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Sample Questions Received by Wildlife Damage Managers

Could you please give me information about the oral vaccine that is being used in NW Pennsylvania to help control raccoon rabies?

I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. We live in Wisconsin, and have a lot of mallards around the area where we live. We've fed some mallards that seem to stay in the area over the winters (we live very close to a lake). What I've been noticing about some of them is that they start out with a limp, and then their foot eventually looks like it shrivels up and pretty much dies off, leaving them with nothing but a stump (I found a little foot in our driveway once). What I'm wondering is...what is the cause of it? Is it a disease? Frostbite? Any information you might have would be great!

I'm having a problem with ground squirrels in my organic almond orchards and was hoping to find organic methods of control. Could you send me websites or control practice information if you have it available?

I am writing for information on red squill powder to kill field mice. We are building a new home in a new subdivision that used to be cow pastures. It also has a canal in the back. I want to find a substance that will kill the field mice but leave all other animals living.

Could you please direct me to someone with whom I might discuss possible development of strategies to manage mammalian predation (primarily by raccoons & skunks) on turtle egg nests? Here in New York we consider that turtle egg predation is a significant mortality factor for populations of declining federally-listed turtle species, such as Bog Turtle (Clemmys muhlenbergii ) and Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), and also for state-listed Species of Concern, such as eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina).

Can you tell me if there have been any studies related to the effects poisoning gophers in tree plantations has in the forest and on predatory wildlife?

I live in Pennsylvania and we have a blueberry farmer who uses propane exploder cannons to scare the birds away from his crop. The problem is that he has a very small farm, and he uses an excessive amount of these cannons. He has them placed very close to our homes, only 50 feet at times. He did not notify the neighbors, he did not notify local authorities. My question is this: are there rules and regulations concerning the use of these cannons? I find it hard to believe that a person could have them so very close to a residence, and have so many of them. Last year I watched the birds, and they fly up away from the crop and then return quickly. They seem to get accustomed to the blasts.

I am experiencing very large numbers of goats kills. I need help and am open to suggestions and services.

I need some information on cougars in Oregon. I need to know how many cougars have been taken by APHIS in my county. I live in Crook County and was also wondering how many complaints that you have taken for Cougars.

My new husband and I moved into a home on the Oyster River. The "river" is actually a tidal pond and we love its magnificence. However, we are not as fond of the invasive Canada geese that walk into our yard via our neighbor's lower property. His yard slopes right down to the river whereas ours in built up about 5 feet and has a "barrier" of natural grasses & weeds that discourage the geese. We'd like to further discourage them in a manner that will not compete with the natural landscape.... that is with plantings, grasses, shrubs rather than with fencing, and we do not want to plant any materials that will spread back into the wetlands. Do you have suggested lists of planting materials for our climate and geography?

My company has developed what we feel may be a superior shielding material used in buried telecommunications cable to protect it from gopher and other gnawing rodent damage. We are interested in finding out if your facility is capable and willing to conduct testing per the old U. S. Forest Service gopher test specification.

Has there been ANY conclusive research completed regarding a device/method for "warning/deterring" deer/elk from crossing the highway in front of vehicles? I have collided with and killed two blacktail deer and narrowly missed a calf elk in the last 8 months at the cost of over $6000 damage to my vehicle not to mention the grievous feelings of needlessly destroying these magnificent creatures! Can you suggest any other sources for such information?

I have a home on the international coastal waterway in North Carolina. In recent years a neighbor has started a garden and, about the same time, we have started seeing tunnels. There appear to be small holes as well which might indicate voles. Is there an available product that can be spread to control these animals?

I am writing from Sardinia (Italy). The Asinara National Park (an island in the North - west of Sardinia), is going to kill hundreds of wild boars there and thousands of wild goats in another park. The national park permits hunting them. We would like to save them, and are looking for other methods to control those populations, so we can offer alternatives to the Parks. I know that someone has experimented with contraception but I did not find any publication about this, particularly on boars and goats or similar species. Please can you help me?