Getting rid of Moles/Voles

[pitt_md]

I don't mean to "hijack" this thread, but what about Prairie Dogs? We have horses, and if a horse steps in a prairied dog hole, it's a good chance he can break a leg. NOT GOOD.

So, can one use the same methods previously discussed for Moles/Voles on Prairie Dogs?

I don't want to use any kind of poison. Too much collateral damage possible to critters who might eat the dead.

thx

I have horses too and my pastures are now free of the evil critters but I let my yard go...

 

[newbury]

I've only seen two nonpoision systems work,
One is using Mole Chaser Windmill Covers 100ft. Diameter | Rodent Control | Northern Tool + Equipment a mini-windmill.

Of course you might get the same results and a tax reduction with a http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200320201_200320201.

The other is what my dad used in Essex Center, Vermont in the 1960's. Similar soil, frost conditions to the OP.

He generally waited until near the 4th of July.
He'd buy a few bags of the small firecrackers.
Step 1. Since he smoked, he'd light a cigarette.
Step 2. Walk around the lawn till he found a mole hole.
Light a firecracker.
Drop it in the hole.
Step on the hole.
Repeat step 2 till all holes were found.

I imagine it would work without the cigarette.

/edit - note this solution does not require wind, just do not do it barefoot.

 

[Redneck in training]

I haven't tried the Juicy Fruit thing, but it sounds simple and easy. Not much luck with the traps. Better luck with the 'gasser' smoke bombs.

I've also flooded the tunnels with a lot of water.

I know of an old timer that keeps a poorly tuned lawnmower engine for the sole purpose of blowing exhaust gas into the tunnels.

The ultimate tool has to be the Rodex 4000 or the Rodenator which I haven't tried. (pretty spendy) I wish they were plans for making one of those...

YouTube - Rodex 4000 Kelly
YouTube - Boom-Boom (bye-bye moles) #4

This happened years ago in the Czech Republic. Friend of mine complained all summer about disappearing tulips and other flowers from his garden. He couldn't figure out why they were disappearing from the middle of the flowerbed while there weren't any footprint or other sign of disturbance on the surface. Winter came and he once a while visited his garden where he had a small shed. While there he would make tea or coffee on propane burner. One very cold day the burner wouldn't stay lit but he felt that there was some liquid inside the tank. He disconnected the regulator turned the tank upside down and released the water in snow cursing the cheating propane supplier. Shortly after his neighbor showed up, lit a cigarette and threw the still burning match on the snow. The whole garden exploded and there were all his tulips flying everywhere. The moles or whatever animals were pulling the flower down and stored them in a cavity underground. Needless to say nobody got hurt just both guys were freaked out. The propane mixture in Czech republic is different in the summer and in the winter. Since the summer mix is mostly butane it wouldn't, after all the propane is used up, evaporate and create sufficient pressure in the winter so his burner wouldn't work. It put end to disappearing flowers for quite some time.
Just wait for very cold day and fill the holes with cigarette ligher fluid and throw a match on it.

 

[alltoys]

I have horses too and my pastures are now free of the evil critters but I let my yard go...

Here is a great gopher catcher.

http://leestrapworks.com/

 

[RonMar]

This happened years ago in the Czech Republic. Friend of mine complained all summer about disappearing tulips and other flowers from his garden. He couldn't figure out why they were disappearing from the middle of the flowerbed while there weren't any footprint or other sign of disturbance on the surface. Winter came and he once a while visited his garden where he had a small shed. While there he would make tea or coffee on propane burner. One very cold day the burner wouldn't stay lit but he felt that there was some liquid inside the tank. He disconnected the regulator turned the tank upside down and released the water in snow cursing the cheating propane supplier. Shortly after his neighbor showed up, lit a cigarette and threw the still burning match on the snow. The whole garden exploded and there were all his tulips flying everywhere. The moles or whatever animals were pulling the flower down and stored them in a cavity underground. Needless to say nobody got hurt just both guys were freaked out. The propane mixture in Czech republic is different in the summer and in the winter. Since the summer mix is mostly butane it wouldn't, after all the propane is used up, evaporate and create sufficient pressure in the winter so his burner wouldn't work. It put end to disappearing flowers for quite some time.
Just wait for very cold day and fill the holes with cigarette ligher fluid and throw a match on it.

Propane is heavier than air, so it naturally goes to the lowest point in the tunnels. In doing so, it displaces air and will not necessarilly mix with it. Without injecting air or O2 along with the gas, the odds of getting the exact combustible mix along the length and depth of a tunnel system would be pure luck. And if those conditions existed, they would not exist for long as the heavier gas would separate and concentrate into it's own lower area with the air setting on top. Even the ones with O2 injected along with the gas need to be fired in a reasonably short time before the gasses separate. Injecting gas alone, the only area where combustion would be possible is the narrow layer where air and gas meet, and that is likley to be a ways down the tunnel. A very slow trickle of gas down the tunnel might leave a combustible air/fuel mix along the tunnel untill the gas pooled at the bottom and forced all the air up and out.

I have convinced some to move on to greener pastures(or perhaps even killed them) with gas alone. I find one end up a tunnel system, preferably on the downhill side. Using an old arrow shaft with a pointed knock end with a few holes in the tube near the point, I probe the ground and I can feel when it penetrates a tunnel or void. Connected to the other end of the hollow pointed arrow tube is a hose to a propane bottle. At the top of the tunnel system, I find a tunnel and open it to the air. I turn on the gas and go wait till it starts pushing air and gas out the top hole. No flame involved, as you do not know what other holes may be open, and if ignited, you may find yourself standing in an inch or two of burning gas that has spread out over the ground and has a large surface area that has a combustable air/fuel mix... CO2 gas would do the same thing, only better. It has no odor, and could present a lethal situation before the critters could run. It also triggers, at least in humans, a panting reflex which causes the lungs to purge whatever O2 they have left.

Cut sections of road flare, lit and sealed in a tunnel seem to also drive them off for a while. I get about 3 good sized 5 minute pieces out of a 15 minute road flare, and they cut real clean and easy with a sawsall and metal blade... Auger hole with cordless drill auger, lght flare section with bic lighter, drop in hole, and set a board or something over the opening. Real nasty smoke...

 

[charlz]

charlz, the Rodenator works because the gases will go way down in the ground where the dens are. you find the tunnel and expose it and pump the gas mixture in and light it up. You don't need to pulg the tunnels.

In my experience with my propane system if you have an open tunnel the gasses simply go to atmosphere and your explosion is greatly reduced. With pocket gophers keeping everything contained (they seal their tunnels) I have had explosions that will rip up the ground for 50 feet and through dirt 30 feet in the air

My system does use smaller components though and I let it 'bleed' longer so that may be one of the reasons.

 

[Redneck in training]

Propane is heavier than air, so it naturally goes to the lowest point in the tunnels. In doing so, it displaces air and will not necessarilly mix with it. Without injecting air or O2 along with the gas, the odds of getting the exact combustible mix along the length and depth of a tunnel system would be pure luck. And if those conditions existed, they would not exist for long as the heavier gas would separate and concentrate into it's own lower area with the air setting on top. Even the ones with O2 injected along with the gas need to be fired in a reasonably short time before the gasses separate. Injecting gas alone, the only area where combustion would be possible is the narrow layer where air and gas meet, and that is likley to be a ways down the tunnel. A very slow trickle of gas down the tunnel might leave a combustible air/fuel mix along the tunnel untill the gas pooled at the bottom and forced all the air up and out.

I have convinced some to move on to greener pastures(or perhaps even killed them) with gas alone. I find one end up a tunnel system, preferably on the downhill side. Using an old arrow shaft with a pointed knock end with a few holes in the tube near the point, I probe the ground and I can feel when it penetrates a tunnel or void. Connected to the other end of the hollow pointed arrow tube is a hose to a propane bottle. At the top of the tunnel system, I find a tunnel and open it to the air. I turn on the gas and go wait till it starts pushing air and gas out the top hole. No flame involved, as you do not know what other holes may be open, and if ignited, you may find yourself standing in an inch or two of burning gas that has spread out over the ground and has a large surface area that has a combustable air/fuel mix... CO2 gas would do the same thing, only better. It has no odor, and could present a lethal situation before the critters could run. It also triggers, at least in humans, a panting reflex which causes the lungs to purge whatever O2 they have left.

Cut sections of road flare, lit and sealed in a tunnel seem to also drive them off for a while. I get about 3 good sized 5 minute pieces out of a 15 minute road flare, and they cut real clean and easy with a sawsall and metal blade... Auger hole with cordless drill auger, lght flare section with bic lighter, drop in hole, and set a board or something over the opening. Real nasty smoke...

It was butane that stays liquid at -0.8C =31F or lower. That day was realy cold way below freezing point so the butane seeped down to the holes as liquid with only small amount of vapor leaving enough O2 to explode.

 

[BigE_]

I got enough requests for my mole shooter plans that I've decided to just go ahead and post them here. The plans aren't that good, but are easy enough to follow.

Note that these are not my plans, and this is not my story...

http://sbigelow.freeshell.org/MoleTrap/Mole.htm

Enjoy at your own risk. If you have kids or pets around, I highly recommend a wire cage staked down around the trap, or better yet, just not using this.

 

[ampsucker]

i'll be the first to chime in and say that thing looks incredibly dangerous!

seems like you could easily end up with a mini pipe bomb in your yard or at the very least, the roofing nail would be ejected up at great velocity? what about accidentally setting it off when you are arming it?

seriously, please, we need more first hand info from someone who's actually used this thing! i personally would allow the moles the run of the property before setting this thing up.

it would be satisfying to hear that 12 gauge go off and know that a mole had met his end, though....

amp

 

[RonMar]

Aaahh Peace thru superior firepower