USDA APHIS Wildlife Services Blaine Hyle, Certified Wildlife Biologist

Two Goals for Today: Increase your knowledge Give you resources to help you deal with wildlife damages to your crops

There are two agencies with legal authority over wildlife in TN, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). USFWS is federal and has authority over Migratory Birds and Endangered Species. TWRA is state and has authority over most species other than Migratory Birds. In many instances some form of permit is required from one of these two agencies before conducting lethal control of wildlife on your property. TWRA also must approve the relocation and release of any species within the state.

(a) In general unless and except as permitted by regulations made as hereinafter provided in this subchapter, it shall be unlawful at any time, by any means or in any manner, to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture, or kill, … any migratory bird, any part, nest, or eggs of any such bird, or any product, whether or not manufactured, which consists, or is composed in whole or part, of any such bird or any part, nest, or egg thereof… U.S.C. Title 16 Chapter 7 Subchapter II 703

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, any person, association, partnership, or corporation who shall violate any provisions of said conventions or of this subchapter, or who shall violate or fail to comply with any regulation made pursuant to this subchapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than $15,000 or be imprisoned not more than six months, or both. U.S.C. Title 16 Chapter 7 Subchapter II 707

As authorized by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues permits to qualified applicants for the following types of activities: falconry, raptor propagation, scientific collecting, special purposes (rehabilitation, educational, migratory game bird propagation, and salvage), take of depredating birds, taxidermy, and waterfowl sale and disposal.

(a) Permit requirement. Except as provided in §§21.42 through 21.46, a depredation permit is required before any person may take, possess, or transport migratory birds for depredation control purposes. No permit is required merely to scare or herd depredating migratory birds other than endangered or threatened species or bald or golden eagles. Title 50 CFR Part 21 Subpart D

Two Things Required: 1) Form 37 “Migratory Bird Damage Project Report” 2) Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Application Form Both of these forms are available from my office. We will complete the Form 37 and you must complete the Permit Application. Once the Permit Application is completed, it and the Form 37 are mailed to the USFWS Region Four Permit Office in Atlanta, GA. The entire process can take up to 6 weeks.

Most wildlife, other than birds, falls under the authority of the state. This includes game animals, non-game animals, and furbearers. Birds that are under state authority are turkeys and bobwhite quail. Game animals are animals for which there is a hunting season. These include deer, turkeys, quail, rabbits, squirrels. Furbearers are mammals which are taken for their fur. These include coyotes, foxes, bobcats, beavers, raccoons, otters, mink, weasels, muskrats, skunks.

The lethal take of state protected animals depends on their classification. Small game (squirrels, rabbits, etc.) and furbearers can be taken without permit in most instances where damages are being caused. Take of big game animals (deer, turkeys) requires a permit, even in damage situations. These permits are generally issued on site by the county wildlife officer when a request has been made.

The first step any producer should take to reduce wildlife losses is to properly manage the wildlife habitat on their property. Wildlife needs three things to survive- food, water, cover. If any of these three is lacking, wildlife cannot survive and must move to areas with these. Most animals’ territories overlap several properties so complete elimination of attractants may not be possible, but you can manage these on your property to reduce wildlife numbers.

Obviously the crop you are producing is a food attractant to the wildlife species you are seeking to control and that cannot be eliminated. What can be eliminated are other types of food attractants. Bird feeders should be eliminated. Feeding of pets, livestock, poultry, etc. should be managed so that excess food is not available for wildlife. Example-if feeding grain to cattle or chickens, make sure excess is not available for turkeys or deer. Pet foods attract raccoons and coyotes so excess pet foods should be removed.

Perhaps more important than eliminating food sources is eliminating cover. Most farms have fencerows around the perimeter and even through the property. Overgrown fencerows are major wildlife attractants because of the safety cover they offer. Also, overgrown fencerows are used by wildlife as travel corridors from one area to another. Removal of these will reduce the harmful wildlife your property harbors.

Lethal vs. Non-Lethal Control-how do you determine what you will use? -Personal preference -Can the species be harassed/deterred -Your abilities -Effectiveness/Costs

Lethal Control: Shooting, Trapping Non-Lethal Control: Exclusion, Harassment The best control is achieved using a combination of methods.

Shooting is the most commonly used form of lethal wildlife control. It is the most selective form as well because the shooter has total control of target selection. Shooting of migratory birds must be done under the authority of a Depredation Permit as discussed earlier. It is also required that shotguns and non-toxic shot (lead free) be used.

Shooting is also a form of sound and sight harassment. Flocking birds are scared by the sound of the muzzle blast and the sight of flock members dropping. In fact, depredation permits are only issued as enhancement of non-lethal harassment methods. Shooting of mammals is often not very efficient because most mammals are active at night and it isn’t legal to shoot at night.

Trapping is generally going to be limited to either mammals or non-protected birds such as house sparrows and starlings. Trapping of migratory birds by the general public normally is not permitted. Trapping, for your purposes, should be considered lethal control because relocation/release of animals trapped is prohibited by TWRA unless express permission is granted.

There are as many types of traps as there are species to be trapped, but generally two types are most common- foot hold traps and cage traps. There are various sizes and configurations for each type.

Harassment simply means to make an animal so uncomfortable that it leaves an area. This can be accomplished in many ways. It is most effective against birds. Generally mammals are hard to harass, although constant harassment, such as a propane cannon, can be effective in deterring deer and coyotes. Harassment usually falls into two categories- sight and sound. Olfactory and taste repellents could be considered harassment, although their effectiveness is suspect.

Netting-$0.49/linear foot plus labor of installation/removal and equipment Shotgun-$400 Ammunition-$15-20/box of 25 Cage Traps-$30 each Foothold Traps-$250/dozen Balloons-$9.50 each Mylar Tape-$7.50/roll of 200 feet Propane Cannon-$415 Pyro Pistol-$40 Pyrotechnic shells-$50/100

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is divided into four regions. You should contact the appropriate regional office for permitting issues involving state protected animals. State Office Nashville Region I Jackson Region II Nashville Region III Crossville Region IV Morristown

USFWS Region 4 Permit Office USDA APHIS Wildlife Services USDAWS

USDA APHIS Wildlife Services Blaine Hyle, Certified Wildlife Biologist Phone :