like a dream job but after a few years its just a job but atleast your free

Hobbs,

There are two important aspects to look at when it comes to commercial wildlife control. First off, you have to remember that it is a business and as such needs approached as a business. That means registering with the State, having business insurance, advertising, figuring out services you want to offer, pricing of the services, equipment expenses, office expenses, salary, taxes, invoicing, collecting payments and more.

Second, keep in mind that trapping is just one of many services commercial wildlife control companies offer. The number one service we have is customer piece of mind. To achieve this, we may trap an animal, shoot an animal, provide harassment, perform exclusion, remove carcasses/feces or just talk with a prospective client about their problem to confirm it is a problem or answer questions on how they can do it themselves (consultation).

You don't have to offer everything and many times services will be based on whether the problem is in a rural, suburban or urban area. For instance, coyote control at a ranch will have different services than removing a bat colony in a downtown building. This also means that you'll have different pricing structures based on what and where you perform services.

It's a great field to be in, but do your best to keep an open mind and get as much information as you can through videos, training, reading and talking with other operators. I have several tutorials for wildlife control operators on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWouTIK7B1SlXDaXhev5akQ with more being posted.

Specialize in 2 or 3 species if u can to build your niche

I specialize in bats, birds, and moles and that is literally about all we do