A New Concept for Ohio’s Nuisance Wildlife Industry
Not to toot our own horns here, but Brian and the rest of the Frontline Animal Removal team are pretty adept in the use of cage traps. After all, the cage trap is the bread and butter of the nuisance animal removal industry.
That being said, there is always something new to learn and there are always new products out there.
More importantly, as for all professionals, staying in touch with developments in our industry helps us deliver a better product.
That’s why this past Wednesday, May 7, Brian attended a workshop titled “Cage Trapping Workshop: From Basic to Advanced” at the Ohio Division of Wildlife Division Three Headquarters.
The workshop was hosted by the Ohio Wildlife Control Operators Association (OWCOA), the Ohio Division of Wildlife (DOW), and the Wildlife Control Training Group (W.C.T); three unique partners in the recent efforts to professionalize the nuisance animal control industry in Ohio.
This was a pilot program of sorts by the three partners to continue their professionalizing efforts by hosting continuing education for all us us who received the new Ohio CNWACO certification last year. We were informed of the workshop by email and through announcements in industry forums.
These partners’ stated intent is to hold different workshops throughout the year and throughout the State in order to help nuisance animal removal companies like ours stay current, informed, and collaborative.
Workshops like these can only help to make the Nuisance Animal Control Industry in Ohio stronger.
Background on Ohio Nuisance Trapping Changes
You see, in 2013, new regulations and licensing went into effect in the State of Ohio for Commercial Nuisance Wild Animal Control Operators.
At the forefront of these changes was the curriculum and testing process developed for would-be licensed wildlife control operators.
We believe the goal of these changes was to reduce the instances where any old someone with a trap could call themselves a nuisance trapper without really knowing what they were doing. This type of non-professional was not good for nice old Mrs. Jones who needed a problem solved nor for Ohio’s wildlife which bore the brunt of poor practices.
In formulating the new rules, Ohio legislators relied heavily upon the professionals in the Division of Wildlife to make sound policy. In turn, the Division turned to trusted voices in our industry like the OWCOA and W.C.T. for input and advisement.
The workshops show this collaboration is continuing.
The Workshop
For those who missed it, the workshop was well organized and well attended. Brian estimates there were about 40-50 individuals who took part.
As promised, the topic of cage trapping and traps was discussed at length. Cage traps are used for all sorts of nuisance animals like squirrels, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, and beaver. Traps and trapping methods for these and other target species were addressed.
Eric Arnold of W.C.T brought a lot of different brands of traps with him and discussed different methods of effectively employing these traps. The notion of “building of better mousetrap” is one that has obvious relevance here and one the different trap manufacturers try to deliver.
No doubt, all the participants walked away with a better understanding of the trap variations that exist in our industry and some tips for using cage traps more effectively.
