12 gauge gopher/mole trap!

[roar9roar]

That is a monster! Thanks for posting that. I was thinking something much smaller you could put a bucket over. I have seen pictures of the in-the-hole type mounted on rebar. But that is very cool.

 

[Izzy]

What happened to your photo, Dipstick?

 

[Izzy]

You guys are funny. Just use the regular mole traps. There is a reason us professionals just use the simple claw pinch traps.. they work.

But I love hearing all your stories and innovations. And heck, this is America so why not right! Over kill is just fine as long as it accomplishes the same job but in a cooler method.

If you don't plan on eating what you kill, than there is no such thing as, "over kill"!

 

[Juve Cop]

I know that the more stringent law always applies & Yes any thing that fires a bullet, projectile round.....has to be approved by the Feds first. I have this to offer for folks in Oregon though...

From the 2012 Oregon Revised Statutes
166.320¹
Setting springgun or setgun

(1) Any person who places or sets any loaded springgun, setgun, or any gun, firearm or other device of any kind designed for containing or firing explosives, in any place where it may be fired, exploded or discharged by the contact of any person or animal with any string, wire, rod, stick, spring or other contrivance affixed to or connected with it, or with its trigger, commits a Class B misdemeanor.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to any loaded springgun, setgun, firearm or other device placed for the purpose of destroying gophers, moles or other burrowing rodents, and does not prevent the use of a coyote getter by employees of county, state or federal governments engaged in cooperative predatory animal control work. [Amended by 2011 c.597 §164]


Just a thought...hope this helps....check with the local District Attorney (You are paying them after all).

Juve cop

 

[clambo]

My neighbor did the road flares and I notice the moles also stay away from his yard more. I think the sulphur contaminates the whole tunnel system.

I have good luck trapping and occasionally shooting them while they dig - I just nail them as soon as they come in the yard.

You kind of have to make a game out of it or they will drive you crazy.

I make sport of it. Carry an H&R Topper single on my lawnmower. The mower seems to bring them to the surface then, pow. Shooting/hunting while mowing makes it a lot more fun. I also managed to ninja up on one and whack it with a 2x2 once....got him ! couldn't do it again on a bet but it was very satisfying !

 

[kj2yg1]

I believe Oregon statute 166.320 states that it is legal to have a set/spring gun for burrowing rodents.
If anyone can point me in the right direction for a shotgun shell trap let me know. In the mean time I will be in
the garage with my tools trying to figure it out.
Just saw the Juve Cop post. I'll still be in my garage.

 

[shootnscoot]

 

[SheepDog223]

Nothing wrong with asking questions. The guy could have posted a new thread but then the group would have gotten on him because this topic had already been talked about.
Can't never win with some folks.

 

[FourTeeFive]

Resurrecting this ancient thread, but the moles haven't gone away.

I just got a Molecat. Did some quick testing with a Hilti .27 #5 blank. The Molecat ones are physically longer and definitely much more powerful. Going to look for some long .27 caliber blanks at the local industrial supply shop. Set it in the backyard and had it go off very early in the morning. I think the mole pushed a lot of dirt into it and that is what triggered it. Dug around a bit and couldn't find a body, but I now have a better sense of the mole tunnel paths and will set it again. Time to hunt some moles...

 

[roar9roar]

I believe Oregon statute 166.320 states that it is legal to have a set/spring gun for burrowing rodents.
If anyone can point me in the right direction for a shotgun shell trap let me know. In the mean time I will be in
the garage with my tools trying to figure it out.
Just saw the Juve Cop post. I'll still be in my garage.

Resurrecting this ancient thread, but the moles haven't gone away.

I just got a Molecat. Did some quick testing with a Hilti .27 #5 blank. The Molecat ones are physically longer and definitely much more powerful. Going to look for some long .27 caliber blanks at the local industrial supply shop. Set it in the backyard and had it go off very early in the morning. I think the mole pushed a lot of dirt into it and that is what triggered it. Dug around a bit and couldn't find a body, but I now have a better sense of the mole tunnel paths and will set it again. Time to hunt some moles...[/QUOTE

I have been told to leave the body in place as the stink will keep others from taking up residence. When i get the occasional skunk I bury that down the tunnels as well. No mercy!

 

[dyeager535]

I just got a Molecat. Did some quick testing with a Hilti .27 #5 blank. The Molecat ones are physically longer and definitely much more powerful.

I recall the guy at the store I got them at saying he knew of Molecat being the only thing still using them.

Powers 50614, I have the box of them on my shelf so I know that is correct.

I also believe those are the most powerful "blanks" out there.

I need to reevaluate my methods, I killed moles with the molecat back when I first started posting to this thread, and was mole free for 2+ years. They've started to come back, and are not nearly as easy to kill as the last ones. These will leave holes open for months (or forever with some of them I've noticed) even if they had just made the mounds.

One thing I learned in all this time, is that one or two moles make it look like there are hundreds of them. Open a tunnel (I normally do the mounds hoping to get only one tunnel so they can't sneak into the "back" of the molecat where it won't trigger) and if they plug it within a night, open it back up, and emplace the molecat. If they make mounds elsewhere and don't mess with the molecat, make sure you are emplacing it "scent free". I use opening the mounds as a test that I am doing so with tools that aren't going to keep the moles away. As well as making sure they are still in that area.

Oh...and not watering/fertilizing your lawn works as well, as long as it dries out. I know many don't like that, but I'd rather not deal with moles at all, and the work associated with keeping a nice grazing area for them going. Kind of self defeating...nice lawn, moles have forage, and they tear it up. Dormant grass, no moles.