Career Profile: Nuisance Wildlife Management

By Mark E. Dotson, Certified Wildlife Professional

You want to do what for a living?
When I first entered the work force, I dabbled in a few different jobs ranging from an inside sales position to working in a sheet metal shop. Let's just say that I was less than enthusiastic about my employment opportunities! Thankfully, through a variety of circumstances, my career evolved toward working in the Nuisance Wildlife Management field and it has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

Growing up in central Indiana I had had the opportunity to do many outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. I also helped out the local farmer by catching rats that were depleting his grain supply. At this point in my life I was actually starting my career in wildlife management and didn't even know it yet. What is a boy to know!

Later, while working at another position, I was approached by a neighbor to remove a family of squirrels from an attic. It took a little time to figure it out and when I was finished, I was hooked! From that point on I started slowly to evolve my business, A All Animal Control, into a full time operation.

What is Nuisance Wildlife Management?
In its simplest of forms, Nuisance Wildlife Management is resolving human/ wildlife conflicts in the most efficient, humane and professional way possible.

This very unique career field involves many facets of wildlife management. One day could find you working to solve a beaver problem that is invading a neighborhood and the next you are finding a new home for a family of squirrels living in an attic.

Human/wildlife conflicts can range from coyotes capturing urban pets, birds nesting and roosting on residential and commercial buildings to rodents and other mammals living in structures. Almost any wildlife species can be a source for a wildlife conflict. Some people might not think that ducks could do any damage, but when they are living in your swimming pool, that can be very much a nuisance!

A typical day in the life of a Nuisance Wildlife Manager
There really is not what you would call a "typical day" in this career. Every project is different and every situation has its own uniqueness.

A day may involve setting up cages for a raccoon in an attic. Then you are off to remove a starling nest out of a dryer vent. Next, the day will find you searching for a black rat snake that has invaded a basement, and then you're off again to the next challenge of removing moles that have destroyed a nicely manicured lawn. Your day may change by the hour. No matter what, it is never boring! During the busier seasons of spring and fall, days may be longer than usual and sometimes up to 10-12 hours depending on work load.

A typical job will include a visit to the client's home or business to determine what kind of problem they are having, then an inspection to see if their story lines up with what we find. Often it does not. People may think they have a raccoon in their attic but we may find mice! We train our people to rely on the physical evidence found at the scene.

After the inspection, we set up a solution to remedy the problem. Often cages are set up and the intruding animal caught and removed. Or we may deploy a scare tactic program to repel animals such as birds. Whatever the scenario, we match the solution with the problem.

When the source of the conflict has been removed, a repair option may be in order. A chimney cap may be installed or a roofline is flashed to prevent entry for squirrels. Sometimes the repair area is more complex, such as a hole under a deck that is allowing snakes to get into the house. When the animal has been removed and the home is properly sealed up, our work is complete and we have another satisfied client.

What does it take to be a Nuisance Wildlife Professional?
Wildlife work requires a special person who is not afraid "to go where the wildlife goes". Our work finds us in attics, crawlspaces and on roofs. It takes a person who can think on their feet and have a bit of a creative side or just a lot of good old plain common sense. You have to be part investigator, part animal controller and part client service representative. It takes someone who has a desire to learn, who possesses discipline, integrity, honesty, some knowledge of wildlife and a general knowledge and the skills to do small home repairs.

Also, if you are considering this type of work, some preparation is in order. First, it would be good to have an educational background in wildlife biology or biology in general. Wildlife damage management course work would be preferred, and as much hands-on or internship programs as possible will help make you a more immediately valuable member of any team.

Employers are looking for people who can communicate well, are organized and who work well with the general public. Self-confidence is a must, as this translates into your clients trusting you to be their Wildlife Expert! But most of all, a professional attitude and demeanor is very important, as you will be working with live animals and the publics' perception of how you deal with them.

How do you enter into this field?
One way to break into the field is through employment with a governmental agency. Federal agencies such as Wildlife Services section of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have field and support staff positions working with human/wildlife conflicts. Wildlife Services agents help farmers and ranchers control predators and protect their herds. State agencies may be the Division of Wildlife or the Division of Natural Resources. Generally a state Division of Wildlife does not get involved directly in wildlife control, but will assist with information to the landowner. City agencies such as Animal Control will normally control the dog and cat issues in a town or city. It can be difficult to find a position with a governmental agency in this industry. The positions that do come available are usually quickly filled.

More opportunities are available with private companies, which are the backbone of support for resolving human/wildlife conflicts. These Wildlife Management Professionals are the ones who resolve wildlife problems every day and are the core responsible industry. Some companies are one-person operators and others have a fleet of service vehicles. My company, A All Animal Control, is one of the latter types that offers franchises of its Wildlife Management System in all areas of the United States.

What does the future hold for Wildlife Management Professionals?
Currently, the career prospects in this industry appear very bright. With the encroachment of civilization into suburbia and the abundant food sources that come along with this growth, a perfect environment has been created for wildlife. In a city or suburb, there are few if any predators. Cars and the occasional bird of prey are generally the only concern for wildlife in urban environments. The animals lose their fear of humans and come to cohabitate with them quite nicely.

With the growing population in the U.S., more encroachment will occur and more natural habitats will be lost. This all translates into more human/wildlife conflicts and a growing problem in America. That is where Nuisance Wildlife Managers come to the aid of homeowners, private companies and governmental agencies. We assess the conflict and provide recommendations, solutions, and prevention strategies.

A final word
Working in the Nuisance Wildlife Management field has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done. When you are able to make a difference in your client's lives and improve their quality of life, they are happy beyond compare. I hope that you will investigate the opportunities in this field and find the right fit for you.

Mark Dotson is CEO of A All Animal Control, a wildlife management company with franchises across the United States. Contact: AACSupportCEO@aallanimalcontrol.com. Website: www.AAllAnimalControl.com