4-H Events

Join MSU Extension and Montana Department of Agriculture for a very informative, comprehensive discussion about your ground squirrel control options! We'll be meeting at the Frenchtown School District Auditorium for a slide presentation and opportunity to ask a real life vertebrate pest specialist about the do's and don'ts of managing their populations.

The course has been approved for the following with Montana Department of Agriculture.
Agricultural Vertebrate Pest Control - 1 credit.
Ornamental and Turf Pest Control - 1 credit.
Rodent - 1 credit.
School Pest Control - 1 credit.
Dealer - 1 credit.
Private Agricultural Pest Control - 1 credit.
Non-Soil Fumigation - 1 credit.
Private Non Soil Fumigation - 1 credit.

Biography for Speaker:
Stephen M. Vantassel, ACE
Vertebrate Pest Specialist
Montana Department of Agriculture
625 NE Main St. Lewistown, MT 59457
svantassel@mt.gov

Stephen M. Vantassel has held the position of Vertebrate Pest Specialist for the Montana Department of Agriculture since May 2015 (https://agr.mt.gov/Vertebrate-Pests). He has over 30 years of experience in the wildlife control industry covering private, institutional, and governmental areas. He founded and ran Wildlife Removal Service, Inc., a vertebrate pest control company in Springfield, MA (sold in 1998). His experience includes handling conflicts with squirrels, moles, voles, birds, snakes, beaver, raccoons, skunks, and more. Between 2004 and 2014, he managed the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management (ICWDM.org) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His efforts led it to receive over 1 million visitors a year hailing from over 130 countries. Stephen is an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE™). Stephen has published scores of articles and several books on various aspects of wildlife damage management, including The Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd ed. He is passionate helping the public resolve wildlife conflicts in a responsible and effective manner.

This presentation discusses the management of Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus) that occur on large acreages, such as pastures, crop fields, and range. Topics include biology, their damage, and population dynamics and surveys. The remainder of the presentation details the strategies to manage the damage they cause. Control methods focus on rodenticide use with some attention on techniques suitable for cleanup such as trapping, fumigants and non-regulated methods.

Stephen M. Vantassel is the Vertebrate Pest Specialist for the Montana Department of Agriculture (https://agr.mt.gov/Vertebrate-Pests). Stephen began working in the wildlife control industry in the early 1980s when he obtained is license as a Problem Animal Control agent. In 1994, Stephen founded Wildlife Removal Service, Inc. (sold in 1998) servicing clients in western Massachusetts. Later, he spent 10 years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln managing the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management (ICWDM.org). He is an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE™). Stephen has published scores of articles and several books on wildlife control including, The Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook 3rd ed, and an update to Austin Frishman’s Vertebrate Pest Handbook. His podcast “The Wildlife Control Consultant” is available on YouTube and Rumble. Stephen is based in beautiful, Lewistown, MT, where he loves helping his fellow Montanans resolve vertebrate pest complaints.