Predator Control

Sometimes, the very best you can do to prevent nuisance wildlife from endangering elements of your homestead just isn't enough.  Whether it be damage to your vegetable garden, orchard, flock, pets, children or property, wildlife are a reality.  Never mind that they were here first.

While it is sad to displace them, we are also here. There are multiple factors to consider when deciding what action is appropriate.  They do have a right to be here, as they are indigenous.  However awkward, we are here too.  The reality of it is we are putting extensive effort into our homestead.  It is a shame to see a year's grape crop decimated in a matter of days, and realize that your winter's worth of grape juice, jelly, wine and syrup have all slipped through your fingers into the grubby little paws of a varmint who thanks you by leaving a pile of poop under your big tree, spreading disease to your pets, to finally be hit by a car on the road out front of your house.  Great.

When you have done your due diligence to discourage their presence and they insist upon living under your house (or wherever they may take up residence), it sometimes makes sense to take extreme measures. For these times, a wildlife control operator trained to safely and humanely capture, remove and euthanize nuisance wildlife may be appropriate.

Julie's Vegetable Ranch has undergone the State of Oregon's Wildlife Control Operator training and maintains the license necessary to legally perform these services for a fee.  Nuisance wildlife are captured with as much respect as can be taken under the circumstances.  A live trap is used, and humane euthanasia can often be administered on site to avoid transport trauma to the animal.  When compared to the alternative of scrounging for food and fighting for territory in an environment with no predators except disease and cars, these measures actually are fairly merciful.  Due to laws passed to protect them from a grim and inhumane future, these animals are not relocated.  The State of Oregon does not consider it humane to release some poor unsuspecting wildlife into foreign territory with enemy rivals, requiring them to fend for themselves.  This promotes disease, fighting, and sometimes starvation.  

As an alternative to living in disharmony or endangering oneself, a $100 setup fee includes initial trap setup, the first nuisance wildlife (ie opossum, raccoon) removal, and trap reset if applicable. A $50 fee covers additional removals thereafter.  If you have your own live trap and would like nuisance wildlife removal only, a $50 per incident fee applies.  Limited education (within scope of time & training) provided free.  If you have a predator issue and are considering options, I welcome your questions.  You can contact me via email here, or call me at 541-338-0031.