Organizing Wildlife Control Methods By Stephen Vantassel Wildlife Control Consultant

Summary

In this educational video, Steven Van Tassel, wildlife control consultant, shares a structured approach to organizing and explaining various wildlife control methods to clients. He presents a comprehensive framework that categorizes methods into non-lethal (habitat modification, exclusion, frightening devices, repellents) and lethal (shooting, trapping, toxicants, biological) options. By methodically going through this list, wildlife control operators can offer informed choices to clients, detailing the costs, effectiveness, and humaneness of each approach. Van Tassel emphasizes the importance of clear communication and standard terminology within the industry to better educate clients and ensure effective wildlife management.

Takeaways

• 🐾 Wildlife control is evolving with clients seeking alternatives to traditional trap-and-kill methods.
• 📚 Educating clients on various wildlife control methods is crucial as they become more informed about wildlife issues.
• 🛠 Steven Van Tassel emphasizes the importance of providing informed choice to clients in wildlife control.
• 📈 A structured mental checklist of control methods can help operators effectively communicate options to clients.
• 🐕 Habitat modification and exclusion are key strategies in managing wildlife issues without directly harming animals.
• 🔥 Frightening devices and repellents offer non-lethal ways to deter wildlife from unwanted areas.
• 🔫 Shooting, trapping, and toxicants are categorized as more direct, often lethal, control methods.
• 🐝 Biological controls involve using natural predators or diseases to manage pest populations.
• 📌 Methods are organized from non-lethal to lethal, impacting both cost and perceived humaneness.
• 💰 Cost-effectiveness and ethical considerations play significant roles in choosing the appropriate wildlife control strategy.
• 📷 Organizing photos and information based on control methods can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of wildlife control operations.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of organizing wildlife control methods?

The primary purpose of organizing wildlife control methods is to provide a structured approach for explaining different control options to clients. It allows the wildlife control operator to present the various methods, their costs, likelihoods of success, and potential consequences in an organized manner, enabling clients to make informed choices.

What is the difference between relocation and translocation?

Relocation refers to moving an animal within its home range, while translocation involves moving an animal outside of its home range.

What are the main categories of wildlife control methods?

The main categories of wildlife control methods are: habitat modification (including cultural controls), exclusion, frightening devices, repellents, shooting, trapping, toxicants, and biological controls.

What is the significance of the green and red color-coding of the control methods?

The green color represents non-lethal control methods, while the red color represents lethal control methods. This color-coding is a simplified approach, as the lethality of a method is not always black and white.

What is the general trend in terms of cost and humaneness as you move down the list of control methods?

As you move down the list of control methods, the cost generally decreases, while the methods are perceived as less humane by clients. The higher on the list (e.g., habitat modification, exclusion), the more humane and costly the methods are perceived to be.

What is the purpose of habitat modification as a control method?

Habitat modification involves changing the living conditions that allow an animal to thrive in a particular area. The goal is to make the environment less suitable for the animal, which can amplify the effectiveness of other control methods.

What are some examples of cultural controls?

Cultural controls involve modifying farming practices, such as planting crops earlier or later to avoid conflicts with migratory birds, or changing the type of grass or plants to make them less attractive to certain species like Canada geese.

What is the advantage of exclusion as a control method?

The advantage of exclusion, such as installing barriers or one-way doors, is that while it may have a high initial cost, it can provide a permanent solution to prevent animals from entering an area or structure.

What is the purpose of organizing photos based on the control method categories?

Organizing photos based on control method categories (e.g., habitat modification, repellents, trapping) allows wildlife control operators to quickly locate relevant photos to support their explanations and training materials for each method.

How can wildlife control operators further engage with the presenter's expertise and resources?

Wildlife control operators can reach out to Steven Van Tassel, the presenter, at [email protected] for product reviews, show ideas, sponsorship opportunities, or to provide photos for training materials like the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook.