Question
Hi!
 I live in northern humboldt county, california. We have alot
of skunks, raccoons, opossoms and fox in this area with
only one full time government trapper that covers all 5
surrounding counties and he says his priorities is dealing
with couger, coyote and bear for alot of the farmers and
cities in the area. My question is what's the money making
potential in urban wildlife removal.
 I am in the process of getting my ca. trapping license but
before I get to far i'm trying to find out the best ways of
getting started and how much do you charge?

Answer
What a great question. It's nice to get a business question here as they are truly rare.

There is a lot of information I will be providing here. Read it carefully and feel free to contact me if you have further questions.   These are two sheets I had printed up and I am copying them for you here. There will be some overlap but you should get an idea on where to go from here.


How to become a NWCO

From time to time, I get e-mails from people looking to learn how to enter the field of Wildlife Damage Control. Here is a broad outline of steps to take:
1. Contact your state's Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Some states call them Dept. of Natural Resources. Whatever your state calls the agency, search for the one that handles fur trapping. Visit State wildlife department.  Urls are listed at http://icwdm.org under agencies.
2. Ask the agency for information regarding nuisance wildlife control operators or animal damage trapping. Some states call these people Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators (NWCO; pronounced Newco). Other states call them Problem Animal Controllers or Nuisance Trappers.
3. While some states don't have any regulations yet, most are requiring applicants to take their Trapper Education Class. Some require an extra class beyond that.
4. Ask yourself if you want to work for yourself or work for someone else. Some wildlife control businesses are looking for animal damage control technicians.
5. If you want to work for yourself, get some training. Visit training for more information.
6. Understand that self employment is not an easy thing. It can require large amounts of your time and money. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.
If you have further questions please don't hesitate to ask.




Choosing a Career in Wildlife Damage Control
We have been asked for information on this career by a Vocational Career Counselor. WDC hopes to help career counselors to understand more about this occupation.
The first thing we need to do is define terms.
?  Trappers are normally fur trappers. Trappers are people who seek animals for their fur. This occupation is usually a hobby or a part time business at best.
?  Animal damage controllers by contrast are people paid by customers to remove
problem animals. While there is overlap between these two jobs, (as people
can do both and often do) they are in many respects different. Animal damagecontrollers work year round. Fur trappers work in the fall and winter.
?  Pest Control is a different industry. Pest control deals primarily with bugs, mice and rats and often use pesticides. Animal damage controllers, by contrast, rarely use pesticides and handle wildlife such as squirrels, skunks, raccoons, moles, voles, beaver etc.
Key Facts about Animal Damage Control:
?  Most animal damage controllers are self-employed. They tend to be a very independent bunch and don't like working for others. However, some of the larger companies do hire workers. While not many have reached this size, the industry is maturing and so the opportunities for employment are growing.
?  Normally, these companies are contracted by the customer for a specific
problem, ie. squirrels in attic. The relationship ends when the problem is
resolved. Sort of like the way people hire a plumber to fix a leak. You pay
for the service and the plumbler leaves when the problem is resolved.
Legal Issues:
?  Most states require a license. These licenses will be issued through the state's division of fisheries and wildlife or similar sounding agency.
?  Wildlife control is a controversial issue. Potential workers need to understand that humane issues are a prime concern. Failure to follow standard procedures can result in severe legal and publicity problems.
?  The field is still lacking many regulations so entry into the field is relatively easy.
Occupational Requirements
?  Physically demanding. Success in this field will require walking, climbing ladders, scaling roofs, crawling under buildings and into attics. If you cannot lift 80 pounds or more comfortably, you would not be able to work with ladders.
o   Animals can weigh anywhere from 2 pounds for a gray squirrel to 20 pounds with a raccoon to 50 pounds for a beaver. While the weight doesn't appear to be that high, remember, you will need to carry the trap away from your body which causes the weight to feel heavier due to reduced leverage.
o   Carrying caged animals off roofs adds to the danger as the animal will run back and forth in the cage thereby shifting the weight of the cage. Failure to prepare for the change can cause a catastrophic fall off the ladder.
?  Dangerous: Job exposes the worker to dangers from animals, heights and crawl spaces. Exposure to zoonotic diseases is a real risk.
?  Methodical: Workers need to perform similar tasks with consistent accuracy and thoroughness.
?  Responsible: Workers will need to remember where traps have been set. In some cases, dozens of traps located around a city will need to be remembered and checked daily no matter what the weather.
?  Driver's license: Worker will need to be able to operate a light to heavy truck safely while under time pressure.
?  Customer Relations: Workers will be required to have high customer service skills. Work is often done inside homes with customers watching. Phone skills is a definite must.
?  Ability to work without supervision. Work is often lonely and without supervision of a boss or client.
Opportunities for Training:
?  I have published a book that helps people get into the business if they wish. You can view it at http://www.wildlifecontrolsupplies.com  But I provide a great deal of free information via e-mail, phone calls or visiting http://icwdm.org   
?  Wildlife Control Technology Magazine. This is the trade magazine of the industry.  Send me a SASE 8.5x11 inch envelope with 3.00 postage on it (continental U.S. and I will mail you a copy of the magazine free).
?  Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators Assoc. This is the trade association of the industry.  I am a member and encourage all in the industry to become one.
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.