Best practices for nuisance wildlife control operators in New York State

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Ch 5: Step three: Do it

Learning objectives for step three

1. Name five nonlethal and two lethal techniques for removing animals from an area.
    
2. Once you hit the road, you don't want to waste time driving back to the office. Describe five pieces of equipment you'd keep in your truck so you could respond to a wide variety of nuisance wildlife calls.
    
3. Which two animal removal techniques require additional training and other licenses or permits?
    
4. List six trapping tips that apply to the use of both live traps and kill traps.
    
5. You need to submit a raccoon for rabies testing. Which killing method can you use?
    
6. Describe how you'd clean an attic that had a family of raccoons living in it. What would you do if they'd been living in the chimney, instead?

Review questions

1. To use certain techniques, you need additional training and other licenses. This is true for (Check all that apply):
   ___ trapping
   ___ use of pesticides
   ___ installing one-way doors
   ___ use of barbiturates
   ___ hazing with dogs
   ___ use of chemical repellents
    
2. If you must submit a specimen for a rabies test, certain techniques should not be used to kill the animal. Which ones could interfere with the test? (Check all that apply)
   ___ shooting (in the head)
   ___ cervical dislocation
   ___ carbon dioxide chamber
   ___ decapitation
   ___ lethal trap
   ___ stunning and exsanguination
    
3. Which of the remaining techniques would you avoid using in this case, because they might put you at risk? (Check all that apply)
   ___ shooting (in the head)
   ___ cervical dislocation
   ___ carbon dioxide chamber
   ___ decapitation
   ___ lethal trap
   ___ stunning and exsanguination
    
4. Select the nonlethal techniques a NWCO can use to remove an animal from an area. (Check all that apply).
   ___ one-way door
   ___ direct capture
   ___ snare
   ___ foothold trap
   ___ hazing with radio-controlled car or boat
   ___ chemical repellents
   ___ cage trap
   ___ hazing with dogs
   ___ homemade repellents
   ___ visual scare devices (scarecrows, mylar tape)
   ___ noisemakers (propane cannons, bangers)
    
5. Select the lethal techniques for removing an animal from an area that are available to NWCOs without additional licenses:
   1. lethal trap and shooting
   2. shooting and chemical repellents
   3. rodenticides or other pesticides
   4. barbiturates and CO₂ chamber
       
6. If you could only pack 5 things to respond to a variety of wildlife problems, which items would you pick?
   1. catchpole; a few cage traps in different sizes; flashlight; a few body-gripping traps in different sizes; and a few kinds of gloves.
   2. A selection of firearms; bleach solution; rodent baits; a few foothold traps in different sizes; catchpole
   3. One-way door; nets; pyrotechnic devices; catchpole; a few cage traps in different sizes
   4. Snake tongs; buckets; respirators; glue boards; a shovel.
       
7. Which of the following techniques is recommended for cleaning up an area that's been contaminated by raccoons?
   1. Your only option is to burn everything
   2. Burn what you can, then clean the rest with boiling water and bleach, or bury materials deeply
   3. Wet contaminated materials with a disinfectant, then double-bag for disposal
   4. Vacuum the area

Answers

1. Pesticides, chemical repellents, barbiturates
    
2. Stunning and shooting in the head would damage the brain. This makes it more difficult to work with the sample—but if you've used this technique and need to submit a sample, do it. They may still be able to get valid test results. With a small animal, you might also want to avoid using lethal traps, because it might misfire and hit the head. This isn't much of a problem with animals as big as raccoons or skunks, so for them, this could be acceptable.
    
3. We've already ruled out shooting and stunning, and in some cases, lethal traps. To protect yourself from catching rabies, you need to avoid bites, scratches, and contact with saliva or brain tissue. It's best to minimize handling of the animal, and to avoid contact with the head. For those reasons, you might avoid the techniques of decapitation and cervical dislocation (which isn't used on the three rabies vector species—raccoon, skunk, and bat). Both involve handling the animal, and close contact with the head. A CO₂ chamber is a much safer option for the operator.
    
4. The only things in that list that NWCOs can't use are: snares (illegal in NY, with one exception); chemical repellents; homemade repellents (illegal even if you have a pesticide applicator license). Pyrotechnic devices may be prohibited in certain areas.
    
5. a (barbiturates are injected, so you need a permit to use a hypodermic—in addition to the supervision by a DEA-registered vet. Chemical repellents and rodenticides are pesticides and require a pesticide applicator license.)
    
6. a (all of the items are useful to solve certain wildlife problems, but some are more versatile than others. For example, answer "d" includes items that would be very useful if you specialized in snake removal, but not so good for skunks. Some of the items can only be used in certain situations, such as firearms, body-gripping traps, and pyrotechnic devices. Firearms and pesticides (rodent baits) also require additional licenses. Flashlights, respirators, and bleach solution would be good to have along, too.
    
7. b (Raccoon roundworm eggs are resistant to disinfectants. Vacuuming may remove some eggs, but it's not practical outdoors).

Next section (Step four: prevent future problems)