Jena Finally Killed a Mole!

[MossRoad]

You want to set the traps on the main tunnels, not the feeding areas that look like messed up carpet grass.

Put your heel into what you believe are the main tunnels every 10' or so. If you see a branch tunnel, put your heal in about a foot from each junction. If your heel prints get pushed back up in a day or two, that's an active run. Set your trap in the same location as your popped-up heel print.

Don't bother trying to trap mounds. Mounds are where moles push up excessive dirt from their tunnels. When they push the dirt up, it will trigger the trap well before the mole gets there.

What I like about the out 0 sight traps is that it straddles the tunnel and traps from either direction.

When the moles drained our swimming pool, I'd had enough. That was in August, and I started trapping. I got 29 that year. For the next 4-5 years, I stopped counting at 50 each year. After that, they finally thinned out and I got about 10 each year for 4-5 more years, and now I get less than 6 per year.

At the peak, I'd get 2-3 per day some days. I'd get two from the same hole in a few hours. It was like some kind of horror movie.

 

[NoTrespassing]

We teamed up to get another mole yesterday. We sat there watching him push one of her annual flowers up out of the ground for about 10 minutes before we could get a good shot at him. I know they're only supposed to eat worms and grubs but he sure tore the heck out of that plant's roots , you could actually hear it. I ended up popping him out of the ground with a shovel and she ran him through with the potato fork. She was one happy gardener let me tell ya.

Kevin

 

[Bird]

For the last 2 or 3 years, the moles dug a lot of tunnels in our backyard. This year, none in the backyard, but they've almost destroyed our front yard. And I've had no luck at all with a couple of different kinds of traps. My wife thinks I should call one of the exterminator companies and see what they could do.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Wow, my wife just texted me on my way to work this morning and said she got another mole, this time in the vegetable garden rather than the flower garden. That makes 3 moles the old fashioned way. We used a shovel to pop them out of the ground and then run em through with the potato fork! What fun we're having, lol.

Kevin

 

[SARG]

Keep in mind there are moles and there are "voles". The voles eat the vegetation. Look much the same and create similar damage.

 

[the old grind]

Bird, most all of the traps work well ... but not everyone has the same soil/conditions, so those of us with the most success have refined our sets to accommodate. I sometimes use a 'directional' type in opposed pairs, have had doubles when doing so, .. and dinged fingers when setting them. I usually blame 'false trips' on voles, whose tiny access holes are evident in many runs.

Victor's OOS is one of the simpler to set (least to dig for) so highly recommended but like most requires the narrowing of the tunnel that moles try to squeeze thru' and trigger. If you call on the pros, watch 'em close and ask for tips to DIY. You might only be needing them once.

Kevin, don't let anyone tell you the carnivores won't dig up roots/plants. (you proved otherwise ) Ever notice ants swarming around weeds you pull? They might tunnel there for moisture when things get dry but that's also when worms go deep. When ants are disturbed and scamper they're easy prey for moles that'll push up flowers etc to get at them in dryer conditions.

Sometimes it's just plain fun to go 'paleo' on 'em, reminds of traditional hunting with the satisfaction of a body, if not a meal.
Sir, you and the lovely lady are an inspiration to the rest of us. :thumbsup: Keep up the good work!

 

[oldballs]

Around my place, a "vole" don't look anything like a "mole".

But Jena and Kevin could probably get a job with the CIA, considering the talent they have turning up secretive characters.:laughing:

 

[NoTrespassing]

I'm positive these are moles not voles. I've caught voles and shrews here before but they don't have the big digging feet and claws.

Kevin

 

[MossRoad]

Keep in mind there are moles and there are "voles". The voles eat the vegetation. Look much the same and create similar damage.

A vole is mouse-sized. Moles are 3 times the size or more.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Here is what we have killed 3 of that have been tearing up the roots of flowers and vegetables.

Kevin

 

[MossRoad]

I'm positive these are moles not voles. I've caught voles and shrews here before but they don't have the big digging feet and claws.

Kevin

That's a mole. You know it.
There's probably some good worms or grubs around your flowers and veggies that they're nosing around for. I've got a few videos of them moving plants around in my garden. I'll have to look for them sometime. Its one of only two or three times I've seen them working in person. The other hundreds were dead in the traps.

So for the Victor out o sight traps, after I've found and active tunnel with the heel stomp and wait for pop up method, I set the trap across the tunnel to see where I need to make the two slits perpendicularly across the tunnel. Then I use a garden trowel to make the slits and press down the area of the tunnel between the two slits. That collapses the tunnel. Then I arm the trap, set the safety, push the scissors into each slit until the pan is resting firmly against the collapsed part of the tunnel. Here's the hair trigger part.... gripping the cocking levers I push the trap deeper until the pan trips the trigger. I then lift up just a bit, reset the trigger on the very edge of the pan and ever so slowly release the cocking arms just until there's enough pressure on the trigger to hold. Then I remove the safety, then I let go of the cocking arms and let them fall to either side. I keep my hands away from the trigger bar. That thing hurts like heck if the trap trips and it flips up and smacks your fingers!

Then the trap is set.

For very soft soil or sand, you can pop-rivet a canning jar lid to the trigger to increase its surface area. I think this increases the chances of it getting tripped before the sand falls away from the trip pan.

I'll bet I averaged 19 out of 20 sets catching a mole with only 1 in 20 false triggers back when I had the original infestation. I was quite proud of those numbers. :laughing:

 

[NoTrespassing]

Thanks for the trap setting tips. I think that will work better than what we've been doing. On the other hand, Jena just got MOLE #4 today! She popped it out of the ground with a shovel again and then chopped it with the shovel. It was in her vegetable garden.

Now she want to get another rabbit that's been in one of her flower gardens. We got one with the air rifle but there's one more.

Kevin

 

[the old grind]

Sear rabbit parts (back, hind quarters) in skillet. Cover in OJ and simmer/stir as the juice cooks down. Top up juice (once) and reduce liquid to a sort of a glaze. Add onion, if desired, and stir/sear to pick up the glaze. (2-3 hrs total).

Serve solo or combine with rice, stir fried, stewed vegetables of choice and 'get even' for the critter(s) eating the Mrs' garden. btw, the cook earns/deserves dibs on the back (best) part.

You knew that.

Happy hunting, folks.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Sear rabbit parts in skillet. Cover in OJ and simmer till juice cooks down. Stir and top up once and cook down to a sort of glaze. (2-3 hrs total). Add stir fried or stewed vegetables of choice and get even for eating the Mrs' plants. btw, the cook earns/deserves dibs on the back (best) part.

Happy hunting, folks.

Before the first frost?

Kevin

 

[the old grind]

Get 'im yet? ()

OK ... live trap, add flea collar, feed til cooler weather when you can bag a few more for the freezer or a feast?

I mean, ... the lady isn't digging up the bait ...

jon

 

[MossRoad]

Thanks for the trap setting tips. I think that will work better than what we've been doing. On the other hand, Jena just got MOLE #4 today! She popped it out of the ground with a shovel again and then chopped it with the shovel. It was in her vegetable garden.

Now she want to get another rabbit that's been in one of her flower gardens. We got one with the air rifle but there's one more.

Kevin

DANG! I've seen exactly TWO active moles in the ground in my entire life and she gets 4 in a couple weeks! Perhaps she has a wee bit more patience than me. :laughing:

 

[RandyT]

All you have to do is what the ends of the tunnels and you can see the dirt moving. I got one this past Friday, but i used a Ruger 1022 auto rifle.

I have been known to use a 12 gauge.