Wildlife strikes cost U.S. civil aviation hundreds of millions of dollars a year by FAA estimates, and the most famous forced landing in modern aviation, US Airways 1549 on the Hudson, was a flock of Canada geese.
Birds and wildlife near runways are a flight-safety issue, and the species driving the risk are often the ones loitering between the runway and the fence line every day. As a licensed North Carolina Wildlife Control Agent and a private pilot, I bring a working knowledge of airport operations to the work: movement areas, NOTAMs, radio procedure, and why a contractor wandering an active airfield unannounced is not acceptable.
Wildlife control on an airfield is a permitting question as much as a wildlife question, and the species determine the path. Some of the highest-risk birds, starlings and pigeons among them, are unprotected in North Carolina and can be addressed immediately with no permit. Most others are federally protected, and lethal control requires a depredation permit from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, supported by a USDA recommendation and, where the facility has one, an FAA-approved Wildlife Hazard Management Plan. I work within that structure, either under a facility's existing permit as a named subpermittee, or by helping pursue the authorization the situation requires. Hazing and dispersal need no permit at all and are often the right first move.
Where lethal control is warranted, I use suppressed precision air rifles: quiet, contained, and appropriate around aircraft, fuel, and structures. Because many local discharge restrictions on firearms do not extend to air rifles, the tool also simplifies the legal picture on fields inside municipal limits; local rules vary, and I confirm what applies before work begins. I provide depredation and habitat management for general aviation and county fields up through regional facilities, on a one-time or ongoing contract basis. If wildlife is showing up in your safety reports, contact me to discuss your field.
I take on this work throughout Alexander, Iredell, Catawba, Wilkes, Caldwell, and Burke counties, and farther for the right job.
No. Hazing and dispersal require no permit and are often the right first move, and several of the highest-risk species, including starlings and pigeons, are unprotected in North Carolina. Federally protected species run through USFWS depredation permitting, and I can work under your existing permit or help pursue what the situation requires.
Yes. I hold a private pilot certificate and understand movement areas, NOTAMs, and radio procedure, and every job is coordinated with airport management so operations are never surprised by wildlife work on the field.
General aviation and county fields up through regional facilities, on a one-time or recurring contract basis, across the western North Carolina foothills.
Request an inspection and I will follow up to schedule a visit, or call or text (828) 352-8266.