Animal/Wildlife Capture, Incapacitation, Shooting

Physical Capture

Usually performed with a catch pole, stun gun, or chemical injection systems.

Catchpole, snarepole:

The catch pole is a very simple system where a noose system is attached to a pole with which you restrain the animal. The tricky part is to get the noose around one leg/arm as well as the head of the animal. in order to capture the animal and put it into an animal cage.

Advantages:

1. Fairly humane
2. If an animal has been into live traps or is trap shy this method can be used as an alternative.

Disadvantages:

1. Not for the layman at all - requires a fair bit of skill
2. Difficult to do in the attic
3. The animal may charge
4. The animal may be unreachable

Electrical:

This method is not widely used but is very effective especially, against animals. When dialed to correct setting this gun fires a set of probes which incapacitates the animal and renders it immobile for a few precious seconds at which time it may be cought with a catch pole and put into a cage.

Advantages:

1. Basically acts like a "taser" and incapacitates the animal
2. It is humane as long as correct settings are used
3. If an animal has been into live traps or is trap shy this method can be used as an alternative.

Disadvantages:

1. One shot only
2. May be prone to abuse
3. In inexperienced hands it can be a night mare
4. Heavy fur is hard to get through.

Chemical incapacitation:

This system fires a chemical syringe out of a pistol or rifle and injects a chemical into the animal, rendering it unconscious.

Advantages:

1. This is the only viable method if rabies is involved, or if the animal needs medical attention
2. If an animal has been into live traps or is traps shy this method can be used as an alternative.

Disadvantages:

1. Licensing is required
2. Very restrictive and legislated
3. Professional only
4. You must be a good shot

Shooting:

This method is used for either dispatching or removing animals

As you can imagine the use of firearems is highly restrictive; Hawkeye has a licencense which exempts our shooters from the bylaws for firearms and discharging them in urban as well as rural locations in Ontario..

There are several calibers available for this permit:
Air Rifle (up to 9mm) for small animals 
0.22 caliber for small to medium sized animals (beaver, raccoon, etc.) 
0.357magnum-0.44 magnum for bears (self defense conditions only)
Night Vision Optics