Demonstration and Research (10), Bird and Vertebrate Animal Pests (11a), Predatory Animal (11b)
Demonstration and Research (10)
Experimental and demonstration work
This category covers people who apply pesticides to research plots, demonstration trials, or test formulations - often before a product is registered for that use.
The governing idea. Using a pesticide in a way not on its registered label is generally illegal, except under an Experimental Use Permit (EUP) issued by EPA or, for small trials, by the state. The EUP defines the product, the site, the maximum acreage, the application method, and what may happen to the crop.
Conducting the trial. Record everything: plot layout, randomization, rates, timing, carrier volume, weather, and results. Replication matters - single unreplicated strips prove nothing. Prevent contamination between plots with dedicated equipment or thorough cleanout, and use buffer rows. Watch for drift onto adjacent commercial crops.
Treated crop disposition. Crops treated under an EUP often cannot enter the food or feed supply. Destroy or dispose of them as the permit requires, and label plots clearly.
Safety. Researchers still owe workers the full label protections, reentry intervals, and PPE that a commercial application would require.
Trap: confusing a demonstration (using a registered product on a labeled site) with research on an unregistered use. The second needs a permit; the first does not.
Worked example. A company wants to test a new fungicide on Oklahoma wheat before registration. Obtain an EUP for the site and acreage, mark plots, follow the permit's restrictions on harvest and disposal, and retain records for inspection.
Bird and Vertebrate Animal Pests (11a)
Birds and general vertebrate pests
This category covers pest birds and vertebrates around structures, crops, and property: pigeons, sparrows, starlings, blackbirds, crows, geese, squirrels, raccoons, skunks, prairie dogs, and feral hogs.
Legal framework is the first exam topic. Migratory birds are protected by federal law and cannot be taken, harassed, or treated without a USFWS permit; state wildlife law adds its own requirements through the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Game species have seasons. Know which birds are unprotected versus protected.
Tools. Exclusion and habitat modification come first. Then traps, repellents (visual, auditory, chemical), and toxicants. Avicides and rodenticides are usually restricted-use, and many bird toxicants require a federal or state permit. Fumigants in burrows - gas cartridges or metal phosphides - have strict label conditions and often require the burrow to be in specific sites.
Non-target risk. Raptors and scavengers can be poisoned secondarily by anticoagulant rodenticides; carcass recovery and bait station design reduce the risk. Bait shyness limits repeated use of the same toxicant.
Traps. Assuming a rodenticide label permits bird control; treating geese like pigeons; forgetting the permit requirement entirely.
Worked example. Starlings roosting in a warehouse: start with exclusion and perch modification, then consider a labeled toxicant baiting program only where permitted, and confirm the species' status and any permit obligations first.
Predatory Animal Pests (11b)
Coyotes, foxes, and large predators
Predatory animal control protects livestock, poultry, and property from coyotes, foxes, bobcats, feral dogs, and similar species. It is the most tightly regulated vertebrate category.
Devices and their rules. M-44 sodium cyanide devices, livestock protection collars containing sodium fluoroacetate (1080), gas cartridges, snares, and foothold traps all have specific legal frameworks. M-44s are restricted-use, must be placed and checked per the label, require warning signs, and are generally limited to use by or under the supervision of certified applicators in designated situations. Livestock protection collars are extremely limited and typically restricted to authorized government programs.
Federal and state overlay. USDA APHIS Wildlife Services conducts much of this work. Oklahoma hunting, trapping, and furbearer seasons and licensing run through the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Endangered species - gray wolf, black-footed ferret, and others - must never be taken; identification before action is mandatory.
Safety and non-target concerns. Devices must be sited away from roads, homes, and areas accessible to people and pets. Carcass and device disposal follow the label, and secondary poisoning of scavengers is a real concern with compound 1080.
Trap: treating a predatory animal problem as a general vertebrate problem. The devices are specialized and the permits are real.
Worked example. A producer reports coyote losses. Confirm depredation first, then use nonlethal tools such as fencing and guarding animals before requesting a device-based program coordinated with Wildlife Services.