Get those pesky moles!

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

This is for anyone plagued with moles and can't find a way to get them. These are the traps I have been using the last 3 years. They are great! I have a mole trapping business as a part time job in addition to my real job. They are made by Trap line Products. They aren't cheap but they work. If set properly you will get your moles. Here are a few I caught on Thursday.

[Bad Water Bill]

Thanks for the post.

I have moles visiting off and on for years so thanks to you I learned a few things to exterminate the pests the next time they come tunneling along.

P S
Girty refuses to eat them no matter which way I BBQ them.

[Southern Son]

Ain't you supposed to use Plastic Explosive shaped like little bunny rabbits?

[GoodOlBoy]

my great grandad had a mole trap that you pushed into line with the moles path. Once you cocked it it had a plate with long spikes protruding below it. When the mole came back along it's path and disturbed the trigger plate then it would impale the little bugger. It was part of a large group of 400+ traps for trapping, moles, and other things that my great grandmother sold for scrap metal after his death.....

GoodOlBoy

[MaryB]

I just have gophers, pick them off with the 22 once in awhile.

[captain-03]

Where can you buy them????

[Hickory]

Moles are a sign of an unhealthy lawn.
Moles will feed on grubs that are in the soil feeding on grass roots.
It is cheaper and easier to get rid of the grubs then to try trapping the moles.
When there is nothing for the moles to feed on, they go to your neighbors lawn.

[pworley1]

I have a dog that eliminated my mole problem.

[GoodOlBoy]

my lawn is eight an a half acres... my neighbors lawn is my grandmothers five an a half acres....

GoodOlBoy

[45workhorse]

Moth pushed into the tracks, makes them leave your yard and visit your neighbors.

[Frank46]

Moleasses,sorry had to do it. Never saw one down here. But few rabbits, and snakes. Frank

[RogerDat]

Moles are a sign of an unhealthy lawn.
Moles will feed on grubs that are in the soil feeding on grass roots.
It is cheaper and easier to get rid of the grubs then to try trapping the moles.
When there is nothing for the moles to feed on, they go to your neighbors lawn.

Moles will eat grubs but they also love earth worms. Absent evidence of grub damage to the lawn, or a lot of June bugs (what the grubs become) you might have a really good soil full of yummy earth worms.

I have no problem in the fenced back yard, Schnauzers have been bred for centuries as a farm dog, rodents die is in the DNA. I have seen her dig a hole in a mole tunnel, stick her nose in and sniff, then move down the line of the tunnel, dig again and sniff. Then park between the two holes with her head cocked and nose pointed at the tunnel run. Sudden pounce, digs like crazy, soon as mole back appears jerks it out of the tunnel by the scruff of it's back with her canines, tosses it up, catches it with a crunch, crunch, crunch. Sounds like someone stepping on a bag of Doritos.

Squirrels don't bother the bird feeder either, or at least not for long. Squirrel has to beat dog to fence or tree every time, dog only has to win the race once. Some squirrels are like criminals, got away with it once so they do it again, eventually they get caught. Trial by Schnauzer is very, very short. Sentence is carried out immediately.

I use spike traps in the unfenced front yard. Those spike traps work BUT the newer ones don't have the long anchor legs, and are not as tall (saving Chinese steel I guess). Lack of height means less travel down and less spring compressed so have to use a shovel to stab the ground and soften it, then scrape a bit off so I can set it deep enough the spikes go through the tunnel. One innovation, drilled a 5/16 hole though one of the "wicket" legs, ran a piece of 1/4 inch threaded rod into it. When I set the trap I put a brick on the rod, this holds the leg down so that all the force and travel from the spring is used by the spiked plate. I was seeing trap "recoil" using about half the force pulling legs up rather than driving spikes down in sandy soil. Made the spike traps much more effective.

[CastingFool]

I have one like the one GOB described. You just have to find the active runway, set it in place, fire it off a few times to ensure good penetration into the soil, reset, then just wait till it's tripped.

[waynem34]

I just have gophers, pick them off with the 22 once in awhile.

What is this 22 you speak of?

[bob208]

how many moles to make a fur coat?

[Handloader109]

Way too many to make it a worthy adventure, and the spike holes kind of detract from appearance.

[Handloader109]

Seriously, I've had several to thru my yard those year. A couple of areas were almost tilled by the peaks.
Worms and grubs.....big jucy worms. Terriers have dug a couple, but they are too interested in birds and squirrels.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Moles are a sign that there is a lot of food in your yard. They eat their weight in food everyday. Their main diet consists of grubs and worms. I went with these traps because most people don't want the unsightly above-ground traps rattling their yard. With moving metal parts it is not safe for kids or pets. Also, you run the risk of someone seeing them and stealing them. You can buy them here: http://www.traplineproducts.com/onlinestore.html

Watch videos on Youtube on setting them. They do require a short learning curve. But once you get it, they work wonders.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

By the way, one mole can do ALOT of damage. A population density of 3-5 moles per acre is considered very high. If you have a "normal" sized city yard, chances are you have just one mole doing all the damage. Occasionally I catch 2 moles in these smaller yards. The most I ever caught was 7 at a church that sat on about 1.5 acres. The damage they were doing was unreal. Kids were twisting ankles when they walked in the yard.

[Col4570]

I have had problems with Moles for about 3 years making my lawns look like a Moonscape.About two months since I browsed the internet and saw a bit about pouring Jays Fluid on each mound then watering it in to the tunnels.My Moles have disappeared to more friendlier climes.The grass looks a bit patchy but will green up eventually.The infestation was so bad that walking over the areas we could feel our Boots sink into the tunnels.Fingers crossed they do not return.