MOLE ELIMINATION SYSTEM

[Iowa Badger]

MOLE ELIMINATION SYSTEM

Any reviews of this video? You know, the $75 one.

[SgtWal]

Moles are so easy I wouldn't spend $1 on it. Let alone $75.

[Steve Gappa]

the only mole trapping experience I have is with the old Victor spike traps- and I hate them %^% things.

My dad could set one and get a mole every time- I can't seem to make them work.

I tend to stay off of mole jobs- if a farmer asks, I just lend them the traps and say good luck.

But- I know I'm loosing money by not doing it- so

whats the best mole trap out there- and whats the most efficient way to catch them?

[SgtWal]

I make a bunch of money on moles. And I hate to give away the key to catching them but here it goes.
The best trap depends on your soil and weather conditions. In most uses I use the Out-o-Sites by Victor. They're strong enough to close under the most wet and sticky conditions.
I stomp down the tunnel and cut 2 slots with my spade, I use an old entrenching tool, that match the trap width. This isn't so much to let the trap close easier, as to move rocks out of the way and avoid jams.
What ever trap you use, or how you use it, the real key is to know which tunnel will be used.
Moles make 2 types of tunnels. They live in a world that is 4 hours on and 4 hours off. They hunt and feed for 4 hours , then rest for 4 hours. They dig dens and resting areas below over head cover. That is where the dirt in the "mole hills" comes from. Just like an old coal mine they dig a tunnel to the surface and push out the extra dirt. The dirt does NOT come from right below, but from an angle to one side. As a side note don't stomp them down. Shovel them up and scatter them. The grass will spring back and the next rain will wipe away all traces.
Feed tunnels are made as a mole follows the traces of worms and insects through the ground. That causes the random patterns. A mole may never return to these tunnels.
Connecting the feed areas and dens are travel tunnels. The mole keeps these open and hunts them daily. In clay soil these can become all but invisible. The mound will compact, and the sun will bake them into something like a pipe.
Look for tunnels that travel several feet with no branches or few curves. In clay look for faint trails, a finger tip wide, where the grass is short, stunted, or gone. These will often follow fences, driveways, buried cables, or sidewalks.
Moles assume disturbed soil has food in it and they will search carefully. That is why they dig up gardens and flower beds.
Best sets are the travel tunnels, and choke points where they pass through between border stones, or anything that they cannot lift to tunnel under.

$75 please.

[Steve Gappa]

Good advice and I thank you. Im thinking that the reason my dad caught moles, and I have empty traps- is he knew about the 2 types of tunnels.

[trapperjoemo]

VERY GOOD Sgt. !
I would add... gang-setting makes a huge difference too. And, you don`t have to check traps everyday either.
I also get calls all winter for mole trapping. We always seem to have a place or two that is dry enough to prevent a hard freeze, and the mole hills can show up anytime. I do try to wait for warmer weather though. I find the traps (Victor speer type) I use will conduct enough cold thru their steel to cause the trap to freeze in and not work dependbly in these cold temps.
The Victor speer type trap is my favorite (so-far). Just as the Cinch gopher trap is hands down the favorite among knowledgible western gopher trapping pros.

Joe

[jalexander]

Thats some real good info SgtWal

Thanks.

[trapperjoemo]

If you didn`t already know the info given by SGTWAL, a video by a woman named Margy Darling ? will tell all that and more.
The cost on it over 10 years ago was $75.00 Well worth the price as much info was not available then.

Joe