Hello,
I am currently attempting to start my own small ADC 'side' business. My overall goal is to gain more access to, and experience with, beaver trapping.
The short story version of my decision: I scouted some beaver very close to where I live last spring while hunting morels, I went back this winter to trap and discovered no active sign, after a couple phone calls I found out the county had them trapped in the summer. Supervisor said to be considered for such jobs I'll need insurance. So I am now insured and have a Dba filed with the county clerk's office.
I'm looking for anyone who has been down this road before and would be willing to share their advice and/or any lessons they wish they had known when starting out. As we all know with trapping, experience is most often the only and best teacher, but I know with something like this that there are opinions and thoughts out there that can cut off the steepness of the learning curve.
I'm not sure the most appropriate protocol, but I'd be more than willing to reimburse anyone for their time. Anyone who has anything to share, please feel free to PM/DM me and we maybe we can work something out! Thanks in advance, this is my first time ever posting on this site, but I've been gaining info and advice from it for years, you all are quite a wealth of knowledge!

My beaver work comes from the big farms. I put an add in the paper once on a while. The county road commissions are hard to get they have someone who's been their buddy for many years. But don't stop trying.

I'm a newer ADC guy from PA...I'm learning a ton. I started out with an ad in the paper and got some calls from that. That was 2023. Last year and already this year I seem to be getting plenty of calls without advertising. I gave some business cards to the local game wardens and that has definitely given me some work. When folks have issues with wildlife they will often call the game commission. The game commission generally does not engage in ADC work themselves, but they are happy to give my phone number to people that need help. I expect that might work in MI also. I also have spoken with some of the other NWCO's in my area that are advancing in age and do not want to do some of the jobs anymore...they have referred me a whole bunch of jobs as well. One other fellow does small pest control like rodents and squirrels and bugs etc. I specialize in larger things like coon and groundhogs and beavers, etc. I refer him and he refers me and it works out great. I'm just a part time guy, but I think I could make a career out of this if I wanted to.

Thanks for the tips! That gives me hope, I am having some biz cards and flyers made up….I’ll make those little marketing and networking efforts where I can and if this can turn into something small on the side then excellent! Glad to hear you’re sought after enough where you don’t have to go looking.

I do some small time beaver work in my area. I do some for one township but the most is word of mouth. Some years are pretty busy. I try to push all my work into the spring and it seems to work out well. Some of my areas don't seem to ever run out of beaver, so I usually have some trapping to do. I rarely have to go look for beaver to trap.