This course is designed to accredit participants in the humane destruction of animals including livestock, native wildlife (where applicable) and feral animals.  Additionally there is a major focus on safety and the legislative requirements for owning, using, transporting and storing firearms.

This course is a necessity for private contractors or government staff involved in livestock, native animal or feral animal management. 

Unlicensed participants can attend this training.  Completion of a P 650 police declaration is required as a pre-requisite for unlicensed participants.

Course Length

The course runs for 2 days.

• Subjects Covered
• Legislation (state specific)
• Firearms safety (including terminology)
• Firearm handling practical
• Marksmanship (zeroing, grouping at different ranges with different calibres)
• Humane destruction of animals (anatomy and calibre/firearm selection)
• Fitting a scope and bore sighting
• Cleaning and maintenance
• Use of a firearm in confined spaces (vehicles)

• Assessments:
• Written test
• 35m rimfire assessment (.22 LR; .22 WMR; .17 HMR)
• 100 m centrefire assessment (.308, .223 or equivalent)
• Safe handling observation

Cost

Full course: $690 plus GST for the 2 days. Includes instruction, certification and loan of firearms if required.

Re–Accreditation: $410 plus GST for the 1 day.  Includes instruction, certification and loan of firearms if required.

Pre License Safety Certification: $100 plus GST.Ammunition supply: $50 plus GST.  Ammunition can be supplied for common calibres for unlicensed participants. 

This course is a three day package which is designed to accredit participants in leg hold trapping of predators (wild dog, fox, feral cat).  It also covers cage trapping and where relevant pig trapping with panel traps or net traps.

This course is valuable for feral animal control contractors, LLS Biosecurity staff, Forestry staff and conservation agency staff where knowledge of leg hold trapping is necessary for the conduct of internal trapping programs or where staff are employing contractors and need to be able to understand the steps in trapping to ensure value for money is achieved.

This course is based on the following 6 stages of trapping:

• Stage 1 – Equipment Preparation
• Stage 2 – Identification of predator sign
• Stage 3 – Trap Site Selection
• Stage 4 – Trap Setting
• Stage 5 – Use of Decoys
• Stage 6 – Inspecting your Traps

Course Length

The course runs for 3 days.

Subjects Covered

• Animal welfare legislation; trapping SOP’s (standard operating procedures)
• Feral animal biology/ecology (feral cat, wild dog, fox, feral pig etc)
• Understanding human scent and the effect on trapping
• Understanding feral animal travel ways
• Camera setup and employment
• Predator calling (predator calls, wild dog howling)

Assessments

1. Written test
2. Predator sign observation
3. Trap tuning observation
4. Trap setting observation

Cost

$1750 plus GST for the 3 days including instruction, certification, loan of trap kits and all meals and accommodation.

This course is designed for professional pest animal controllers who will be involved in aerial shoot programs contracted via government or private land management organisations.

Course Length

The course runs for 5 days.

Subjects Covered

• Legislation (CASA, Workplace Health and Safety, animal welfare, firearms)
• Helicopter safety – approach/departure, attachment to aircraft, emergency procedures
• Firearm safety
• Firearm handling (degrees of firearm readiness)
• Firearm strip and assemble; cleaning
• Marksmanship (ground)
• Marksmanship (aircraft)
• Pilot commands
• Humane destruction
• Planning and conduct of aerial shooting programs
• Data recording

Assessments:

1. Written test
2. Strip/assemble and clean rifle and shotgun
3. 25m and 40 m rifle ground assessments
4. 25 m shotgun ground assessment
5. Aerial marksmanship assessment (paper target and live target)

Course Cost

$3500 course fee plus helicopter costs

Approximate helicopter cost (approx. 1 hour: $1000 – $1500).

This course is designed for government employees or contractors involved in preparing and distributing registered bait products.

Course Length

The course runs for 2 days.

Subjects Covered

• Target Identification: determining specific vertebrate pests and choosing appropriate bait types
• Program Planning: assessing workplace hazards and calculating correct bait quantities
• Safe Handling: transporting, preparing, and applying controlled poisons (such as 1080 or PAPP) safely
• Bait preparation and poisons used
• Regulatory Compliance – signage, notifications, distance restrictions
• Record keeping
• Monitoring bait stations and uptake

 Assessments

1. Written test
2. Practical observations – preparing baits, transporting baits, identifying signage locations  

Course Cost

$650 plus GST

This course is 6 hours in duration and is designed to accredit participants in the use of captive bolts for the euthanasia of livestock or feral animals.

This course is valuable for any employees involved in the euthanasia of livestock or feral animals where the preference is to use captive bolts in preference to firearms.

Course Length

The course runs for 6 hours.

Subjects Covered

• Animal welfare legislation
• Captive bolt SOP’s (standard operating procedures)
• Types of captive bolts
• Safety precautions
• Use
• Aim points
• Cleaning and maintenance

Assessments

1. Written test
2. Practical assessment – live firing (correct handling technique, loading, firing, unloading, cleaning)

Course Cost

$400 plus GST.  Includes all instruction, accreditation and use of captive bolts and      ammunition.

This vertebrate pest course involves the completion of the following units of competency over a 5 day period.

• AHCPMG 305 – Survey Pests
• AHCPMG 307 – Apply animal trapping techniques
• AHCPMG 412 – Develop a pest management plan
• AHCPMG 413 – Define the pest problem
• AHCPMG 312 – Use poison baits in rural and environmental landscapes

This course is valuable for any employees of relevant state government agencies, private contractors and private companies.

This course is based on ensuring participants can do the following at the completion of the course:

• Implement relevant monitoring programs by deploying cameras correctly
• Define the pest problem in terms of species, impacts, where it is, vulnerabilities, control options etc
• Develop a pest management plan that includes identifying the problem, selecting control options, monitoring and review etc
• Be able to implement leghold trapping programs and pig trapping programs
• Understand all legal control options for vertebrate pests and how they can be used in an integrated manner
• Be able to prepare baits, conduct risk assessments, lay baits, dispose of baits
• Have a good understanding of the biology and ecology of the main vertebrate pest species in Australia.

Course Length

The course runs for 5 days.

Subjects Covered

• Camera setup and deployment
• Managing camera data
• Biology and ecology of the main vertebrate pest species
• Vertebrate pesticides
• Pest management planning
• Principles of vertebrate pest control
• Risk assessments
• Control options available – trapping, baiting (aerial/ground); aerial shooting, thermal shooting
• Bait preparation

Assessments

1. Numerous written tests
2. Numerous observation assessments

Course Cost

$ 2900 plus GST.  Includes all instruction, accreditation, lending of trap kits etc; all meals and accommodation.