I'm always curious about what makes the people in this industry tick. What kind of background do you have that made you think that you could run a successful ADC business. I had absolutely no trapping experience. When I started, I was managing the fishing department at a small sporting goods store. We sold some havahart traps which I didn't even know how to set. I have a degree in Business Administration, but was never a good student so its really just a piece of paper. I was bored with what I was doing and this looked like fun. Fortunately I learned quickly and am pretty good at it. 11 years later I'm still at it and still having fun everyday.

I wanted my own business. I wanted to work with wildlife. Thought about taxidermy for quite a while. Never knew THIS occupation existed, until a friend that worked for a PCO asked me to be a trapper for his area. I've always loved catching things, although never a fur trapper (until 2 yrs after starting business). Loved the outdoors my whole life, I knew it was what I was meant to do. Only regret is, I didn't connect the dots ten years earlier.

Because love taking chances and have business experience and not afraid to learn new things and work hard

Keith, I've trapped since 1956 and I've never been afraid to talk to people. ( My wife says my problem is learning when to shut up )

When I found out that people actually made a living catching animals, I couldn't believe it. I started part time and when I had more

work than the factory that I worked for had, I knew it was time to go it alone. I always tell everyone that I made more money that

first year than I had ever made working for someone else, fringes included. What we don't admit is that we also work harder and

longer when we work for ourselves. But I still don't consider running around and catching animals to be work. Hunting pheasants is a

lot more work than that.

Like most on here I did a little fur trapping but was not a cracker jack trapper by any means.
I wanted my own business & jumped in to ADC. Found out it was quite a humbling experience.
That was 22 years ago. I joined the National ORG first and then all the different ADC talk forums.
Thanks to many who shared there tips & tricks. I finally got up to speed. Still learning but hey I'm only 72.

moleman, don't tell people you're 72; tell them you feel like two 36 year olds. That's what I do.

Kids!

Not knowing that there was any business involved in trapping animals, I did it as a hobby for several years just for fun and because it helped people out.

When I found out that people were paying for it and how much, I added up all the animals I had caught in the previous four years and realized it was my new part time business.

I was already doing the work, I just needed to start charging.

The longest i have ever worked at one job is 12 years and still working for myself....prior to that i worked for 26 diff companies from age 17-25...once i made up my mind to to wildlife and go full bore into it...i realized i will take the headaches of self employment over having bosses over me any day

When my customers told me I should charge more than I do. They wanted me around next year, and they knew business. I didn't. Over the past 15 years I learned allot of lessons the hard way. I also learned to take advice better.

how on earth does someone work for 26 different companies in 8 years?

Good question. I worked 8 different jobs in 26 years and one of them was the same company twice and I worked for Mercury Outboard

Motors three times.

I did it farmer-style. I was born a billionaire, and thru hard work and dedication, am approaching millionaire status.
Top that one, Wink!!
Actually, I started working for a PCO who did a little WC, found that WC was much more of a challenge and more suited to my aptitudes... the rest is a natural progression.

you guys are living my dream

Once the company I worked for found out I was a good trapper,they actually approached the union and they created a job for me as a beaver control 4 man for the entire railway company.I took care of all beaver problems over 600 miles of mainline including aerial surveys to pinpoint inland issues with high water,as well as returning water to natural flow after complete beaver removal.It was a job that I loved as my boss would only call about once a month to find out what subdivision I was working on.I would only take out actual problem beaver as I was paid a wage,not a per animal basis,all equipment was supplied including vehicle and a helper,Also all living expenses were covered.I worked with all the local trappers councils to let trappers know where we had a problem with their beaver and let them know if they did not take them out in season the beaver would be removed by the railroad.
I wound up working a lot of overtime which allowed me to maximize my pension with the company and I was able to retire with a max pension early.The best job a guy could ever hope for.As long as the beaver problems were taken care of promptly I was on my own with no boss looking over my shoulder.It was a very hard and physically demanding job because I was basically running full out beaver trapline 24/7 from April until December,when I would take 6 weeks paid vacation and run my fur line in the Northern bush.From Feb to April it was Trackwork,and I couldn't wait til April to get out on the Nuisance job for another year.

Thanks for that very interesting history, Boco. Anybody else out there that was a union trapper? ( Wow! those two words don't fit

together at all ) Does anyone know if the USDA guys are unionized? How about the big pest control companies like Terminix or Orkin?