Pest Control

Rats

Being a municipality that borders another province, the M.D. of Bonnyville participates in the Alberta Rat Control Program that is intended to prevent the introduction and establishment of Norway Rats and rabies disease. Farm inspections are carried out at all farm sites and acreages within the first two ranges along the Saskatchewan border to detect and control any rat infestations that may occur as rats attempt to cross over into Alberta. Bait is provided to residents living in those areas to assist in preventing the establishment of rats on their property. With respect to rabies control, any suspect animal may be destroyed and the head submitted to Health Canada for diagnosis of the disease. If a positive case is confirmed, a general depopulation of skunks may be conducted in the area where the confirmed case originated.

Beavers

The M.D. of Bonnyville has available the services of a qualified blaster to remove beaver dams that cause flooding of farmland and/or property. Dams on fish bearing streams and rivers cannot be removed by blasting during the period from April 16 to July 1 according to federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans regulations.

Grasshoppers

The M.D.’s grasshopper control program is put into place only in years of determined need. The program consists of M.D.-funded roadside ditch pesticide spraying in conjunction with landowner-funded crop spraying.

Coyotes

The Municipal District of Bonnyville No 87 will implement a Coyote & Wolf Reduction Incentive Program for the 2012-2013 winter season.  

Following are the details of this Program:

  1. The M.D. will pay an incentive of $15.00 per coyote & wolf killed during the five month period from October 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013.
  2. To qualify for the incentive payment, the coyote & wolf carcasses must be taken to the ASB/Public Works Shop north of Bonnyville. Call 780.826.3951 prior to bringing the coyotes in for the incentive payment to assure there is someone there to verify the number of animals. When bringing the animals to the shop for verification, please cover them with a tarp to avoid displaying them to the general public, especially if you plan on stopping in town to do some shopping.
  3. Only whole, unskinned animals are accepted for payment; pelts are not eligible for payment.
  4. Wolf may be hunted(but not trapped) without a license during all seasons, as follows:
  1. On privately owned land by the owner or occupant of the land, or by a resident with permission from the owner or occupant.
  2. On public land by a person authorized to keep livestock on the land, or by a resident who has written permission from that authorized person.

        The above authorities to hunt wolves extend to lands within 8 km (5 mi.) of the land described above, provided the authorized person or resident has right of access.

  1. Coyotes may be hunted (but not trapped), without a license, at all times of the year throughout the province:
  1. By a resident who has right of access to hunt on lands that are not public lands within the Green area;
  2. By the owner or occupant of privately owned land, on the privately owned land;
  3. By a person maintaining livestock on public land,  or
  4. *On lands described in c) that are in the Green Area, by a resident who is authorized in writing by the person described in c).

                              * These pelts must be salvaged.

  1. Trappers will be asked to provide their Registered or Resident Fur Management License number when bringing carcasses to claim the incentive payment.
  2. Residents living within the M.D. of Bonnyville boundaries will be eligible to participate in this program and will be asked to provide the legal land location where the animals were trapped or shot.
  3. Residents are advised that it is illegal to sell whole or unskinned carcasses to anyone other than a fur buyer.
  4. The ASB staff will cut the left front foot off the carcass to identify it as having been paid the $15.00 incentive.
  5. The carcass will be returned to the owner who will be responsible to dispose of it properly.
  6. Animals that originate from outside the M.D. boundaries, or are brought in by a non-resident of the above noted areas will not be accepted for payment under this program.

 

This program may terminate at an earlier date than the March 31, 2013 deadline subject to budget limitations. Please phone ASB office @ 780.826.3951 to make an  appointment. The ASB staff has the right to disqualify carcasses if they suspect they do not meet criteria.  

For information on regulations governing the use of snares for coyotes, please contact the Fish & Wildlife office at780.826.3142 or 780.594.7876.

Gophers

The M.D.’s Agricultural Services Department, as a certified government agent, sells strychnine bait products to farmers for the control of Richardson’s Ground Squirrels (gophers). The program runs in the spring, when population control methods are most effective. Please check back here in the spring for further information and a downloadable Strychnine Purchase Form.