Ratting With Dogs, Mole Trapping and Rural Pest Control With Sam Tricky

Tonight's Episode

🎙️ Pest Perspectives EP 10

In this episode of the Pest Perspectives Podcast, Shaun Muller is joined by Sam Tricky from Tricky Pest Control for a fascinating conversation about rural pest management, working dogs, gamekeeping and traditional control methods.

Sam explains how growing up on a farm and beginning a career in gamekeeping gave him a strong foundation in wildlife management, tracking, trapping and agricultural pest control.

After working on large estates and shoots, Sam eventually moved into professional pest management, where he now specialises in rural and agricultural work across farms, grain stores, livestock sites and countryside environments.

A major part of the conversation focuses on rat control using trained dogs. Sam discusses how terriers, lurcher-type dogs and other working breeds can locate and quickly deal with rats in situations where bait or traps may be less effective.

Shaun and Sam discuss:

• Ratting with trained working dogs
• Using dogs to locate hidden rat activity
• Rat control on farms and grain stores
• Neophobic rats and bait-shy populations
• Reducing unnecessary rodenticide use
• Combining dogs, trapping, shooting and baiting
• Training and caring for working pest-control dogs
• Mole trapping and different trap types
• Managing large mole infestations on farmland
• Ferreting for rabbit control
• Using ferrets to flush rats from difficult areas
• Thermal imaging and night vision
• Rabbit and fox control
• Gamekeeping and wildlife management
• The importance of keeping multiple control methods available

Sam also shares how one mole-control job quickly developed from catching only a few moles to removing around 200 from a large farm, as well as his experiences using ferrets, terriers and a Bedlington Whippet as part of a wider pest-management approach.

The episode explores why rural pest control often requires a broad toolbox. Although dogs and traps can provide fast and effective results, Sam explains why rodenticides can still remain necessary in certain agricultural situations when used responsibly and professionally.

This is an engaging and practical episode for pest control technicians, gamekeepers, farmers, mole catchers and anyone interested in working dogs, agricultural pest management and traditional countryside control methods.

Follow Pest Perspectives for more honest and educational conversations with professionals from across the pest management industry.