Friggin MOLES....

[nextgenar]

This is the best trap and setup I have seen and used. There are a couple of local professional mole / gopher trappers working for farmers around here who use this trap and method.

I use this type all the time I caught one in my lawn on monday with one.

 

[edslhead]

Fill the tunnels with a generous amount of acetylic gas, ignite from a safe distance. Then re seed the area and grow your lawn back.

 

[Black Dog]

I don't know about Washington but in Oregon you can go to most Feed Farm Stores and buy a 27 gage mole gun. They are legal here. The 27 gage is a blank, concussion gets them. The mole gun cost around $89. But it is something you will have forever. If you put a bucket over it put some weight on it to hold it down.

 

[308]

Put dog poop in the hole and cap with a dirt ball.

Not sure if they don't like poop. Or dogs?

That actually works really good. I used to put the GSD poo down the hole and flush it down deep with the garden hose.

 

[CoastRange57]

Fill the tunnels with a generous amount of acetylic gas, ignite from a safe distance. Then re seed the area and grow your lawn back.

We used a variant on this to get some pocket gophers in a clover field some years ago. Poured some gas in a couple holes and then my buddy threw his cigarette down the hole. Big old "whump" and then flame shooting out of about 7 other holes. Seemed to work pretty good. Amazing what you will do in your late 20's after drinking a case of beer.

 

[oknow]

This is the best trap and setup I have seen and used. There are a couple of local professional mole / gopher trappers working for farmers around here who use this trap and method.

Did you watch the bozo on the video right after this one. Watch a mole dig.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I do pest controla for a living.

By far the best means of eradication is trapping.

If the other junk on the market worked, hell... not only would we use it, we'd sell it!
So essentially just the pincer traps are your best bet. There IS a method to it.

Moles UNLIKE Gophers are nomadic!
You may have a ton of activity one week and ZERO the next depending on past activity and surrounding landscape. Remember to smash down ALL activity to better aid in tracking the mole activity.

Moles are also nonsocial except when breeding. Catching multiple moles in a medium to small sized yard with no large surrounding landscape's such as forests or farm fields next to..it is very very unlikely you have more than one mole.
Many times does "mole specialists" who charge per mole will rip innocent folks off by saying they have caught 2-7 moles when really they have caught just one. In the suburbs generally speaking you will only catch one mole at any given time.. other moles may discover the run but it is not immediate unless during their breeding season.
A mother mole will kill her pups if the pups do not leave the den soon enough, again they are not social creatures.
To track activity make sure you stop down all surface mounding and snaking.

Also make sure you are not trapping the wrong target pest:
if you have small holes with little paths worn out in the grass you have Voles. If you have just small holes in your yard these could also be a number of things.. Take a picture and PM me if you arent sure.

If you have very dry soil and you are unable to locate any significant runs that are 12 inches or less then you probably have gophers they are not common in suburban areas. But they do appear from time to time.
They "can" tunnel as deep as 2 to 3 feet.. The water, gas, smoking and zinc phosphide work well on these guys as they make dens and food storage areas (yes, really.. Food storage areas)

Back to moles:
Place traps nearest the freshest mound.
NO NOT on it, they use that run to push dirt out, prod with a rod around the mound to find the "run" follow that a few more inches away from the mound THEN place your trap. Cut off its linear path via the trap (so its forced to go through it.

Make a clump of dirt and rest the trigger right on it, darn near sprung.. As close as a hair trigger as you can make it.

then COVER the hole. Moles HATE airflow. They "may" plug up the run you just trapped if you leave it open. Cover it with a bucket and plug up any area around the bucket that also allow air in.

DO NOT use traps in shallow "snaking" runs.. These are day use runs only and RARELY are used again. Its about a 10% chance you'll snag them in a shallow snaking run.. But follow the said snaking run and probe around nearest the end of the snaking run, odds are it went down to a "main run".

All other old wives tales are BS.
I do this for a living. Any questions PM me.
Remember, the longer you allow the mome to play in the yard the more subterranean tunnels will be left.. This is BAD because other moles can and will find these runs and eventually do further excavation without being seen as soon.

Also, if near the foundation.. While not "common" moles CAN and WILL tunnel under a house depending on soil type and the slope of the foundation of the house
(i.e. houses built on hills) trap out ASAP!

 

[jbett98]

Some mole hills are a one use only by the mole.
Stomp down the all the hills in your yard, then set the traps in a hill that pops back up, those are a main tunnel, so focus on those repeat hills only.
I place two traps per hill in main runs. The downward sloping tunnels are always at right angles to each other, that way the mole doesn't fill up the opposite tunnel when he's excavating the one he's in.

I dig back a ways (about 8") from the center of the hill and make sure to soften up the ground were the trap jaws touch the bottom of the tunnel (it helps the jaws clamp shut faster).
I also sharpen the angle on the trip rod so it's more of a hair trigger when set.
I recommend placing a sturdy wood box or plastic recycling curby box with a chuck of concrete over the traps, instead of a bucket.
A bucket can be tipped over too easy and last thing you need is a small child grabbing a trap with their little fingers.

My two year old daughter found one that was in a neighbors strawberry patch. He had forgotten it was in there.
She came running towards me holding the jaws with her little fingers, and by some miracle he had forgotten to flip off the little safety catch that loops over the active trap, so when she pulled it out of the ground the safety catch prevented the jaws to close all the way.
I about had a heart attack when I saw her with that trap in her hand.

 

[CoastRange57]

Moles will also seek the path of loosest soil. I installed sprinkler systems in various sizes in yard, golf courses and sports fields. Moles like the trench's up to 3 years after installation until the soils have completely settled. In summertime, they will seek out the lines because of the lower soil temperatures. They are a real problem on golf courses because of the heavy water use and loose soils, particular on the greens surrounds.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

the trap above works ok.. but look into the squeeze trap type. its a longer trap. my 10 year old is a gopher trapper over here in idaho. the rancher pays him and the county pays him. hes trapped up to 7 a day.

 

[Classic]

I watched my neighbor drive off and went the the last and newest mole hill. This happened to be at the top of a slight incline... I opened the hole and poured about a quart of my magical solution so it ran down the slope. I'm thinking my problem is gone (I'll report in a few days)
What she don't know, wont make her biach at me

 

[robertg]

I use a tablespoon of used motor oil in each new mound, they never come back to that hole again.

 

[notazombie]

I've had great results with Molecat. MOLECAT - The Best Way to Get Rid of Moles, Gophers, Ground Squirrels and Rats

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

 

[boogerhook]

When I read the subject line, I was wondering whether you were talking about false flag posters ;-)

 

[Bon Sauvage]

I've had great results with Molecat. http://www.molecat.com/


+1

 

[Classic]

25 hours later and no new (or reformed) mounds.
Keeping my fingers crossed that I killed the little Bubblegum

 

[Classic]

33 hours and looking good! Antifreeze and moles.... Life is wonderful because that little sucker didn't make it into my yard (missed me by 3 feet)

 

[Classic]

2 new holes so I picked on the highest hole and put 1/2 gallon down it. I'm hoping it's just taking a little longer to kill that little f-er

 

[blackadder]

You can also get sonic mole chasers. The one I got on Amazon had good reviews, and I no longer have hills popping up in my back yard.