I finally got my PA certification to trap nuisance wildlife. I've been a fur trapper since about 1982 but I never did it for hire before. I would be very open to any sort of advice, do's don'ts, etcetera that you experienced guys may be willing to share. I intend to tackle coon, skunk, beaver, groundhog, possum, muskrat, canines and so on. This is just a side gig for me so I will be limited in the amount of time I can allot for NWCO. I have consulted with a couple of guys about what to charge people, but I still am not super confident as to how to best do that. I have two coon size cage traps and one "spray proof" skunk trap and many footholds and conibears of various sizes. I'll have to pick up whatever else is needed as I go. I'm sure the humans will be at least as challenging to deal with as the critters. I appreciate any ideas you all have.

Thanks!

Check out the posts below yours, then check out the ADC archives at https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/17/1/animal-damage-control-archive. Some of the posts in the ADC Archives is somewhat out dated, so choose carefully. Remember that ADC trapping is much different than fur trapping.

The humans are what you have to watch. When you set traps, always consider what it looks like to the neighbors. A catch circle from a foothold catch looks horrible, even if the animal isn’t harmed. Also consider how you’re going to get the animal out of there.

Get insurance and, expect the unexpected, when trapping highly populated suburbs.

I much appreciate all the ideas...I hope to avoid learning the hard way if at all possible. I spent considerable time in the archives -- valuable info there. I find very little specifics on pricing. I see multiple ways that it can be done. Ultimately, let's say I trap for someone for 5 days and catch two skunks. If I go with the pricing I am considering, that homeowner would pay $290. Is that outlandish? All I really have to go by are two fellows not far from me that have been decent enough to share their price lists. I'd love to know if I am going to be at all competitive or I will never get called back. I'm in a mostly rural area in NW Pennsylvania. I welcome any thoughts...thanks.

What if you don't catch 2 skunks or you catch more?

I can't tell you if that price is outlandish for your area; but, some things to consider:
* Your are the professional, your knowledge and experience is worth money. You deserve a 'living wage'
* Most rural people will tend to take care of problems themselves if they can. If they are calling is it because they tried and failed? Does that make your work more difficult.
* Business insurance is a necessity!!!
* Daily travel to trap sites =
vehicle> license, maintenance, insurance, etc. (Government's deduction allowance doesn't begin to cover these expenses.)
labor > time to drive to and return
* Trap and other equipment replacement
* Addition equipment: purchase or rental of equipment for the job (ladders, lifts, utv, boat, ect.)
* Dispatch fee = cost of product and approved equipment
* Disposal fee
* Business office expenses: billing, bookkeeping, supplies, contracts, etc
* Business expenses: taxes (business + personal, fica), accounting, marketing/advertising, medical

If you look at $290 / divided by the length of contract (5 days) that is less than $60 / day. And the obvious response is it's only an hour worth of work.

There is a difference between animal control work as a business vs doing a neighbor the occasional favour.

Every location will support different pricing. And your name and reputation, once established, will command a premium.

To really dial in your pricing, you need to know your expenses. That’s tough to do when you’re starting out. Copying the pricing of a competitor in your area should get you close to what you need as they probably have similar expenses as you will. Actually, if they’re established, they’ll have much more overhead than you will. That’ll give you a cushion while you gain experience.

We have a trap setting fee and a per animal fee. If you’re checking traps every day, there are expenses with that too. You may just want to do flat rate trapping. One fee covers all trips and catches.

Don’t worry about future call backs. If you cut your rates so much you lose money, you don’t want them to call you back so can lose on a job again. It’s best to charge a fair price from the beginning.

Dusty,

Congrats on passing your exam!

If you are charging for your services you are a business, so you will need to get set up in PA as either a LLC or sole proprietor. Then get a federal EIN and PA sales and use tax number.

Insurance can be obtained thru Christian Baker or Bob and Sons.

Most Nuisance work is done in urban or suburban areas and foothold should be used with extreme caution, imo. You catch the neighbor's cat and their will be consequences. I started out using havahart until I earned enough to buy professional traps. I still use them in areas I am worried about theft.

Nuisance work and fur trapping are not the same, with some exceptions.

I would recommend becoming a member of nwcoa- national wildlife control operators association. They have training programs that will be helpful, especially the Basic WCO course, which may be offered online. Dues are $250 annually. It is pricey compared to fur trapping associations, but membership gets you discounted prices on insurance and many vendors. It also allows for networking opportunities on their FB page. I learn a lot just by looking at posts.

Thanks much