Thread: Taranaki Pest Controllers

Hey fellas,

Was wondering if any of you would know of any pest operators in the Taranaki area that would be keen to take on a young man. I've spoken to Garry from Wild Animal Control New Zealand, and unfortunately he's unable to take on someone at this stage. I'm not to fussed as to what the work would be, I just want to get my foot in the door and learn.

If this post isn't allowed, let me know and I'll be sure to take it down 👍

Cheers

Everyone likes a keen young fella.

I don't know if there are very many in Taranaki area mate . You mite have to consider out of Taranaki as well ? And also think about shooting for a petfood outfit if that's your thing .

Originally Posted by HILLBILLYHUNTERS

I don't know if there are very many in Taranaki area mate . You mite have to consider out of Taranaki as well ? And also think about shooting for a petfood outfit if that's your thing .

I wasn't aware petfood places got people to shoot for them. I might have to have to look into that. I imagine it's mainly possums? Thanks

you could try Jason Hart Back Country Contracting based out of Palmeston North long shot be warned though they are a top outfit some of the best hunters out there very fit and operate over a lot of NZ

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

you could try Jason Hart Back Country Contracting based out of Palmeston North long shot be warned though they are a top outfit some of the best hunters out there very fit and operate over a lot of NZ

I'll give it a shot and see what he says. Best to try and fail, versus not trying at all.

Trap and Trigger. NZ wide, based in Upper Hutt.

https://www.trapandtrigger.co.nz

Many pest control roles require a fair bit of training and certification up front, (4WD cert, 1st Aid, Quad, Chainsaw etc). If a new hire completes this training but decides after sniffing their first soupy hedgehog that a more genteel career might be their thing, it can get expensive for the employer. So often times, younger people who through no fault of their own, have little or no history on their CV, will struggle to convince an employer that they won't be that way.

In saying that, we have several young people on our team at work, a couple of them are in their first real job and they are contradictions of the 'young people these days' stereo type. Always on time if not early, and never complaining. Also hardly ever seem to be on phones either.
Being younger helps with energy levels and ability to recover quickly from a big day on the hill, which is an advantage in the industry. So being young is not necessarily a barrier to getting a job in pest control.


One of the most proactive things you could do right now, is join a volunteer trapping group or two, and get stuck in. This will give you a massive advantage in the job hunt, as it is a solid indication of motivation, shows you are still keen even after getting your hands dirty, and means you even come to the table with a little bit of experience. You will also be able to interview better due to having some context and understanding when you take questions. Real experience beats blind enthusiasm any day of the week.

The link below gives you a good start on some industry specific information, if you like reading and learning, the knowledge here will give you an advantage in most industry interviews

https://www.bionet.nz/library/

When I think of anything else, I will post it up.

very good advice longshot when I was with the Forest service we gave a 3 month trial 3 from 5 did not make it as a culler - one of the biggest reasons was not being able to camp away from civilization for extended periods - nowadays its 10 days likely max- we used to do 3 month stints without coming out of the bush - and yet many young people struggle with 5 days - so some training you could do quick no 1 cooking learn to cook new employer will appreciate that - no 2 GPS/ map use become a guru much used and needed - no 3- get a first aid certificate - no4 quad use and 4wd use whatever you can get a certificate will help - any trapping hunting experience you can get - and most important dont be a know it all smartarse ( sorry young ones but many of you are full of it ) and good luck

Good point on the cooking Barry, our team used to camp, but after two of them spent three days eating cold baked beans with water lapping at the door jambs (cyclone Gabrielle) management decided they didn’t want that to happen again. But the contractors still camp and I remember being asked at my interview if I was capable of cooking dinner for six.

When you work all day with people and then they have to eat your dinner too, some can get quite emotional if you serve 2 minute noodles and an overnuked mince pie.
People that put in a bit more effort on the after hours cooking and hospitality make a real difference to team cohesion and morale. (Important when you’re spending more evenings with your colleagues than with your wife!)


I also strongly second the bit about GPS/Map. If you can get good grasp of Arc GIS / Trap NZ / Field Maps that helps a lot.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Trap and Trigger. NZ wide, based in Upper Hutt.

https://www.trapandtrigger.co.nz

Thanks for letting me know that they operate nation wide. I've sent them my cover letter and CV. Now to hope for the best.

Originally Posted by Quick

Thanks for letting me know that they operate nation wide. I've sent them my cover letter and CV. Now to hope for the best.

My advise would be don't sit back and hope for the best. Give it a few days maybe up to a week then give them a call. Hey just a follow up to see if you got my cv? Is there anything else I can send or is there a chance to meet or video call to talk about any opportunities coming up?


Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

you could try Jason Hart Back Country Contracting based out of Palmeston North long shot be warned though they are a top outfit some of the best hunters out there very fit and operate over a lot of NZ

@Quick,if you decide to approach Jase for a position,be aware that he requires his hunters to have a fully trained proven working dog.He doesn't treat his business as a training ground for newbies so go in with eyes wide open.best of luck

@Quick, what is your current line of work, age and previous hunting experience?

Can you house multiple dogs at the moment and are you able to work away for 10 days at a time? The dogs and working away usually rule out most people wanting to get into it before they get too far.

Come down south to Canterbury or Otago, there are heaps of jobs for keen young people in pest control.