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Main Target Animals in your Biz #6603415
08/26/19 12:15 PM
08/26/19 12:15 PM
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
N
NWTrapper85 Offline OP
trapper
NWTrapper85  Offline OP
trapper
N

Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
Second year in business so try not to ramble on too much. I do ADC work on the side of my full time job with for now until I get more business to take off. Just started doing google ads hopefully that will help. For you guys that have been around a while or new for that matter did you just say only handle 5 or 10 different animals to begin with? I started with the typical raccoons and opposums and moles, squrriels etc. I am good friends with the DNR in my area he just wants me to stick with the main fur bearing animals at this time which is fine with me. So I don't do anything with Bats, birds or reptiles, deer, livestock. Been thinking lately get rid of doing moles in biz and stick with just doing Raccoons, skunks, opposums, fox squrriels, woodchucks beaver, fox and coyote. Figure better to get good a few animals and then expand later. And yes I know I really should take some classes etc down the road to get trained on the other ones. Anyone here just do a handful of animals or even 2 or 3 and send everything else to competition? Thanks.

Last edited by NWTrapper85; 08/26/19 01:50 PM.
Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: NWTrapper85] #6603471
08/26/19 03:01 PM
08/26/19 03:01 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,165
Central NC
T
traprjohn Offline
trapper
traprjohn  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,165
Central NC
When I started I referred some jobs to my competitor, but often sought advice here or the other ADC sites and just went for it.


www.sevenoakstrappingsupplies.com for trap mods and gear
The 10 Commandments are not suggestions.
Buy a soldiers meal EVERY chance you can.

Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: traprjohn] #6603519
08/26/19 04:57 PM
08/26/19 04:57 PM
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
N
NWTrapper85 Offline OP
trapper
NWTrapper85  Offline OP
trapper
N

Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
Thanks John that's what I've been doing so far.

Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: NWTrapper85] #6603546
08/26/19 05:41 PM
08/26/19 05:41 PM
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 48
Eastern Iowa
Joe Taylor Offline
trapper
Joe Taylor  Offline
trapper

Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 48
Eastern Iowa
Great question, and I say use a balanced approach. The more often that you tell a new customer that you cannot help them, the more you depict your business as limited and lacking competency. On the flip side, if you take jobs with animals that you have zero or very limited experience, and you provide substandard service, then that image will get out to the local public.

My suggestion is to make a ranked list of wildlife with those you feel are easiest to trap/address at the top. Look at your list and keep plugging away at the top ones to gain more experience and confidence. For those you have zero or limited experience, do your diligent research to learn more about the species and try to create opportunities to gain experience. You suggested taking class, great. Talk to friends and see if you can do some free trapping to try various traps/placements/baits. If a call comes in with a request to trap, explain that you are working to build expertise in trapping that particular species, and tell them you would consider adjusting the total bill if YOU are not satisfied with the end result. I remember doing this with deterring turkeys.

Its intimidating to take on a new species, but for my business I want to be in a position of offering services against as many local species as possible. It's challenging, but well worth it.


Joe Taylor
Paw Control Wildlife Solutions | pawcontrol.com
Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: NWTrapper85] #6603563
08/26/19 05:59 PM
08/26/19 05:59 PM
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 95
Florida
B
bjansma Offline
trapper
bjansma  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 95
Florida
I only advertise for 2 species. I would rather drive 50 miles to get a raccoon out of an attic than ground trap a opossum someone saw in their backyard in my hometown. We are rather selective in the jobs that we do. I think it makes sense from a business perspective. It might make more sense for a part timer. I broke down my average revenue per job down by species. I really only want to pull an animal out of a home where there is an entry point and a chance at upselling repairs.


Bob Jansma
Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: Joe Taylor] #6603617
08/26/19 06:50 PM
08/26/19 06:50 PM
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
N
NWTrapper85 Offline OP
trapper
NWTrapper85  Offline OP
trapper
N

Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
Originally Posted by Joe Taylor
Great question, and I say use a balanced approach. The more often that you tell a new customer that you cannot help them, the more you depict your business as limited and lacking competency. On the flip side, if you take jobs with animals that you have zero or very limited experience, and you provide substandard service, then that image will get out to the local public.

My suggestion is to make a ranked list of wildlife with those you feel are easiest to trap/address at the top.

Its intimidating to take on a new species, but for my business I want to be in a position of offering services against as many local species as possible. It's challenging, but well worth it.

Thanks thats kinda what I've been doing get first time call on squrriels then get second and third job doing gets a little easier. I made a updated list on my business page mostly since using Google ads and dont want bad calls which have to pay for The more familiar animals what I do and dont do. I dont like to have people on phone if I cant help them feel bad..not sure good or bad to do that way just dont want them call and ask them kick them to someone else. I might pm you Joe if you dont mind see your in Iowa too.

Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: NWTrapper85] #6603757
08/26/19 09:08 PM
08/26/19 09:08 PM
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 48
Eastern Iowa
Joe Taylor Offline
trapper
Joe Taylor  Offline
trapper

Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 48
Eastern Iowa
Originally Posted by NWTrapper85
I might pm you Joe if you dont mind see your in Iowa too.

I look forward to chatting. You're in western Iowa, I'm eastern. Maybe we can work a deal where I release my catches over on your side of the state, and you visa versa. whistle


Joe Taylor
Paw Control Wildlife Solutions | pawcontrol.com
Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: NWTrapper85] #6604158
08/27/19 10:40 AM
08/27/19 10:40 AM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361
mequon, wisconsin
P
Paul Winkelmann Offline
trapper
Paul Winkelmann  Offline
trapper
P

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361
mequon, wisconsin
I must be old fashioned! I have nothing against picking up an opossum down the road for $50 on my way out of town. As a matter of fact, I've got one in the back of the van right now!

Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: NWTrapper85] #6604915
08/28/19 02:37 PM
08/28/19 02:37 PM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 22
Crossville,TN
A
ACP Offline
trapper
ACP  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 22
Crossville,TN
I'm in my 2nd real year. I think you are missing out on some jobs and your area may not support others. I started out doing beaver and coyote removal but bats take over come August. JMO. DNR in my area basically begged me to do bat work.

Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: NWTrapper85] #6605055
08/28/19 06:58 PM
08/28/19 06:58 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 733
Schenectady, NY
E
EatenByLimestone Offline
trapper
EatenByLimestone  Offline
trapper
E

Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 733
Schenectady, NY
Bats are absolutely wonderful. The only thing we dont love doing is bedbugs. They're just skeevy. But it's a service people need.

Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: NWTrapper85] #6606156
08/30/19 11:51 AM
08/30/19 11:51 AM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,228
wantage n.j.
E
eric space Offline
trapper
eric space  Offline
trapper
E

Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,228
wantage n.j.
For 25 years (before I retired from it) my forte' was groundhogs. We did all other animals too but my main was the groundhog. Charged a flat rate per job, not a per animal rate as we mostly used a disposable snaring system where we never saw nor handled the groundhog, he just died in the hole.

Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: eric space] #6606282
08/30/19 04:28 PM
08/30/19 04:28 PM
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
N
NWTrapper85 Offline OP
trapper
NWTrapper85  Offline OP
trapper
N

Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
Originally Posted by eric space
For 25 years (before I retired from it) my forte' was groundhogs. We did all other animals too but my main was the groundhog. Charged a flat rate per job, not a per animal rate as we mostly used a disposable snaring system where we never saw nor handled the groundhog, he just died in the hole.


Had you posted a pic in another thread on snaring them. Or was that someone else I've like to try it sometime for groundhogs.

Re: Main Target Animals in your Biz [Re: EatenByLimestone] #6606284
08/30/19 04:31 PM
08/30/19 04:31 PM
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
N
NWTrapper85 Offline OP
trapper
NWTrapper85  Offline OP
trapper
N

Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 76
Lemars, Iowa
Originally Posted by EatenByLimestone
Bats are absolutely wonderful. The only thing we dont love doing is bedbugs. They're just skeevy. But it's a service people need.

My DNR at least for now is limiting me on what they don't want me to do...not to say I couldn't get more knowledge and get qualified . But for now he says no Bats, Reptiles, Birds. So I keep the peace and follow that for now want to stay on the good side of him since he helps me line up jobs etc now on top.

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