Aspiring WPC agent here

[Critt'R Gitt'Rz]

I just wanted to give a "howdy" to everyone, and informally introduce myself to this FANTASTIC board. I'm an aspiring Wildlife Pest Control agent from SE Pennsylvania. I currently have the study book in my hands, and I will be taking the test in the very near future. My backround is that of an avid PA trapper, hunter, and outdoorsman. I have been doing such, since the young age of 12, and it is my first real love in life.

Trapping has always been my favorite outdoor activity, and it NEVER gets old to me. Even when the botton fell out of the fur market, it still held the same allure for me. Ya see, it was never about the $$ for me. It was more about learning to match wits with god's creatures, great and small. Checking my traps every morning, is very much like Christmas morning when I was a kid...except it happens every morning during trapping season. To me, the only thing that comes a close 2nd to trapping is predator hunting....another passion of mine!

Anyways...I have plans of starting my own ADC business at some point. I plan on keeping my regular job though, and I hope that one day I can become busy enough to go at ADC work full bore. I am certainly in a good area for the occupation. I'm in a large urban area with many large parks, that are bordered by homes. The deer population is out of control, as are the rodent/small mammal population. Birds are WAY out of control, and the Canada Geese here are unbearable to many. Yes, I plan on getting a federal permit prior to harrassing any waterfowl...lol.

I'd also like to thank you all for making this site possible. We all know how the general public views us trappers...It's nice to have a place to call Home, and to talk shop...I'm appreciative! Take care & be safe!

[SgtWal]

Prepare for a shock. ADC isn't fur trapping. Most of the critters that cause trouble aren't normal targets for trappers. Squirrels, moles, woodpeckers, Flying squirrels, and so on make up a big part of what we do.
Good luck.

[Critt'R Gitt'Rz]

Thanks SGT. I'm well aware of what lay ahead. There will be no shock.

[Smitty]

snakes bats rats,flying squirrels and a few million possums..welcome aboard Ernie's wildlife pest control...i'm around Raystown Lake area..too rural to make tons of money ,,but like you said ,,just trying to keep ahead of God's creatures,,study the part about bats for the test ,,which ones migrate and all that,,have had my business for about 5 years now and always something different each year!!!! GOOD LUCK need anything e-mail me

[Critt'R Gitt'Rz]

Thanks Smitty...I appreciate it! I can relate the the rural area issues. I also have a place out in Bradford County. No way one could make much of a living doing this out there. The farmer's and the "mountain folk" are more than ready and willing to take on their nuisance wildlife problems. Me being located in Philadelphia, was a big reason I'm deciding to take this journey....it shoud be a good market for the service. Lots of vermin, tons of birds, and many many "grinner's", coons, skunks, fox, and even yotes. The way I see it, my biggest challenges are going to be the safety of children, pets, and my own equipment. Take care...good luck Smitty!

[Smitty]

make sure you get good respirators for inside work..too many diseases to take chances...I bought one of the Gamo Pellet guns ....WOW..that is sweet and quiet!!!!

[Critt'R Gitt'Rz]

I used to be involved in the demolition of chemical factories and have done my share of HAZMAT work, Smitty. I know the importance of a good full faced respirator and a Tyvek suit...Good looking out though! I actually have a Gamo pellet rifle myself. Some of my problems with humane dispatch here in the city, will be the city ordinances. Pellet guns are illegal here, so technically I'd not be able to use one. I'm also licensed to carry a concealed firearm, but again....City ordinance states that it is illegal to discharge a firearm in the city. I have already considered both of this things before hand, and I'm currently thinking of other alternatives. I guess that leaves me with lethal injection, some sort of gas chamber, or perhaps a smaller version of a captive bolt device. I'd think lethal injection would be the most practical, but I know it's almost impossible to obtain some of the solutions, being as many are federally regulated. All food for thought in my case.

[SgtWal]

Most of your captures will be in cages. We use them exclusively, as the "live capture " is a big selling point to many customers. A CO2 chamber can be made from and old chest deep freeze and a tank of CO2 that will handle most of your dispatch work quick and clean.

[Critt'R Gitt'Rz]

SGTWAL: So for you, it seem that the customer's prefer live capture..I can relate to that. Now..is that just the capture on they're premises portion of the job, and then after that they no longer care or want to know what you do with the culprit? Or does that mean alive and released all the way through the job? Here in Pennsylvania, the listed rabies vector species are not allowed to be relocated and released. I'd prefer to not have to dispatch every animal on that list, but the law is the law. So you basically use a home made chamber and use Co2, thus not killing by inhalation of poison, but rather asphixation from the displacement of oxygen caused by the Co2...interesting. How long on average does it take to dispatch a 25lb coon in that manner?

[ltgrey2]

Glad your here. Good luck!