About us

In the beginning…

Wildlife capture established itself as a profession with homemade equipment in the late 1960’s.  Biologists needed a way to catch-and-release wild animals so they could begin the management process of collecting data.  Most were left to their own devices and a range of contraptions were invented with varying degrees of success

Our History

Our company began as a biology-based wildlife contracting team here in the USA, offering helicopter live capture and animal live-trapping services.  We worked all over North America, mainly in the southwest, and reaped a bit of experience in Africa and New Zealand, too.

In 2000, when we first started offering our live capture services, we still had to build most of our own equipment, nothing was commercially available.      

OWNER/BIOLOGIST - It wasn’t exactly how I saw it coming, but I am as equally thrilled to be a business owner as I am a wildlife biologist.  All I ever wanted was to be in the field and work with animals.  Work closely, with animals.  As a field technician, I worked for a few state game and fish agencies, university research programs and private companies capturing black bears, deer, bighorn sheep and others! 

My personal experience started professionally in 1991, capturing black bears in the state of Maine.  Then there were a few years of research, capturing deer and elk in Arizona, feral pigs and goats in California.  The first time I saw a helicopter-crew capture animals in 1997, I knew it was for me.  A few years later, I was sitting in the back of a MD 500 helicopter, doors off, flying over old Mexico.  I was a “shooter” and a “mugger” in the best way imaginable, living a life better than I ever dreamed.  We captured 1,000s of animals, for the greater good of us all, I hope!

But like most field work, it was seasonal.  I would spend my winters catching and counting the deer and bighorn sheep of Sonora.  In the summers, I picked up a few capture contracts where a helicopter wouldn’t work.  So, I needed something that could go with me.

I decided to invest my money in a drop net.  Which again, meant building my own.  I had experience working on several projects across the country by then and witnessed how drop nets could effectively catch anything a biologist was willing to put their hands on.  After a few prototypes, I found a machinist and an electrical engineer who helped me realize my concept.  We came up with a design that held and dropped the net on command.  Every time.  And it was SILENT!  That’s all I ever wanted from my equipment!

But, I still needed a net.  After seeing the nets I shot out of the back of the helicopter land on thousands of animals, I knew the net had to be right too.  I went through several net builders over the years.  Now, I have a network of net crafters that can make any type of net possible. 

It all came together...

TODAY

Drop nets are the flagship of WildlifeCapture.com.  We have added other tools to our catalogue, to ensure the very best performance.

Our products continue to reach new markets we never knew existed.  We ship this equipment all over the world for interesting and exciting projects. 

We have become a valued technical resource for animal live-capture products, designing and building nets to conserve our greatest natural resources.

The same pride goes into every box we ship, as a piece of us follows every animal that is successfully released, unharmed.

Thank you for your support!

Tyler Gehr
Owner - Biologist - Field Tech

SUPPORTING CONSERVATION GROUPS ALL OVER THE WORLD

The need for this equipment is crucial and pervasive.  Researchers capture wild animals to fit them with GPS transmitters so we can better understand and protect them.  Animal rescue groups use our equipment to reunite lost pets with their owners or give medical attention to the sick and injured.  Conservation groups use the same equipment to start and protect new populations of threatened and endangered species all over the world!

We’re here to support each of these magnanimous efforts, the best way we can:

United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Arizona Game and Fish Dept., Animal Rescue League, Humane Society, California Game & Fish, Pelican & Seabird Rescue, Inc., Institute for Bighorn Sheep, Quick Catch - Florida, Wild Sheep Foundation, Texas A&M University, Critter Control, Texas Tech, Truly Nolan, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wyoming Game & Fish Department.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

Consultations are available. Would you like to discuss these options and see which is best for your project?  Or, just need a quote for your financial oversight committee?  We’re here to help!  Call us today and we will be happy to answer all of your questions.