Although state wildlife agencies allow private individuals to perform wildlife control services, only 14 have meaningful and appropriate training requirements for licensing wildlife control operators (WCOs). We developed a training program called the National Wildlife Control Training Program (NWCTP) to cover the fundamental skills and knowledge required by WCOs. This article explains the development of the NWCTP, its content, and the opportunity it provides for states and federal agencies, private companies, and individuals to train WCOs

Curtis, Paul D.

Hygnstrom, Scott E.

Smith, Raj

Vantassel, Stephen M.

English

Although state wildlife agencies allow private individuals to perform wildlife control ser-vices, only 14 have meaningful and appropriate training requirements for licensing wildlife control opera-tors (WCOs). We developed a training program called the National Wildlife Control Training Program (NWCTP) to cover the fundamental skills and knowledge required by WCOs. This article explains the development of the NWCTP, its content, and the opportunity it provides for states and federal agencies, private companies, and individuals to train WCOs

Vantassel, Stephen

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Wildlife Damage Management Conferences -- Proceedings Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for 2013 The National Wildlife Control Training Program Stephen Vantassel University of Nebraska-Lincoln, stephenvantassel@hotmail.com Scott E. Hygnstrom University of Nebraska-Lincoln, shygnstrom1@unl.edu Paul D. Curtis Cornell University, pdc1@cornell.edu Raj Smith Cornell University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_wdmconfproc Vantassel, Stephen; Hygnstrom, Scott E.; Curtis, Paul D.; and Smith, Raj, "The National Wildlife Control Training Program" (2013). Wildlife Damage Management Conferences -- Proceedings. 174. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_wdmconfproc/174 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Wildlife Damage Management Conferences -- Proceedings by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 113  The National Wildlife Control Training Program   Stephen M. Vantassel and Scott E. Hygnstrom School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska  Paul D. Curtis and Raj Smith Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York   ABSTRACT: Although state wildlife agencies allow private individuals to perform wildlife control ser-vices, only 14 have meaningful and appropriate training requirements for licensing wildlife control opera-tors (WCOs). We developed a training program called the National Wildlife Control Training Program (NWCTP) to cover the fundamental skills and knowledge required by WCOs. This article explains the development of the NWCTP, its content, and the opportunity it provides for states and federal agencies, private companies, and individuals to train WCOs.    KEY WORDS internet, wildlife control, wildlife control operator, wildlife control training, wildlife damage management           ______________________________________________________________________________  INTRODUCTION Despite the rapid growth in the number of wildlife control operators (WCOs), the industry continues to lack meaningful training standards and requirements throughout the majority of states in the U. S. (Brammer et al. 1994). In the few states that require WCOs to undergo train-ing, the course usually consists of little more than trappers’ education (Oleyar 2007).  Knowledge of trapping is important, but does not cover all of the challenges and issues WCOs confront in an urban context. We con-ducted a survey of all 50 states in 2011 to de-termine what training states require for individu-als to be permitted, certified, licensed, or per-form as WCOs. Twenty-seven states required permits and only 11 required state training, 3 required training by the National Wildlife Con-trol Operators Association (NWCOA), and 13 required individuals to pass an exam.   Though the lack of WCO training is unfor-tunate, it is understandable. Training materials on wildlife damage management typically focus on a particular species, or    method, rely on dated techniques, or fail to ap-ply to the work of WCOs. In addition, state wildlife agencies simply lack the staff, funds,  and expertise required to adapt available materi-als to create a training program appropriate for WCOs.  We used our 70-plus years of experience in the field of wildlife damage management to fill this need. We realized such a task was both con-troversial and fraught with many technical and heuristic issues and questions including, “How basic should the information be? How much de-tail is necessary to both satisfy the needs of be-ginning WCOs, while being respectful to experi-enced WCOs?” We intended the training to have broad appeal and capable of being configured to the diversity of state wildlife regulations in the U.S. In short, the project was daunting.  We designed the program, entitled the Na-tional Wildlife Control Training Program (NWCTP), using the model of driver’s educa-tion. Just as driver’s education does not create race car drivers, so the NWCTP would not turn participants into experts in wildlife control. The Proceedings of the 15th Wildlife Damage Management Conference. (J. B. Armstrong, G. R. Gallagher, Eds). 2013.  Pp. 113-116. 114  goal was to teach the fundamentals in a manner that ensured competency. We determined that the ideal training program should: (1) avoid ge-ographical restraints and be suitable for WCOs anywhere in the country, (2) recognize the di-versity of activities and complex challenges con-fronting WCOs, (3) provide essential and ac-tionable information in a succinct fashion to help starting WCOs avoid making a “big mistake,” by performing management actions in a manner that cannot be justified (Schmidt 1994), (4) en-courage feedback from stakeholders with the goal of improving the program, and (5) allow the training to be adaptable to agency and company need.  The project progressed rapidly after the NWCOA asked S. Vantassel to assist them in putting together a 2-day training event in Michi-gan during September 2010. The event was based on elements from the books, Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage (Hygnstrom et al. 1994) and Best Practices for Wildlife Control Operators (Curtis et al. 2004). Vantassel’s ef-forts resulted in a series of PowerPoint modules. The first 9 comprised “The Core” and addressed the fundamentals of the wildlife damage man-agement, including theory and principles, physi-cal safety, diseases, inspection, equipment, ani-mal handling, euthanasia and carcass disposal, business practices, ethics, and law. The remain-ing 5 modules reviewed the biology and control of bats (mainly Myotis lucifugus, Eptesicus fuscus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), skunks (Me-phitis mephitis), tree squirrels (mainly Sciurus carolinensis, S. niger, and Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), and unprotected birds (Sturnus vul-garis, Passer domesticus, and Columba livia). We selected these species for their broad geo-graphic distribution, and the diversity of skills required to manage them.  The Michigan training event was so suc-cessful that we proceeded to convert the NWCTP into a book. In February, 2011, we published NWCTP: Preliminary Draft-Open for Comments (Vantassel et al., 2011) consisting of all 9 Core Modules and 1 Species Module (Tree Squirrels). Though individual modules received critiques from reviewers prior to publication (acknowledged at the end of each module), we thought a printed edition of the preliminary draft would encourage a broader review of the entire curriculum. In response to reviewer comments and our own reflection on the program, we determined that additional material was required to round out the curriculum. We added 3 modules on trapping, exclusion, and toxicants; along with some minor modifications to other modules. We published the expanded and complete basic training program in February 2012 as the NWCTP: Core Principles and Information (Vantassel et al., 2012). The book encompassed a total of 252 letter-sized pages. The NWCTP consists of 17 modules organized into 2 parts. Part 1 included 12 modules, comprising the core elements of the program. These modules provide information we consider necessary for every WCO to know regardless of their location in the country, including Wildlife Damage Manage-ment Theory, Physical Safety, Wildlife Diseas-es, Site Inspection, Overview of Wildlife Con-trol Methods, Exclusion, Toxicants, Trapping, Animal Handling, Euthanasia and Carcass Dis-posal, Business Practices, and Legal and Ethical Issues. Part 2 of the NWCTP applies the core prin-ciples to the management of 5 common wildlife species that conflict with humans, namely urban birds, bats, raccoons, skunks, and tree squirrels. These 5 were chosen because learning the skills needed to manage these species easily transfer to the management of other wildlife conflicts. Each of the species modules covered life history, signs, control methods, disposition, and euthana-sia of the animal.  Since its development, the NWCTP has re-ceived several honors. The NWCOA reviewed and certified the training manual and program, and awarded the authors with Educator of the Year awards in 2012. The NWCTP has received broad exposure having been presented at NWCOA’s annual meetings (2012, 2013) and before the Structure Pest Management Associa-tion of Ontario in February of 2013. The State of Delaware was the first to formally adopt the training for its WCOs (April 2013). In addition, we are seeking the endorsement by the Associa-tion of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. We have been encouraged by the positive comments from state officials and we look forward to working with them.  115  A key advantage of the NWCTP is the vari-ety of ways participants can access the training materials. Those unable to attend on-site training events may enroll online at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (http://nebraskamaps.unl.edu/productcart/pc/viewcategories.asp?idCategory=709&pageStyle=H)or at the Integrated Pest Management Courses in Purdue’s Extended Campus Distance Learn-ing Program (https://www.distance.purdue.edu /training/pest/). Individuals who prefer a self-study format may purchase a hardcopy of the book, and take the test online at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Regardless of whether the training’s, face-to-face, distance, or self-study, those who achieve a score of 80 or higher on a 100-question objective exam are eligible for cer-tification with NWCOA.   Some agency staff may question the need for training requirements and certification, as the status quo seems to be working. Our response is multifaceted. First, consumers need protection from unqualified WCOs. Although certification does not eliminate improper work, it does help reduce it. Second, government agencies protect what they regulate. Everyone should remember what happened in Connecticut, when a WCO drowned a raccoon in public view (Hadidian et al. 2002). While completely legal, the action lacked foresight, and the resulting public outrage caused restrictive legislation to be passed very quickly. Thankfully, the law did not destroy the industry in that state, but legislators can act quickly when public outrage is high. All WCOs should be proactive in seeking positive regula-tions rather than having to be on the defensive against restriction of activities and methods.  Wildlife agency officials may be concerned about the adaptability of the NWCTP to the needs and requirements of their respective states. Though the NWCTP is complete as written, it also is completely adaptable. We can incorporate state regulations both in the NWCTP book and the exam questions. States wanting to include additional species in the training program can utilize our Supplemental Species Information volume (Vantassel et al., 2013). This companion volume contains biology and management for 29 additional species, from armadillos to wood-peckers. Additional species may be added at state or company request.  Readers should not consider either of these publications to be the “final edition.” Though substantially complete, we continue to refine their content as well as improve the exam asso-ciated with the core program. Anyone interested in participating in this training or in providing advanced training in wildlife damage manage-ment should contact us.  Additional information about the training program, volumes, and wildlife species can be found online :http://wildlifecontroltraining.com. Print copies of the NWCTP: Core Principles and Information can be purchased for $40.00 plus shipping and handling, and the NWCTP: Sup-plemental Species Information can be purchased for $60.00 plus shipping. For information on ordering, discounts and specials, contact the School of Natural Resources, Nebraska Maps and More, SNR Map and Publication Store dur-ing regular business hours 8 to 5 Central at 101 Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege Street, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0961, 402-472-3471, Fax 402-472-4608, http://nebraskamaps.unl.edu, snrsales@unl.edu.   ACKNOWLEDGMENTS  We wish to thank R. Smith, L. Braband, and G. Gary for assistance with reviewing and formatting the NWCTP volumes. This project would not have been possible without their sup-port.  LITERATURE CITED BRAMMER, T. J., P. T. BROMLEY, and R. WILSON. 1994. The status of nuisance wildlife policy in the United States. Pages 331–335 in Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agen-cies. http://www.seafwa.org/resource/ dynamic/private/PDF/BRAMMER-331-335.pdf. Accessed 10 April 2013.  CURTIS, P. D., J. SHULTZ, and L. A. BRABAND. 2004. Best Practices for Nui-sance Wildlife Control Operators: A Training Manual. New York Depart-ment of Environmental Conservation and Cornell Cooperative Extension. <http://books.google.com/books?id=z1WGNwAACAAJ>. Accessed 10 April 2013. 116  HADIDIAN, J., L. SIMON, and M. R. CHILDS. 2002. The "nuisance wildlife control in-dustry”: animal welfare concerns. Pro-ceedings of the 20th Vertebrate Pest Conference 20:378–382. HYGNSTROM, S. E., R. M. TIMM, AND G. E. LARSON. editors. 1994. Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Lin-coln, NE. USA. OLEYAR, C. 2007. The current regulatory en-vironment of urban coyote control-A private WCO perspective. Pages 371-381 in Wildlife Damage Management Conferences–Proceedings. <http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcotent.cgi?article=1067&context=icwdm_wdmconfproc>. Accessed 10 April 2013.  SCHMIDT, R. 1994. The “Video Test” Men-tality. Wildlife Control Technology 1: 6–7. VANTASSEL, S. M., P. D. CURTIS, and S. E. HYGNSTROM. 2011. National Wildlife Control Training Program: Preliminary Draft-Open for Comments. University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Cornell Uni-versity, Lincoln, NE, USA. VANTASSEL, S. M., P. D. CURTIS, and S. E. HYGNSTROM . 2012. National Wildlife Control Training Program: Core Princi-ples and Information. University of Ne-braska-Lincoln and Cornell University, Lincoln, NE, USA. VANTASSEL, S. M., P. D. CURTIS, and S. E. HYGNSTROM. 2013. National Wildlife Control Training Program: Supple-mental Species Information. University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Cornell Uni-versity, Lincoln, NE, USA.  

The National Wildlife Control Training Program

DigitalCommons@USU

113  The National Wildlife Control Training Program   Stephen M. Vantassel and Scott E. Hygnstrom School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska  Paul D. Curtis and Raj Smith Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York   ABSTRACT: Although state wildlife agencies allow private individuals to perform wildlife control ser-vices, only 14 have meaningful and appropriate training requirements for licensing wildlife control opera-tors (WCOs). We developed a training program called the National Wildlife Control Training Program (NWCTP) to cover the fundamental skills and knowledge required by WCOs. This article explains the development of the NWCTP, its content, and the opportunity it provides for states and federal agencies, private companies, and individuals to train WCOs.    KEY WORDS internet, wildlife control, wildlife control operator, wildlife control training, wildlife damage management           ______________________________________________________________________________  INTRODUCTION Despite the rapid growth in the number of wildlife control operators (WCOs), the industry continues to lack meaningful training standards and requirements throughout the majority of states in the U. S. (Brammer et al. 1994). In the few states that require WCOs to undergo train-ing, the course usually consists of little more than trappers’ education (Oleyar 2007).  Knowledge of trapping is important, but does not cover all of the challenges and issues WCOs confront in an urban context. We con-ducted a survey of all 50 states in 2011 to de-termine what training states require for individu-als to be permitted, certified, licensed, or per-form as WCOs. Twenty-seven states required permits and only 11 required state training, 3 required training by the National Wildlife Con-trol Operators Association (NWCOA), and 13 required individuals to pass an exam.   Though the lack of WCO training is unfor-tunate, it is understandable. Training materials on wildlife damage management typically focus on a particular species, or    method, rely on dated techniques, or fail to ap-ply to the work of WCOs. In addition, state wildlife agencies simply lack the staff, funds,  and expertise required to adapt available materi-als to create a training program appropriate for WCOs.  We used our 70-plus years of experience in the field of wildlife damage management to fill this need. We realized such a task was both con-troversial and fraught with many technical and heuristic issues and questions including, “How basic should the information be? How much de-tail is necessary to both satisfy the needs of be-ginning WCOs, while being respectful to experi-enced WCOs?” We intended the training to have broad appeal and capable of being configured to the diversity of state wildlife regulations in the U.S. In short, the project was daunting.  We designed the program, entitled the Na-tional Wildlife Control Training Program (NWCTP), using the model of driver’s educa-tion. Just as driver’s education does not create race car drivers, so the NWCTP would not turn participants into experts in wildlife control. The Proceedings of the 15th Wildlife Damage Management Conference. (J. B. Armstrong, G. R. Gallagher, Eds). 2013.  Pp. 113-116. 114  goal was to teach the fundamentals in a manner that ensured competency. We determined that the ideal training program should: (1) avoid ge-ographical restraints and be suitable for WCOs anywhere in the country, (2) recognize the di-versity of activities and complex challenges con-fronting WCOs, (3) provide essential and ac-tionable information in a succinct fashion to help starting WCOs avoid making a “big mistake,” by performing management actions in a manner that cannot be justified (Schmidt 1994), (4) en-courage feedback from stakeholders with the goal of improving the program, and (5) allow the training to be adaptable to agency and company need.  The project progressed rapidly after the NWCOA asked S. Vantassel to assist them in putting together a 2-day training event in Michi-gan during September 2010. The event was based on elements from the books, Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage (Hygnstrom et al. 1994) and Best Practices for Wildlife Control Operators (Curtis et al. 2004). Vantassel’s ef-forts resulted in a series of PowerPoint modules. The first 9 comprised “The Core” and addressed the fundamentals of the wildlife damage man-agement, including theory and principles, physi-cal safety, diseases, inspection, equipment, ani-mal handling, euthanasia and carcass disposal, business practices, ethics, and law. The remain-ing 5 modules reviewed the biology and control of bats (mainly Myotis lucifugus, Eptesicus fuscus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), skunks (Me-phitis mephitis), tree squirrels (mainly Sciurus carolinensis, S. niger, and Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), and unprotected birds (Sturnus vul-garis, Passer domesticus, and Columba livia). We selected these species for their broad geo-graphic distribution, and the diversity of skills required to manage them.  The Michigan training event was so suc-cessful that we proceeded to convert the NWCTP into a book. In February, 2011, we published NWCTP: Preliminary Draft-Open for Comments (Vantassel et al., 2011) consisting of all 9 Core Modules and 1 Species Module (Tree Squirrels). Though individual modules received critiques from reviewers prior to publication (acknowledged at the end of each module), we thought a printed edition of the preliminary draft would encourage a broader review of the entire curriculum. In response to reviewer comments and our own reflection on the program, we determined that additional material was required to round out the curriculum. We added 3 modules on trapping, exclusion, and toxicants; along with some minor modifications to other modules. We published the expanded and complete basic training program in February 2012 as the NWCTP: Core Principles and Information (Vantassel et al., 2012). The book encompassed a total of 252 letter-sized pages. The NWCTP consists of 17 modules organized into 2 parts. Part 1 included 12 modules, comprising the core elements of the program. These modules provide information we consider necessary for every WCO to know regardless of their location in the country, including Wildlife Damage Manage-ment Theory, Physical Safety, Wildlife Diseas-es, Site Inspection, Overview of Wildlife Con-trol Methods, Exclusion, Toxicants, Trapping, Animal Handling, Euthanasia and Carcass Dis-posal, Business Practices, and Legal and Ethical Issues. Part 2 of the NWCTP applies the core prin-ciples to the management of 5 common wildlife species that conflict with humans, namely urban birds, bats, raccoons, skunks, and tree squirrels. These 5 were chosen because learning the skills needed to manage these species easily transfer to the management of other wildlife conflicts. Each of the species modules covered life history, signs, control methods, disposition, and euthana-sia of the animal.  Since its development, the NWCTP has re-ceived several honors. The NWCOA reviewed and certified the training manual and program, and awarded the authors with Educator of the Year awards in 2012. The NWCTP has received broad exposure having been presented at NWCOA’s annual meetings (2012, 2013) and before the Structure Pest Management Associa-tion of Ontario in February of 2013. The State of Delaware was the first to formally adopt the training for its WCOs (April 2013). In addition, we are seeking the endorsement by the Associa-tion of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. We have been encouraged by the positive comments from state officials and we look forward to working with them.  115  A key advantage of the NWCTP is the vari-ety of ways participants can access the training materials. Those unable to attend on-site training events may enroll online at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (http://nebraskamaps.unl.edu/productcart/pc/viewcategories.asp?idCategory=709&pageStyle=H)or at the Integrated Pest Management Courses in Purdue’s Extended Campus Distance Learn-ing Program (https://www.distance.purdue.edu /training/pest/). Individuals who prefer a self-study format may purchase a hardcopy of the book, and take the test online at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Regardless of whether the training’s, face-to-face, distance, or self-study, those who achieve a score of 80 or higher on a 100-question objective exam are eligible for cer-tification with NWCOA.   Some agency staff may question the need for training requirements and certification, as the status quo seems to be working. Our response is multifaceted. First, consumers need protection from unqualified WCOs. Although certification does not eliminate improper work, it does help reduce it. Second, government agencies protect what they regulate. Everyone should remember what happened in Connecticut, when a WCO drowned a raccoon in public view (Hadidian et al. 2002). While completely legal, the action lacked foresight, and the resulting public outrage caused restrictive legislation to be passed very quickly. Thankfully, the law did not destroy the industry in that state, but legislators can act quickly when public outrage is high. All WCOs should be proactive in seeking positive regula-tions rather than having to be on the defensive against restriction of activities and methods.  Wildlife agency officials may be concerned about the adaptability of the NWCTP to the needs and requirements of their respective states. Though the NWCTP is complete as written, it also is completely adaptable. We can incorporate state regulations both in the NWCTP book and the exam questions. States wanting to include additional species in the training program can utilize our Supplemental Species Information volume (Vantassel et al., 2013). This companion volume contains biology and management for 29 additional species, from armadillos to wood-peckers. Additional species may be added at state or company request.  Readers should not consider either of these publications to be the “final edition.” Though substantially complete, we continue to refine their content as well as improve the exam asso-ciated with the core program. Anyone interested in participating in this training or in providing advanced training in wildlife damage manage-ment should contact us.  Additional information about the training program, volumes, and wildlife species can be found online :http://wildlifecontroltraining.com. Print copies of the NWCTP: Core Principles and Information can be purchased for $40.00 plus shipping and handling, and the NWCTP: Sup-plemental Species Information can be purchased for $60.00 plus shipping. For information on ordering, discounts and specials, contact the School of Natural Resources, Nebraska Maps and More, SNR Map and Publication Store dur-ing regular business hours 8 to 5 Central at 101 Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege Street, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0961, 402-472-3471, Fax 402-472-4608, http://nebraskamaps.unl.edu, snrsales@unl.edu.   ACKNOWLEDGMENTS  We wish to thank R. Smith, L. Braband, and G. Gary for assistance with reviewing and formatting the NWCTP volumes. This project would not have been possible without their sup-port.  LITERATURE CITED BRAMMER, T. J., P. T. BROMLEY, and R. WILSON. 1994. The status of nuisance wildlife policy in the United States. Pages 331–335 in Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agen-cies. http://www.seafwa.org/resource/ dynamic/private/PDF/BRAMMER-331-335.pdf. Accessed 10 April 2013.  CURTIS, P. D., J. SHULTZ, and L. A. BRABAND. 2004. Best Practices for Nui-sance Wildlife Control Operators: A Training Manual. New York Depart-ment of Environmental Conservation and Cornell Cooperative Extension. <http://books.google.com/books?id=z1WGNwAACAAJ>. Accessed 10 April 2013. 116  HADIDIAN, J., L. SIMON, and M. R. CHILDS. 2002. The "nuisance wildlife control in-dustry”: animal welfare concerns. Pro-ceedings of the 20th Vertebrate Pest Conference 20:378–382. HYGNSTROM, S. E., R. M. TIMM, AND G. E. LARSON. editors. 1994. Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Lin-coln, NE. USA. OLEYAR, C. 2007. The current regulatory en-vironment of urban coyote control-A private WCO perspective. Pages 371-381 in Wildlife Damage Management Conferences–Proceedings. <http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcotent.cgi?article=1067&context=icwdm_wdmconfproc>. Accessed 10 April 2013.  SCHMIDT, R. 1994. The “Video Test” Men-tality. Wildlife Control Technology 1: 6–7. VANTASSEL, S. M., P. D. CURTIS, and S. E. HYGNSTROM. 2011. National Wildlife Control Training Program: Preliminary Draft-Open for Comments. University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Cornell Uni-versity, Lincoln, NE, USA. VANTASSEL, S. M., P. D. CURTIS, and S. E. HYGNSTROM . 2012. National Wildlife Control Training Program: Core Princi-ples and Information. University of Ne-braska-Lincoln and Cornell University, Lincoln, NE, USA. VANTASSEL, S. M., P. D. CURTIS, and S. E. HYGNSTROM. 2013. National Wildlife Control Training Program: Supple-mental Species Information. University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Cornell Uni-versity, Lincoln, NE, USA.  

Despite rapid growth, the wildlife damage management industry lacks meaningful training standards, licensing, and certification throughout most of the U.S.  In general, state wildlife agencies do not have the necessary personnel, expertise, or funding to develop and manage training programs appropriate for wildlife control operators (WCOs).  We developed the National Wildlife Control Training Program (NWCTP) to provide the fundamental skills and knowledge required by WCOs.  The NWCTP includes a manual, species supplement, face-to-face training programs, and an on-line training program.  Content was certified by the National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) and provides individuals the opportunity for certification through NWCOA.  This article explains the development of the NWCTP, its content, and the opportunity it provides for state and federal agencies, private companies, and individuals to increase capacity in resolving human-wildlife conflicts

eScholarship - University of California

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Wildlife Damage Management Conferences -- 
Proceedings 
Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center 
for 
2013 
The National Wildlife Control Training Program 
Stephen Vantassel 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, stephenvantassel@hotmail.com 
Scott E. Hygnstrom 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, shygnstrom1@unl.edu 
Paul D. Curtis 
Cornell University, pdc1@cornell.edu 
Raj Smith 
Cornell University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_wdmconfproc 
Vantassel, Stephen; Hygnstrom, Scott E.; Curtis, Paul D.; and Smith, Raj, "The National Wildlife Control 
Training Program" (2013). Wildlife Damage Management Conferences -- Proceedings. 174. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_wdmconfproc/174 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for at 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Wildlife Damage 
Management Conferences -- Proceedings by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska 
- Lincoln. 
113 
 
The National Wildlife Control Training Program 
 
 
Stephen M. Vantassel and Scott E. Hygnstrom 
School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 
 
Paul D. Curtis and Raj Smith 
Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York  
 
ABSTRACT: Although state wildlife agencies allow private individuals to perform wildlife control ser-
vices, only 14 have meaningful and appropriate training requirements for licensing wildlife control opera-
tors (WCOs). We developed a training program called the National Wildlife Control Training Program 
(NWCTP) to cover the fundamental skills and knowledge required by WCOs. This article explains the 
development of the NWCTP, its content, and the opportunity it provides for states and federal agencies, 
private companies, and individuals to train WCOs.  
 
 
KEY WORDS internet, wildlife control, wildlife control operator, wildlife control training, wildlife 
damage management  
 
     
  
 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
 
INTRODUCTION 
Despite the rapid growth in the number of 
wildlife control operators (WCOs), the industry 
continues to lack meaningful training standards 
and requirements throughout the majority of 
states in the U. S. (Brammer et al. 1994). In the 
few states that require WCOs to undergo train-
ing, the course usually consists of little more 
than trappers’ education (Oleyar 2007).  
Knowledge of trapping is important, but 
does not cover all of the challenges and issues 
WCOs confront in an urban context. We con-
ducted a survey of all 50 states in 2011 to de-
termine what training states require for individu-
als to be permitted, certified, licensed, or per-
form as WCOs. Twenty-seven states required 
permits and only 11 required state training, 3 
required training by the National Wildlife Con-
trol Operators Association (NWCOA), and 13 
required individuals to pass an exam.  
 Though the lack of WCO training is unfor-
tunate, it is understandable. Training materials 
on wildlife damage management typically focus 
on a particular species, or  
 
 
method, rely on dated techniques, or fail to ap-
ply to the work of WCOs. In addition, state 
wildlife agencies simply lack the staff, funds,  
and expertise required to adapt available materi-
als to create a training program appropriate for 
WCOs.  
We used our 70-plus years of experience in 
the field of wildlife damage management to fill 
this need. We realized such a task was both con-
troversial and fraught with many technical and 
heuristic issues and questions including, “How 
basic should the information be? How much de-
tail is necessary to both satisfy the needs of be-
ginning WCOs, while being respectful to experi-
enced WCOs?” We intended the training to have 
broad appeal and capable of being configured to 
the diversity of state wildlife regulations in the 
U.S. In short, the project was daunting.  
We designed the program, entitled the Na-
tional Wildlife Control Training Program 
(NWCTP), using the model of driver’s educa-
tion. Just as driver’s education does not create 
race car drivers, so the NWCTP would not turn 
participants into experts in wildlife control. The 
Proceedings of the 15
th
 Wildlife Damage Management Conference. 
(J. B. Armstrong, G. R. Gallagher, Eds). 2013.  Pp. 113-116. 
114 
 
goal was to teach the fundamentals in a manner 
that ensured competency. We determined that 
the ideal training program should: (1) avoid ge-
ographical restraints and be suitable for WCOs 
anywhere in the country, (2) recognize the di-
versity of activities and complex challenges con-
fronting WCOs, (3) provide essential and ac-
tionable information in a succinct fashion to help 
starting WCOs avoid making a “big mistake,” 
by performing management actions in a manner 
that cannot be justified (Schmidt 1994), (4) en-
courage feedback from stakeholders with the 
goal of improving the program, and (5) allow the 
training to be adaptable to agency and company 
need.  
The project progressed rapidly after the 
NWCOA asked S. Vantassel to assist them in 
putting together a 2-day training event in Michi-
gan during September 2010. The event was 
based on elements from the books, Prevention 
and Control of Wildlife Damage (Hygnstrom et 
al. 1994) and Best Practices for Wildlife Control 
Operators (Curtis et al. 2004). Vantassel’s ef-
forts resulted in a series of PowerPoint modules. 
The first 9 comprised “The Core” and addressed 
the fundamentals of the wildlife damage man-
agement, including theory and principles, physi-
cal safety, diseases, inspection, equipment, ani-
mal handling, euthanasia and carcass disposal, 
business practices, ethics, and law. The remain-
ing 5 modules reviewed the biology and control 
of bats (mainly Myotis lucifugus, Eptesicus 
fuscus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), skunks (Me-
phitis mephitis), tree squirrels (mainly Sciurus 
carolinensis, S. niger, and Tamiasciurus 
hudsonicus), and unprotected birds (Sturnus vul-
garis, Passer domesticus, and Columba livia). 
We selected these species for their broad geo-
graphic distribution, and the diversity of skills 
required to manage them.  
The Michigan training event was so suc-
cessful that we proceeded to convert the 
NWCTP into a book. In February, 2011, we 
published NWCTP: Preliminary Draft-Open for 
Comments (Vantassel et al., 2011) consisting of 
all 9 Core Modules and 1 Species Module (Tree 
Squirrels). Though individual modules received 
critiques from reviewers prior to publication 
(acknowledged at the end of each module), we 
thought a printed edition of the preliminary draft 
would encourage a broader review of the entire 
curriculum. 
In response to reviewer comments and our 
own reflection on the program, we determined 
that additional material was required to round 
out the curriculum. We added 3 modules on 
trapping, exclusion, and toxicants; along with 
some minor modifications to other modules. We 
published the expanded and complete basic 
training program in February 2012 as the 
NWCTP: Core Principles and Information 
(Vantassel et al., 2012). The book encompassed 
a total of 252 letter-sized pages. The NWCTP 
consists of 17 modules organized into 2 parts. 
Part 1 included 12 modules, comprising the core 
elements of the program. These modules provide 
information we consider necessary for every 
WCO to know regardless of their location in the 
country, including Wildlife Damage Manage-
ment Theory, Physical Safety, Wildlife Diseas-
es, Site Inspection, Overview of Wildlife Con-
trol Methods, Exclusion, Toxicants, Trapping, 
Animal Handling, Euthanasia and Carcass Dis-
posal, Business Practices, and Legal and Ethical 
Issues. 
Part 2 of the NWCTP applies the core prin-
ciples to the management of 5 common wildlife 
species that conflict with humans, namely urban 
birds, bats, raccoons, skunks, and tree squirrels. 
These 5 were chosen because learning the skills 
needed to manage these species easily transfer to 
the management of other wildlife conflicts. Each 
of the species modules covered life history, 
signs, control methods, disposition, and euthana-
sia of the animal.  
Since its development, the NWCTP has re-
ceived several honors. The NWCOA reviewed 
and certified the training manual and program, 
and awarded the authors with Educator of the 
Year awards in 2012. The NWCTP has received 
broad exposure having been presented at 
NWCOA’s annual meetings (2012, 2013) and 
before the Structure Pest Management Associa-
tion of Ontario in February of 2013. The State of 
Delaware was the first to formally adopt the 
training for its WCOs (April 2013). In addition, 
we are seeking the endorsement by the Associa-
tion of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. We have 
been encouraged by the positive comments from 
state officials and we look forward to working 
with them.  
115 
 
A key advantage of the NWCTP is the vari-
ety of ways participants can access the training 
materials. Those unable to attend on-site training 
events may enroll online at the University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln 
(http://nebraskamaps.unl.edu/productcart/pc/vie
wcategories.asp?idCategory=709&pageStyle=H
)or at the Integrated Pest Management Courses 
in Purdue’s Extended Campus Distance Learn-
ing Program (https://www.distance.purdue.edu 
/training/pest/). Individuals who prefer a self-
study format may purchase a hardcopy of the 
book, and take the test online at the University 
of Nebraska-Lincoln. Regardless of whether the 
training’s, face-to-face, distance, or self-study, 
those who achieve a score of 80 or higher on a 
100-question objective exam are eligible for cer-
tification with NWCOA.   
Some agency staff may question the need 
for training requirements and certification, as the 
status quo seems to be working. Our response is 
multifaceted. First, consumers need protection 
from unqualified WCOs. Although certification 
does not eliminate improper work, it does help 
reduce it. Second, government agencies protect 
what they regulate. Everyone should remember 
what happened in Connecticut, when a WCO 
drowned a raccoon in public view (Hadidian et 
al. 2002). While completely legal, the action 
lacked foresight, and the resulting public outrage 
caused restrictive legislation to be passed very 
quickly. Thankfully, the law did not destroy the 
industry in that state, but legislators can act 
quickly when public outrage is high. All WCOs 
should be proactive in seeking positive regula-
tions rather than having to be on the defensive 
against restriction of activities and methods.  
Wildlife agency officials may be concerned 
about the adaptability of the NWCTP to the 
needs and requirements of their respective states. 
Though the NWCTP is complete as written, it 
also is completely adaptable. We can incorporate 
state regulations both in the NWCTP book and 
the exam questions. States wanting to include 
additional species in the training program can 
utilize our Supplemental Species Information 
volume (Vantassel et al., 2013). This companion 
volume contains biology and management for 29 
additional species, from armadillos to wood-
peckers. Additional species may be added at 
state or company request.  
Readers should not consider either of these 
publications to be the “final edition.” Though 
substantially complete, we continue to refine 
their content as well as improve the exam asso-
ciated with the core program. Anyone interested 
in participating in this training or in providing 
advanced training in wildlife damage manage-
ment should contact us.  
Additional information about the training 
program, volumes, and wildlife species can be 
found online :http://wildlifecontroltraining.com. 
Print copies of the NWCTP: Core Principles and 
Information can be purchased for $40.00 plus 
shipping and handling, and the NWCTP: Sup-
plemental Species Information can be purchased 
for $60.00 plus shipping. For information on 
ordering, discounts and specials, contact the 
School of Natural Resources, Nebraska Maps 
and More, SNR Map and Publication Store dur-
ing regular business hours 8 to 5 Central at 101 
Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege Street, University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-
0961, 402-472-3471, Fax 402-472-4608, 
http://nebraskamaps.unl.edu, snrsales@unl.edu.  
 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
 We wish to thank R. Smith, L. Braband, 
and G. Gary for assistance with reviewing and 
formatting the NWCTP volumes. This project 
would not have been possible without their sup-
port. 
 
LITERATURE CITED 
BRAMMER, T. J., P. T. BROMLEY, and R. 
WILSON. 1994. The status of nuisance 
wildlife policy in the United States. 
Pages 331–335 in Proceedings of the 
Annual Conference of the Southeastern 
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agen-
cies. http://www.seafwa.org/resource/ 
dynamic/private/PDF/BRAMMER-331-
335.pdf. Accessed 10 April 2013.  
CURTIS, P. D., J. SHULTZ, and L. A. 
BRABAND. 2004. Best Practices for Nui-
sance Wildlife Control Operators: A 
Training Manual. New York Depart-
ment of Environmental Conservation 
and Cornell Cooperative Extension. 
<http://books.google.com/books?id=z1
WGNwAACAAJ>. Accessed 10 April 
2013. 
116 
 
HADIDIAN, J., L. SIMON, and M. R. CHILDS. 
2002. The "nuisance wildlife control in-
dustry”: animal welfare concerns. Pro-
ceedings of the 20th Vertebrate Pest 
Conference 20:378–382. 
HYGNSTROM, S. E., R. M. TIMM, AND G. E. 
LARSON. editors. 1994. Prevention and 
Control of Wildlife Damage. University 
of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Lin-
coln, NE. USA. 
OLEYAR, C. 2007. The current regulatory en-
vironment of urban coyote control-A 
private WCO perspective. Pages 371-
381 in Wildlife Damage Management 
Conferences–Proceedings. 
<http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/view
cotent.cgi?article=1067&context=icwd
m_wdmconfproc>. Accessed 10 April 
2013.  
SCHMIDT, R. 1994. The “Video Test” Men-
tality. Wildlife Control Technology 1: 
6–7. 
VANTASSEL, S. M., P. D. CURTIS, and S. E. 
HYGNSTROM. 2011. National Wildlife 
Control Training Program: Preliminary 
Draft-Open for Comments. University 
of Nebraska-Lincoln and Cornell Uni-
versity, Lincoln, NE, USA. 
VANTASSEL, S. M., P. D. CURTIS, and S. E. 
HYGNSTROM . 2012. National Wildlife 
Control Training Program: Core Princi-
ples and Information. University of Ne-
braska-Lincoln and Cornell University, 
Lincoln, NE, USA. 
VANTASSEL, S. M., P. D. CURTIS, and S. E. 
HYGNSTROM. 2013. National Wildlife 
Control Training Program: Supple-
mental Species Information. University 
of Nebraska-Lincoln and Cornell Uni-
versity, Lincoln, NE, USA. 
 


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