24th

Dear Diary, 5:30 comes early but I can’t put off checking my live traps until the afternoon when my regular pest route is done. Who knew it was the law I had to check these things once every 24 hours? Why isn’t a squirrel classified a rodent? Their freakin RATS WITH BUSHY TAILS for Pete’s sake. Well it would be just my luck I’d leave one too long in a trap and be fined and end up with all sorts of legal bills like that company in New Jersey. All I’m trying to do is provide a needed service and make a few extra bucks but I didn’t think there was so much to this.

25th

I really didn’t want to have to deal with that critter first thing in the morning so I’m semi glad I didn’t bag em. I am however, running out of time and with more damage to the lawn my client is starting to get pretty upset. Man, if I don’t get this thing I may end up losing the regular pest control too. Maybe that would be a good thing cause I’ve already been out 5 times re-checking the trap-I’m losing money $$$.

I wish there was some sort of booklet or set of rules I could have found BEFORE I decided to get into this easy money gig. Maybe then I would’ve known I had to kill that Armadillo instead of taking it out to the forest. What were people thinking when they made up the rule about having to let the dang thing go on a ‘contiguous property line?’ Why don’t they just come right out and say kill the darn thing? I mean if I let him go in the same area, what good is that? Boy, my clients hate the idea of a 5 gallon bucket of water to solve the problem- eeegad! I don’t like it either!

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26th

Ok, an armadillo is one thing but a pea brained fuzzy rat is something else. I should have this thing bagged by now! This is the 4th time I’ve been by and that thing wants nothing to do with my trap. I know it’s just TV but they make it look like such a piece of cake. I’m beginning to suspect these “Critter” guys have more to em than most of us think.

And I thought I was the worlds SMARTEST trapper with my ingenious trap. Now what do I say to the home owner

after I sort bragged and patted myself on the back a little too much? I do remember having to learn the lesson of keeping my big mouth shut regarding pest control results- NOW I’m gonna have to re-learn it with trapping- no matter how smart my placement is!

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27th

Wow, I’m not the smartest guy in the world but I’m not a box of rocks either. Why aren’t these animals getting in my traps? Well, at least I’m getting fairly good with this hardware cloth. Still need some thick gloves- ouch! I admit there isn’t a whole plethora ‘how to’ sites or books- well there is some- but I don’t have time for all that. I just want to supplement my income and this always seemed so easy. I mean, I see the critter catcher trucks in my town. They literally come from out of state–the addresses on their trucks are sometimes from 700 miles away! So I just know there’s a huge profit in there somewhere. Right? I could have gone the lawn mowing, pool cleaning, landscaping, alarm, insulation or any one of the other route add on services to boost my bottom line like so many companies do. But I hate doing my own yard or learning new things that don’t seem to have ANYTHING to do with pest control. Plus having to pay for specialty equipment puts a lot of these add ons out of reach. Animal trapping seems like a natural fit and hardly a month goes by when someone doesn’t ask me if I do that. How smart do you have to be? I mean really

28th

Oh boy, I’m kind of mixed up on this animal trapping thing. Angry clients who think they’ve paid to much, empty traps and two tanks full of gas. I know I’m doing more and more right things- I really learned a lot in this last week although I’d classify most as 20/20 hindsight. I did manage a SWEET bat exclusion job that worked like a charm and by God I got that raccoon from my clients garage alright. But I’m beginning to think the critter catching game is a lot like the insect treatment gig I know and love so well. Everybody thinks they can do the job and they get downright incredulous when they see a simple trap come out of the truck along with such a big receipt.

The pros make it look so easy and simple and the animals have no choice but to obey their direction as they

gladly trigger the trap and await the trappers return. It seems like such a perfect set up and easy vocation. Playing on clients fears you can demand what you want, swoop in and pick up an opossum by the scruff of the neck and be home for 5:30 supper. I suspect the truth is far from this.

I think truth be told, trappers are a set of pros much like the bug men and, just like the insect gurus, the trapper has challenges and preconceived notions they must over come. The trapper has been around for many centuries and their service has been invaluable. From the seemingly simple squirrel in the attic to the extremely dangerous flocks of birds on a runway. The ‘critter getter’ protects mankind’s homes, livestock, businesses, foods and other assets against the ravaging and non-discriminate attacks. There is no mass assembly line approach for what they do and this is not a simple 2 step process that just anyone can duplicate. (set trap-catch critter) Instead, a successful trapper is the fruition of many years of training, trial and error and self education. On top of that- the trapper has to be a sharp business person because the competition, skilled or not, is fierce and out there, at every turn.

Truth be told: This Animal Trapping Is hard!