​For starters, there are no bad snakes. A very small percentage have the ability to injure humans and pets, but the majority are beneficial to have around. They all have their place in nature.
Education and identification are the key to living with snakes. There are 46 species of snakes in Oklahoma, but if you lump the rattlesnakes together, there are only three snakes to be concern with: Rattlesnakes, Copperheads, and in a limited portion of the state, Cottonmouths.
One of the best snakes to have around is the Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki). 

​They are extremely common in Oklahoma and you are very likely to encounter one.
In addition to their striking speckled color, they have a very unique redeeming characteristic. Their diet is almost completely based on eating other snakes, and their favorite meal is a Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)! They are immune to the Copperhead's venom and eat them every chance they get. As you can see in the picture below, they wrap them up and kill them by constriction before swallowing them whole! 

The next time you see a black and yellow speckled snake in your yard, consider letting him stay. He might very well protect you from a less pleasant encounter with a Copperhead!
Got an unwanted snake on your property, or just need help identifying one, contact Predator Impact. There is never a cost for consultation and we are always eager to help!

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Mark Runnels
Predator Impact
(918) 397-4091

Japanese Beetles are an invasive species, They do a great deal of damage to lawns and landscaping, but one of the worst problems with them is that their larvae, or grubs, live underground in large numbers and attract moles, armadillos, skunks, and other digging wildlife. Although I have not tried them, I can only assume they are tasty!
Predator Impact will happily trap and relocate the offending diners, but if you eliminate the grubs, the problem is greatly reduced, often even eliminated. No more animals digging from both above and below to eat the grubs.
You could spray your yard every year with toxic chemicals to kill the grubs...and spray it again next year and the next. Even if you are careful though, you still have toxic run off into the environment.
We think we have a better way!
Someone asked the question "If Japanese beetles come from Japan, why aren't they a problem there?" They went to Japan and found a highly specialized bacteria called "Milky Spore" in the soil. (Despite the word "Spore" in its name, it is a bacteria, not a fungus) The Milky Spore bacteria is completely harmless to all forms of life EXCEPT Japanese beetle grubs.
If you eat it, it is harmless; if your dog eats it, it is completely harmless; if it runs off into the river and the fish eat it, its completely harmless, but to a Japanese beetle grub, it is deadly.
It is a dry granule like fertilizer. You apply six treatments to your lawn. Three times a year for two years. You will begin to see improvement after the first treatment, and once the bacteria is established in your soil, the protection last for a minimum of 20 years with no additional treatments.
For a standard city lot sized yard, each treatment is $150, so over the course of two years, your will invest $900 and will have a much better lawn, with far less digging from moles, armadillos, etc. If the protection lasts 20 years, that is only $45 per year of protection.
Got a problem with animals digging in your yard? Call Predator Impact to discuss treating the lawn with Milky Spore. The conversation is free and we'll happily help you understand the positive aspects of using Milky Spore to eliminate the grubs that attract the digging animals.
Mark Runnels
Predator Impact
(918) 397-4091

This is the time of year that people realize that they have a beaver problem. 

All spring and summer, beavers live pretty light on the land. They eat mostly pond weeds and cattail roots and the fact that they are almost strictly nocturnal means that they live in ponds, streams and lakes without anyone noticing. But in the fall and winter, they switch to eating trees and make their presence known! 

​In the fall and winter, beavers feed on the cambium layer between the tree's rough outer bark and the sapwood. This is where the tree stores all of its sugar (Think maple syrup) and the beavers cut the trees down to reach the upper branches.

We have had a number of golf course and HOA customers experience a surge in their beaver population in the last month and Predator Impact is there to help! 
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​With urban beaver trapping, we have to be conscious of the possibility of children or pets getting into the traps. All traps are set in the water, and if a dog does get into a cage trap, it may scare him, but it wont hurt him. 

Whether you need conventional beaver trapping in a rural setting, or live trapping in an urban setting, Predator Impact is here to help. 
Call today for a free, no obligation consultation. We will be happy to come to your property and discuss solutions. We love to talk about beavers! 

Mark Runnels
Predator Impact, LLC
(918) 397-4091

People….please, please, PLEASE stop shooting armadillos! We have trapped five gunshot armadillos in the past month or so.
The “kill zone” on an armadillo is very small, but the “wound them and leave them to suffer zone” is huge.

This week concludes the 2025 Canada Goose relocation season, and what a great season it was! 

Background
All birds molt all of their feathers and grow new ones every year. Most birds (Robins, Blue Jays, Red Tailed Hawks, etc.) drop one flight feather on each side. When this pair of feathers are mostly grown in, they will drop the adjacent pair, etc. 

Geese, on the other hand, do not molt this way. They drop all of their flight feathers at once. 

For about 6 weeks, they can run, walk, or swim, but they cannot fly. During this time, we bring in kayakers...

and portable corrals...
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and specially designed trailers...

The geese are then transported to a remote lake somewhere in Western Oklahoma where they are released...

They remain in their new home for the rest of the summer regrowing their flight feathers, and when they can fly again, they are acclimated to their new surroundings and they do not return. 

For several years now, we have had a goal of relocating 1,000 geese. This year we not only met that goal, but blew it out of the water! 1,542 geese relocated this year. Who knows? Maybe 2,000 next year! 

We had several new client this year (one had over 700 geese on one golf course!) but something we have noticed is a gradual trend with our long term customers. They will have hundreds the first year and then each successive year, the number steady drops. Many of our customers who started with hundreds of geese now have 15, 20 or maybe 25. An effective goose management system (Egg addling and roundup) will manage the population very effectively. 

It is best not think of a goose roundup as a permanent elimination of geese on your property, but rather as a reset on the population. If you have 50 geese today and 10 more fly in, you now have 60 geese; if we remove the original 50 and 10 more fly in, you now have 10 geese. 

Do you have a problem with Canada geese? Call Predator Impact to discuss options. We have a lot of tricks up our sleeves and love to talk about goose management. There is never a cost for advice or consultation. 

Looking forward to hearing from you. 

Predator Impact, LLC
(918) 397-4091

A local power plant here in NE OK has long been plagued with Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) roosting on the steel structure over their boilers. Their numbers conservatively estimated at 450-500 individuals. Their droppings were a problem as they created smell, discoloration, and corrosion of the steel structure as well as a health risk to the employees. In March/April 2025, Predator Impact was contracted for an experimental project to determine if the vulture population could be dispersed using non-lethal methods. 

​
BACKGROUND

The Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) is a common bird throughout its range. Northeast Oklahoma is at the northern edge of their normal range. 
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https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Vulture/maps-range

Black Vultures are resident year-round and will only migrate short distances if at all. This explains the year-round presence at the powerplant.
They are highly gregarious birds and will often roost in large numbers.
The Black Vultures have a relatively poor sense of smell. Their primary means of finding the carrion upon which they feed is to follow the Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) which have an excellent sense of smell. While the Turkey Vulture is slightly larger, the Black Vultures travel in packs, overwhelm the larger Turkey Vulture with numbers and often steal the carcass. A few Turkey Vultures have been observed roosting with the Black Vultures at the powerplant.
The vulture droppings are vile smelling, highly acidic, and leave a chalky white residue from the bones they digest. At roost sites, their droppings can become a nuisance. Fortunately, their strong stomach acid kills any diseases in the carcasses they feed on, however there are a few diseases spread by all bird droppings including Black Vulture droppings.
These include:

• Histoplasmosis
• Salmonellosis
• Psittacosis (ornithosis)
• Cryptococcosis (rare)
• Avian Influenza

Their droppings are very acidic and when accumulated in large numbers, there is a possibility of corrosion damage to steel structures.
Both Black and Turkey Vultures are poor fliers. They travel long distances in search of carrion but prefer to soar rather than flap. This requires lift from warm air rising called thermals. This can be air rising over a sun warmed field, black roofs or parking lots, or as is the case at this powerplant, warm air rising from the cooling towers.

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ABATEMENT OPTIONS

In speaking with other wildlife professionals and researching the literature, it was clear that preventing the vultures from roosting, or “roost busting”, was the best chance for success in convincing them to leave the area. By denying them a calm, peaceful place to sleep, they should move to another location. This is a common (and very successful) technique used to move large populations of grackles and other blackbirds. It seemed logical that it would be effective against Black Vultures.
It is possible to receive a federal permit to kill up to 10 vultures, but this was deemed to be too few to have any real effect and the paperwork is daunting. Only non-lethal methods were considered. 
​There are numerous non-lethal ways to discourage roosting.

• Lasers- Certain frequencies of lasers terrify blackbirds, geese, and herons. It was not known if the same frequencies will work for vultures but deemed worth testing. The lasers selected were commercially available handheld CLASSIIIa 532nm <5mW green lasers.

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• Drones- Drone harassment is very effective against geese. There is no history in the literature of its use against vultures. Predator Impact employs a FAA licensed drone pilot, and it was decided to test the effect of the drone on the vultures.
• Noisemakers- Loud noises startle them and disrupt sleep. The most common noisemaker is the “Birdbanger”. It fires a projectile similar to a “chaser” firework with a loud report at the end. The presence of large quantities of flammable coal made the use of all pyrotechnic devices too risky and was disregarded.
• Paintball- Paintball can be a very effective frightening device. It is crucial that you never hit the vulture with a paintball. Their bones are delicate and break easily, but the noise of the gun, impact of the paintball hitting nearby, and the splatter are all good deterrents.
• Dogs- When the vultures are on the ground, trained dogs are effective. Again, the dogs cannot legally touch the vultures, but the running and barking may cause them to leave. 
• Methyl Anthranilate- Methyl Anthranilate (MA) is a big name for the flavoring in grape Kool Aide. First isolated from Concorde grapes, MA is harmless to mammals and fish but causes discomfort in birds. It is sprayed on grass to deter geese from feeding. When geese eat it, they experience “digestive discomfort” and avoid the area. There is some research into using a mister to distribute a MA mist to deter vultures roosting, but it is not mature enough for serious consideration.
• Birdspikes- Birdspikes are strips of stainless-steel spikes that prevent birds from perching.​

• While highly effective, the sheer volume of birdspikes required to cover the structure above and around the boilers, and the cost and difficulty of installing them at this height, was prohibitive. 
• Effigies- There are many references in the literature of technicians hanging dead vultures, or stuffed decoys that look like a dead vulture, near roosts to deter roosting.

        

​INITIAL TEST
​
Before starting a formal project, it was decided to do a one evening test to get a general idea if roost busting would work on this population.
Several years ago, we did an abatement job on a roost of herons in Oklahoma City. The project was not successful, but there was a small roost of Turkey Vultures that stayed in the area looking for dead herons and chicks. When the lasers we were using to frighten the herons got close to the Turkey vultures, they reacted with panic. Based on this very limited information, we decided to try the laser first.

Monday 3-Feb 2025, Predator Impact and a representative of the powerplant were on the highest walkway above the boilers just as the sun began to set. A quick estimate counted about 450 Black Vultures and a few Turkey Vultures perched on the iron works above the boilers, or soaring above preparing to land.

​There are approximately 200 vultures visible in this one picture. Less than half of the total present. 

​After about 20 minutes of harassing the vultures with the laser, the site was completely clean. 
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​As the vultures left, they predominantly flew East. It is reasonable to assume that there was a pre-established alternate roost somewhere in that direction.
We stayed on site until it was completely dark and there were no vultures on the site when we left. 
​

The vultures’ response was very positive. Even though the majority of the vultures returned in the following days, it was decided that the test was successful enough to warrant a full-scale abatement project with the understanding that the project was an experiment with unpredictable results.

​The first day of abatement was 20-Mar 2025. 

ABATEMENT
Laser harassment is the simplest and potentially the most effective of the different abatement tools, therefore it was decided to start with the laser and add additional treatments as warranted. Each day the number of vultures present on the site would be estimated and recorded before laser harassment.
The lasers were used from as high a vantage point as possible, or against a solid backstop to minimize the laser exposure above the facility.

After the second night of treatment, the estimated population was reduced by about 50%.
​
On 22-Mar 2025, we brought in our FAA certified drone pilot and a DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter drone to test drone harassment on the vultures. 

Before flying the drone near the boilers, we tested it on a group of vultures perching on some surplus equipment in the area. 
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​Unfortunately, the drone proved to have a minimal impact on the vultures. When it got close to them, they would casually move to another perch nearby, but there was not the expected fear response we were hoping to receive. No further drone harassment was performed. 

Likewise, the trained harassment dogs had a similar effect. 

While the dogs chased the vultures enthusiastically while the vultures were on the ground, the vultures just moved to a perch out of the dog’s reach and then ignored them.

We continued the laser harassment and the day-over-day reduction in the population continued. After a week, there were about a dozen vultures that persisted in trying to perch on one of the boilers. There is some structure there that they could hide behind to avoid the laser. We brought in a paintball gun with clear paintballs. The paintballs were deliberately shot to hit the metal structure near the vultures, but the vultures were never contacted. The sharp noise of the gun firing rapidly, the sound of the paintballs hitting the steel structure, and the splatter of the paintballs proved to be the final factor in denying the vultures a roosting site.

All vultures abandoned the property.

We continued to monitor the site, but while there were a few vultures overhead looking for lift from the cooling towers, there were no more vultures roosting anywhere on site.

Project concluded 17-Apr 2025. 

CONCLUSION
The combination of the laser and paintball proved to be an effective combination and completely eliminated any vultures roosting on site.
It is unknown if there will be more vultures returning in the future, but if so, the process can be repeated.
As of the time of this writing, a month has passed and there continue to be a few vultures soaring over the site looking for lift from the cooling towers, but there have been no instances of them using the structure to roost again. 

Got a problem with vultures, or other birds roosting on your property? Call Predator Impact for a free, no obligation consultation. We are always up for a new challenge! 

Predator Impact
​(918) 397-4091

When someone says “rat” the first image that comes to mind is the nasty, disease ridden, sewer rats, but this is an Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma floridana). They look more like a Disney character than a scabby sewer rat. 
​​

​With big black eyes, soft fur, and a furry tail, these creatures seem more like pets than pests.
Eastern Woodrats, or Packrats, commonly live in the forest and build nests that resemble beaver lodges, but this one was in an attic where she shouldn’t be! 

Despite their cute appearance, woodrats can be very destructive. Like all rodents their teeth grow non-stop and they need to chew to keep them worn down. Unfortunately, one of their favorite things to chew on is household electrical wiring. Often the first indication you have a woodrat is that the lights go out! 
Their other defining characteristic is that they are hoarders. They will gather sticks, pieces of insulation, shiny objects, and of course.... food! This leads to their common nickname...packrats. One customer had an entire 50lb bag of dogfood emptied out and carried piece by piece up from his garage to the attic above the second floor. You have to admire their determination! 
Woodrats tend to be solitary other then when a female has young, so you wont have to deal with a large infestation like you might with roof rats or Norway rats, and they are not a significant carrier of diseases, but they still need to be relocated before they can damage your wiring or plumbing. 

Think you might have a woodrat? Call Predator Impact. We can deal with him/her quickly and efficiently. 
​(918) 397-4091 

Sometimes skunks find their way into very unusal places looking for a den. We recently had to evict one from some new cabinets waiting to be installed in a new home! 

Having skunks under or near your yard isn't a cause for panic. Just call Predator Impact. We have special traps and years of experience handling skunks. We will live trap them and release them on our huge wildlife preserve. We have never had a skunks spray on a customer's property and we hope to keep that trend up! 

Call Predator Impact if you think you have skunks for a free, no obligation site inspection and we can discuss options to evict your unwanted houseguests! 

Predator Impact, LLC
​(918) 397-4091

As the weather gets colder, mice are looking for a warm place to spend the winter. All too often, they seek shelter in our homes! 

A NOISY VISITOR
For their size, few critter make as much noise as the humble mouse. They run through the ceiling, chew on wall studs and scratch looking for food or to make a nest. We commonly get calls where the homeowner believes they have squirrels, only to discover that it is just really noisy mice.
Mice can jump up to 18 inches and can climb any rough surface. There are very few areas in a home that they cannot reach. 

IS IT MICE?
The easiest way to determine if you have a mouse or squirrels is to keep track of the time of day you hear them. Squirrels are usually silent at night, mice operate 24/7. but you are most likely to to hear them at night when the house is otherwise silent. 
Mice are incontinent and leave trails of urine wherever they go. Their urine glows under blacklight and it is easy to see where they are traveling. 

EXCLUSION
It is difficult to mouse proof your house. They can enter through a hole the size of a pencil, and can flatten their bodies to slip through the tiniest cracks under doors and where the exterior trim isn't completely sealed. You can slow them down by stuffing stainless or copper steel wool into openings and install sweeps at the base of doors. Caulk up any seams or openings. Use expanding foam to seal around pipes, dryer vents, and openings in the wall where they might enter. 

REPELLANTS
There are a number of mouse repellants on the market that claim to repel mice. None that I am aware of are scientifically proven effective, especially long term, but we have had some good success with a castor oil based repellent. Time will tell if it is 100% effective, but the initial results look promising. 

POISON
Predator Impact does not use mouse poison except under very specific circumstances. Rodenticides in general are very difficult to use without risk of secondary poisoning of hawks, owls, dogs and cats. Once a mouse has eaten mouse poison, they stagger out in the open as though they were drunk and are easy prey for any predator in the area. Newer rodenticides are better than the older ones, but there is still a high risk of secondary poisoning. 
If the mouse dies in your house, you then have weeks of "dead mouse" smell until the body mummifies. 
All in all, poisons are not worth the risks and complications. 

TRAPS
Traps are by far the best method of controlling mice. Whether you choose glue boards, traditional "snap traps", or live traps makes little difference.
​The mice are attracted to peanut butter, or a flour and water dough. The best bait we use is flour with small bird seed and peanut butter mixed in. Add just a little water to make a dough and bait the traps with this. The dough hardens like a rock and the mice cannot steal the bait. 
Contrary to the wisdom imparted upon us by Saturday morning cartoons, mice do not eat cheese. They will eat it if they are hungry enough, but it is not their first choice by far. 

LIVE TRAPS 
For those that wish to trap the mice and release them ( a long way away!) alive, there are several options. 
Victor® makes a product called a "Tin Cat". 

Baited with peanut butter it will catch multiple live mice. Set it with the opening along the baseboard. Mice hug the wall when the move from place to place and this will lead them right to the trap. 

Once a mouse, or mice, are caught, you can simply carry the Tin Cat to a field 3-5 miles away and release them. 
Another option is the bucket trap. It is designed to have water in the bottom to drown the mice, but you can use it dry as a live trap as well. 

Again, bait it with peanut butter and transport the bucket 3-5 miles and open the bucket to release them. 

LONG TERM PROTECTION
The best way to head off a new mouse infestation is to have traps waiting for them when the first ones arrive. Predator Impact tries to determine where they are most likely coming from and places Tin Cat traps in their path. It may be weeks or months before a new mouse arrives. Peanut butter and other baits typically used for mice will mold or spoil by then. This is the one instance where Predator Impact advocates the use of rodenticides. Not only will mouse poison stay fresh for 6 months or more, but it also kills the mouse quickly and humanely rather than letting him slowly starve to death. 

Scientists who study these things tell is that mice have been living with humans for about 15,000 years. They quickly adapted to depend on humans for food and it is unlikely that we will ever live in a world without mice. 
Mice reproduce quickly. They can reproduce by 8 weeks old. A typical female can have up to 10 pups in a litter and she can get pregnant again 24 hours after giving birth. She can have up to 15 litters a year and can breed year 'round. One pair of mice could potentially result in a population of over 5,000 mice per year! As you can see, it is easy to have a population explosion very quickly! It is important to take action when you first notice signs of mice. 

GOT MICE? 
Predator Impact is your complete mouse solution. We will trap the mice present, lay down a repellant barrier and install Tin Cat style traps to intercept any new mice that show up. 
Call today for a free, no obligation inspection and to discuss treatment options! 

​(918) 397-4091

The calls are rolling in! All summer people have walked around their ponds and lakes and have been amazed how the beavers have "disappeared". Now that it is fall, they seem to have appeared from nowhere! Dams are showing up flooding yards and fields, trees are being cut down. Where did all these beavers suddenly come from? 

The truth is.... they have been there all along. 
In the summer, the beavers live pretty light on the land. When there isn't much rainfall (like this past summer) there isn't any water running, so there is no point in building dams. In the spring and summer, the beavers live off of pond weeds, cattails, and lilypads. They seldom cut trees of any size until the fall when they are ready to start storing food for winter. 
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​In the ;ate summer and early fall, the beavers switch to eating trees. Actually, that isn't exactly true. Beavers do cut down trees, but they only eat the cambium layer. That is the layer between the rough outer bark and sapwood. This is where all the sugary sap is stored.  

The beavers fell the trees, and trim the branches down to a size they can handle. The branches are then shoved into the mud in front of the den entrance where they will be accessible all winter, even under the ice. The pile of sticks and branches can be huge and easily seen from the shore. 
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Of course, it takes a lot of trees to get a beaver colony through the winter. 
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This tree damage is often the first and and most noticeable sign that there is a beaver problem. 

Beavers love HOA ponds, golf course water traps, and ornamental water features, and they can do a LOT of damage in just a few nights. Trapping beavers in neighborhoods and urban settings in close proximity to children and pets poses a special challenge. Predator Impact will only use live catch traps anywhere there is a risk of encountering kids or pets. 

One of our favorite live catch traps for beavers is the Koro. 
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Traps for beavers are always set in the water, but we set them in such a manner that a dog or other pet can be easily released unharmed in the unlikely circumstance that one is caught by accident. 
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There are several different styles of traps we use depending on the situation and the location. 
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Regardless of the style of trap. they are all designed to capture the beavers alive and unharmed. 
Under special circumstances, or in rural settings, there are other traps we can use that are less kid and pet friendly. 

It is rare that anyone in Oklahoma wants more beavers, and given that they can travel as much as 50 miles once released, the Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife has decreed that there will be no beavers relocated within Oklahoma. Unfortunately, beavers are one of the few exceptions to Predator Impact's "No-Kill" policy. While almost all are euthanized, it is done humanely and the animal is fully utilized. The glands are harvested for use in making beaver lure; the meat is excellent table fare; and the pelts and tails are donated to the local Native craftsmen for use in making traditional items. Nothing goes to waste! 

Contact Predator Impact, LLC at (918) 397-4091. We will be happy to come to your site and discuss the situation and options for dealing with the issue. There is never any cost or obligation for consultation!