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Wildlife Control Technology

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By Chad Arfimovich

In May 2004I started my owncompany, Atlanta \fildlife SolutionsLLC, serving the Atlanta, Georgia,arca. I had to shut it down sixmonths later, when my NationalGuard unit was called up forOperation Iraqi Freedom.

On December 9, 2004 we leftfor training, and on May 29,2005,we arrived in Baghdad. I manned a25 mm cannon in a fully armored,fully tracked, 25-ron BradleyFighting Vehicle.

For the next eight months wesaw 13 hours a day of non-stop com-bat. Some days were better than oth-ers, and sometimes I thought I dnever make it back home. You just

never knew when your time wasgoing to end. The carnage was forreal. Ive seen death, and have beenon the receiving end of severalbombs that luckily never killed any-one.'We've been mortared, rockete{,shot at with rifles and rocket pro-pelled grenades, and targeted by sui-cide bombers. On July 1 1, 2005, ourBradley hit two 155 mm artilleryrounds buried on a secondary roadnear Abu Ghraib. The rounds wererigged with two Motorola radio fir-ing devices. An insurgent was wait-ing patiently to click the devices,which detonated the improvisedexplosives and sent our vehicle overthree feet in the air, disabling it.Luckily, I escaped with only a con-cussion and minor bruises and cuts.The Bradley's hull was penetrated,

Chad with a golden jackal and a copy of WCT. Publisher Rob Eickson sent him allthe back r.ssues to read while deployed in Baghdad

and the vehicle was parted outbecause its integrity had been com-promised.

Some of our comrades in armswere not so lucky; we lost over 20men to roadside bombs or impro-

vised explosive devices. Others werekilled in vehicle rollovers or otheraccidents. Most never got to gohome to see their family or new-borns during scheduled leave peri-ods.

SEPnE,"REQ - OCTODEP' 37

During my final three months ofdeployment we manned checkpointsin Baghdad.

'While on routine

patrols I saw foxes, jackals, and otheranimals at night. I thought it wouldbe kind of cool to hunt or trap inIraq, but I didnt think it was possi-ble until we were given a new mis-sion at a nearby compound. Ourcompany would have more free timeduring our off time.

\7e were working from 12 a.m.to 12 p.m. every night at the EntryControl Point (a.k.a. Checkpoint 7).'We conducted security positions forthe entire Victory Complex, whichspanned out from the BaghdadInternational Airport, located inIraqt volatile Sunni Thiangle.

During this time I caught jackal

fever! The jackals were runningamuck near our checkpoint, andguys in my platoon razzed me aboutcapturing the beasts.

During the evening before ourshift I d go into the wooded area Control Operator's Association snap mouse traps after hearing micenear Saddamt former palace, which N\7COA) board in the Tiapping were bothering the men in our tents.has date palm trees scattered and Exclusion section, regarding my I caught about 20 mice. And Robthroughout, and squeak on my hand desire to capture a jackal. Through Erickson sent a box of about 50 backto mimic a rodent. Several times them I was put in contact with issues of \WCT. I read them whenev-jackals came in fast, only to hightail Rocco Moschetti, an Alaskan ffapper er I had free time. I was in awe thatit after seeing me in the brush. working in southern Iraq for Kellog, strangers would be so kind as to send

My jackal fever grew during the Brown, and Root (KBR), a big care packages and trapping suppliesnext r\\ro weeks. I saw them entering American contracting company. while I was deployed over there.through a 3X2-foot hole in 2 corrl: Rqqco had been hired as a PCO, but I scouted the area where ourpound wall near the checkpoint; it he was primarily trapping canines house was located. I saw plenry ofseemed they were coming in to hunt like jackals, hyenas, and feral dogs. jackals after departing the chow hallnearby farms. I heard jackals vocaliz- \7e communicated by e-mail, and he and riding my bike back to our bar-ing every night near one of our recommended that I use the racks. I also observed feathers andbunkers. Collarum, a spring loaded, canine- half eaten pigeon carcasses scattered

The location would have pro- specific snare that is triggered by the about the area, below the date palms.duced favorable results, but I never animal pulling the bait cap. I wasnt sure if this was from thedid trap there, mainly because the After more posting on the jackals, or a dog-sized wildcat thatcheckpoint was located outside the board, I was very surprised to have was observed on several occasions.wire, and too many undesirable vari- offered to me two Collarums, bait, Tiacks and scat were ever presentables worked against me. and other goodies by Craig Lewis of along the muddy road and nearby

Because I didn't have any Aardvark \fildlife Control. An addi- canal area. I continued to observefootholds or snares, I decided to pur- tional Collarum was offered by Tom jackals in the immediate area, some-chase a cage trap. I also decided to Reilly. times right outside our building, andpost on the National \Wildlife Tim Julien also sent me some even saw two engaged in courtship!

Chad placed the NWCOA logo on the back of his Bradley Fighting Vehicle, fortheresldenfs of Baghdad fo see.

camp groundskeepers, and utilized it

as a backing for my set. I dug a small

depression in a dirt bank, placing the

Collarum into it and carefully sifting

dirt over the top. After making the

last adjustment to the set, I headed

back to my dusry home away from

home.The next morning after my shift,

I finally caught a Golden Jackal. It

was a nice male, caught perfectly in

the Collarum. Like most trapped

canines it just crouched down and

stared at me with its yellow eyes. It

acted and looked like a smaller ver-

sion ofa coyote.My jackal fever never faded

throughout my last days in Iraq.

After two more weeks of trapping I

captured two more jackals and a

female wolf. In my wildest dreams I

never thought I d be capturing ani-

mals in Iraq. The guys in my platoon

thought I was crazy. Most were not

hunters and didnt really know what

trapping was about.The last three months of my

deployment in Iraq were some of the

best memories I will ever have of that

country. The experiences I encoun-

tered then will always bring a smile

to my face. For those who con-

tributed to my jackal experience, I

thank you very much. \Tithout you

this adventure would not have been

possible. I

Chad Artimovich, 1770

Independence Tiail, Cummings, GA

30040

(Editor's note: Chad. returned to theUnited States on April 26, 2006. B!Mol t his uildlife buiness um back inopnation, and his calls haue since triplzd.He has re-enlisted in the Guard.)

SEPTE{IREP = OCTOBEP' 3q

DidYou Know:

Wolvee wi l l aI Iack any

coyoNe1 lhey come

acro6e, k i l l inq Nhem i f

they can, buL not eaNinq

lhem. This behavior

oeeme Io be a canine f 'er-

r i lor ia l reo?onee, wiNh

wolveo the dominant '

canine.