Getting rid of Moles/Voles

[jwmorris]

Maybe something like this?

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/234551-gopher-plow.html?highlight=Gopher+plow

 

[Deere Dude]

A few months ago we had something in our garden eating enough of tomatoes to ruin them. I set up some mouse catching buckets which is 3 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket, a little ramp and then some sunflower seeds sprinkled on the water surface and on the ramp. I caught 3 things that looked sort of like rats but plumper and now I think they may be voles, which I never heard of until today.

My BIL saw some mounds that looked like trails just under the surface of the ground an said they were voles. I am going to try my mouse buckets and see if I can catch any before I spring for something drastic.

 

[Bird]

Bird,
I walk the area that the mole(s) is working and select what looks like a fresh and main tunnel. I use the Victor Model 0645. My best traps are from the 70's. Then I bought a couple in the the 90's. This spring I bought six more......the same model number. Each purchase was a slightly different design..with the same model number. With a total of 12 traps either set all in one area or at different sites, I usually get the critter(s) in the first 24 hours.

After the first day or so, the mole is either caught or has moved on. One mole can look like a whole army working your yard.
Cheers,
Mike

Thanks, Mike. I tried that trap first and then this one from Northern Tool:
Around the Home Metal Mole Trap, Model# | Rodent Control| Northern Tool + Equipment

Maybe the problem is only using one trap and maybe I missed my guess about where to set it.

 

[heehaw]

i haven't had much luck this year, only one mole caught: but i usually set out several traps: they seem to be going deeper this year, so the traps are hard to set an get them to reach as deep as the run is.

 

[jlgurr]

I probably have 35 moles in the yard right now. The tunnels are everywhere. And I've tried 2 different kinds of traps and have not caught or killed a single one. What's the secret to your success?

The most effective deterrent is eliminating their food source. We got rid of the grubs and the moles moved out.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[check]

It looks much like this. The Prairie Dog holes are deeper and getting the surrounding ground to blast upward is rare. rodenator - Bing video

That's hilarius! Reminds me of how we used to blow stuff up with firecrackers when I was a kid.

 

[tcartwri]

I recall watching our Husky hunt them. She could hear them under the grass and follow them until they popped out. I thought it was a fluke until she did it several times in a row.

 

[oldballs]

i haven't had much luck this year, only one mole caught: but i usually set out several traps: they seem to be going deeper this year, so the traps are hard to set an get them to reach as deep as the run is.

On any tunnel one needs to press it down with the sole/heel of your boot before setting the trap.

 

[oldballs]

Thanks, Mike. I tried that trap first and then this one from Northern Tool:
Around the Home Metal Mole Trap, Model# | Rodent Control| Northern Tool + Equipment

Maybe the problem is only using one trap and maybe I missed my guess about where to set it.

I've seen that scissor trap, but it is almost twice as expensive as the spike model. My experience is that the setting of the trap is the key however.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Voles run on the surface and the traps I have seen are basically mouse traps with a plastic tube over top. One set at each end. They don't like the light and like to run under the grass.

Moles hate fresh air and if you are in the proper tunnel (one they use a lot - but can be hard to define) they will come and plug up holes. Thus the traps are put into an exposed hole, with a bucket overtop to prevent accidental tripping and keep the light out a bit.

No nothing about gophers.