The Bailey beaver trap is a suitcase-type beaver trap manufactured by the Tomahawk Live Trap Company. Although an effective tool in capturing beaver, it is known for its high misfire rate. This paper explains and expands upon Richard Buech’s tips for modifying and employing the Bailey beaver trap, which can reduce the misfire rate by 50%.

Animal protectionists John Hadidian, Camilla Fox, and William Lynn exhorted wildlife professionals to engage the ethical issues associated with wildlife damage management. After outlining several ethical principles, they raised three common “nuisance” wildlife scenarios to illustrate the ethical difficulties they believe need thoughtful consideration. Despite their honorable desire, their paper exemplifies why the substantive dialogue on the ethics of wildlife control has not been achieved. First, their presentation neglected to wrestle with the role of competing worldviews. Second, the authors avoided acknowledging how animal protectionists’ rhetoric and behavior has undermined the trust necessary for wildlife managers to engage in dialogue. I conclude by offering several ways animal protectionists can build the fund of good will essential to initiating dialogue and finding common ground.

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the use of carbon monoxide-generating devices to control burrowing rodents. A pilot study was performed to determine how long a black-tailed prairie dog burrow needed to be fumigated with a BurrowRx® machine to obtain control. This pilot study obtained 92% efficacy with a four-minute injection, 86.7% with a 3:45-minute injection and 90% efficacy with a three-minute injection. Out of 59 burrows, 85% had only a single entrance. Of the nine that had two or more openings, six had only two, one had three openings, and two had five openings. Surface measurements from the treated opening to the furthest connected opening ranged from 10 feet to 43 feet with the average being 23.33 feet. The paper also discusses suggestions for further research and suggestions for practical use of the device.

Black-tailed prairie dogs’ feeding and burrowing behavior is a significant economic nuisance to agricultural producers. We tested the Rodenator™ on two portions of an isolated prairie dog town in Lewis and Clark County, Montana to determine how effective it was in reducing prairie dog numbers. Though other studies have been done using propane-oxygen devices, our study employed updated application techniques and an aggressive hole closing procedure to reduce the likelihood of false failures. In the southern area, we treated 53 burrows for 30 seconds with oxygen set at 40 psi and propane at 45 psi. In the northern area, we treated 120 burrows with an injection time of 45 seconds using the same oxygen and propane psi rates. Using the open burrow method for determining efficacy, our results were 58.7% for the southern area and 65% for the northern. Our study revealed that future studies should incorporate population surveys and appropriate control plots to determine the true efficacy of the Rodenator™, and we provide suggestions to improve overall method efficiency.

Wildlife control operators have observed that animals caught in plastic-walled traps during summer conditions were showing signs of heat stress. To verify the plausibility of these anecdotes, three temperature and humidity sensors were used to monitor local environmental conditions as well as those inside a covered cage trap and a plastic-walled trap. The study lasted for more than 365 days. Average temperature/humidity for ambient air was 10.8°C/72%; for covered cage traps it was 12.0°C/79%; and for plastic-walled traps it was 12.75°C/78.4%. Results are consistent with anecdotal observations that animals caught in plastic traps would experience higher temperatures. This information can be used to improve animal welfare during cage and box trapping activities.

Use of M-44 sodium cyanide devices has been opposed by various groups contending that M-44s threaten human health and safety and endanger non-target animals. In Montana, M-44 sodium cyanide devices may be used by non-USDA-Wildlife Services individuals licensed by the Montana Department of Agriculture. This paper summarizes the use data submitted by these non-federal applicators between 2006-2019. The data includes use records, take (both target and non-target), and livestock loss reports. It is hoped that this information provides additional data and context to inform the debate over this controversial predator management tool.

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.

Since 1996, the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management (ICWDM) has provided a clearinghouse for research-based information on mitigating wildlife damage. In July 2006, the ICWDM underwent a major revision to better serve the needs of its visitors. The site received a new URL, http://icwdm.org, layout, architecture, and content. Plans for further site enhancements include creating an image library, expanding content to include non-North American species, and encouraging interested parties to join us in eXtension.

The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management (ICWDM, at http://ICWDM.org) has been a pioneer in providing research-based information on wildlife damage management via the Internet. In the 2002 edition of the Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference, Virchow and Hygnstrom summarized the activities of the ICWDM from 1996 to 2002. Several changes occurred in the ICWDM from 2003 to 2013. In 2013, the ICWDM received nearly 2 million visitors from 215 countries. Based on a survey of online respondents, we conservatively estimate that the ICWDM saves nearly $17 million in resources annually. We anticipate continued growth of the ICWDM, including expansion of social networking and increased curriculum development.

Expertise in wildlife and vertebrate pest management (VPM) within the U.S. University Land Grant system is increasingly rare, and very few Extension educators have the knowledge and tools to address VPM practices in this very specialized area. Yet, Extension educators (i.e., agents) receive a myriad of inquiries from the public searching for information on resolving conflicts associated with wildlife. Our team developed and launched an online survey to assess the needs of Extension educators in western region states and territories of the U.S. to determine the desired content and format of educational resources concerning VPM. We plan to review and compile current VPM educational materials (e.g., factsheets, videos, etc.), revealed in the needs assessment or recognized by our team, and determine their applications for wider use, or for revision/enhancement to address resource shortfalls. Our end goal is to use the survey data to identify current gaps in VPM resources and develop new or revised materials for Extension educators and volunteers. Because these educators frequently serve as “first responders” for people seeking solutions for conflicts with vertebrate pests, Extension staff need unbiased, science-based resources and training materials to counter the misinformation on the internet and fraudulent products in the marketplace. We will also determine how to best format and deliver this information to key audiences and stakeholders.