mole traps question

[Hawgdawg]

I know they are not legal in WA.  Anyone use the EZ set mole trap? And are they worth the money? Thanks for your imput.

[Mulieman]

I use a Colt 45. 

[SnakeEyes]

Never used one but would be courious to hear from someone who did. I have trapped many moles but have my doubts that this trap would work well. There is no way to tell where the tunnel is when you stick the trap in the ground. Also, tunnels can be really deep or shallow. I would think the success rate would be low with this trap. More of a luck type of thing but I could be wrong.

[Hawgdawg]

Never used one but would be courious to hear from someone who did. I have trapped many moles but have my doubts that this trap would work well. There is no way to tell where the tunnel is when you stick the trap in the ground. Also, tunnels can be really deep or shallow. I would think the success rate would be low with this trap. More of a luck type of thing but I could be wrong.

I feel the same way. Sounds good and they want big money for them.

[dayn]

Victor out of sight is my trap of choice, I have about 50 of them, tried albanos trap but couldnt seem to make it work, the tunnel(dufus) trap is killer in certain circumstances.

[HuntandFish]

Where gloves, the less scent you leave the more success you will have

Thanks,
H&F

[owmygulay]

I have no experience with the ez set but have had really good luck with the victor out of sight. Avoiding leaving any scent is important.

[ICEMAN]

Want mole trap advise? Search "moleskin thong", username Rasbo.

[BLR 243]

Albanos traps are the way to go. 50 moles and counting my pasture is pockmarked with them.

[dayn]

Albanos traps are the way to go. 50 moles and counting my pasture is pockmarked with them.

To be honest I only have four, and probably have'nt given them as much of a trial run as I should because I'm so used to out of sites, I ordered the bigger size as Steve said they might or might not work on our bigger townsends mole, he wasnt sure if they were big enough (he lives in cali and doesnt have that species) My question....Where abouts are you, and are you catching the townsend mole with this trap? Thanks in advance...

[Mudman]

The victor traps work well once you learn a few tricks.  I have noticed that the soil type is a big deal whether or not you catch one.  I do well at my place but at dads it is very hard to catch em.  He has more sandy soil and I have black rich dirt. The best mole trap is a modified shotgun shell down trap!

[losdaddy7]

The absolute best traps are molepro.   

[dayn]

The absolute best traps are molepro.   

I'd rather have 2 sisters in a whorehouse and a brother thats queer before I would invest into molepro....

[dayn]

Having said that, guys, you dont need to wear gloves, these are not coyotes, if you have diesel or gasoline on your hands, yea, ya might want to wash up, but no, moles do not shy away from your trap because you set it barehanded, frankly they dont care, they are looking for worms, grubs and any other protein source, and the fact is, you want your fingers to get dirty, you're gonna probe, oh boy are you gonna probe, the more you probe the more you end up smelling like dirt, I have never in my life met a trap smart mole, they dont think that way, sure they do sense danger, but its usually in the form of an open run where they can sense a break in the atmospheric pressure: Not sure if thats the correct terminology, but I'll go with it.

Dont make it any harder than it has to be, this is for newbies.

Remember, moles have two levels of tunnels, the shallow tunnels and the deep tunnels, when it is warm and wet, generally the moles will run on the upper tunnels because they are chasing their prey the earthworm, when things start to dry out on the surface, well, the worms are gonna go down deeper and moles being moles are gonna follow suit.

Moles do not hibernate in the winter, If they did they would die, their metabolism does not allow them to sit idle for long periods of time.

I have to eat and go to bed,been a long day, but I'll give you a tip, if you see mole hills in an area even as far away as 30 feet from a fence line, I dont care if its barbed wire, wood fence, whatever, thats a drip line, most times if you take your probe(You do have a probe right?) and probe it, you will find a super highway that has been used for years and years, its like a blind set for a mink only underground.

[Mudman]

I have a spot out back where the moles migrate to my property.  When I see moles across field on neighbors pop up then I will set a trap at this spot.  Half the time I will get em as he moves my way.  The other half, well it can take some time.  I average 4-5 a year.  No gloves, i get dirty.  I dont cover em up.  Its all how ya set em and dirt type also.  My tip is dig out just big enuff for trap to fit and dig out inch deeper where trap sits down below tunnel floor.  I pack a little dirt mound just below trigger and sprinkle rockless dirt over it.  Set trigger as lightly as you can.  Avoid sandy dirt if ya can.

[losdaddy7]

Peat Moss works well. 

[Hawgdawg]

The victor traps work well once you learn a few tricks.  I have noticed that the soil type is a big deal whether or not you catch one.  I do well at my place but at dads it is very hard to catch em.  He has more sandy soil and I have black rich dirt. The best mole trap is a modified shotgun shell down trap!

Mud Man, could you pm me your plans for making one. I have seen  them in the past but don't remember the engineering. Hawg

[Hawgdawg]

I might need a bigger trap for this Mole Digger. My redneck racing machine

[whitey]

I agree with the gloves arent needed.
I ran a Nuisance Trapping business for many years and trap a chit load of moles, The only reason Id wear them is if my hands were getting cold.
It doesnt hurt to wear them but take em or leave them. They dont have a fear for man like a yote or bobcat.

[WSU]

Does someone want to explain the process?  I've had hit and miss success trapping moles, but have plenty around. 

Typically, I set them in the mound.  I dig down until I find the 2 tunnels coming in and set the trap in between.

[blacktailcody]

I use a Colt 45. 

40s&w or a 12 gauge work good too.

[Mudman]

Choose your spot wisely.  If it is a good straight run then   Akso I dig the bottom an inch deeper for trap.  This is a big deal for my success. I mound and pat firm dirt below trigger and sprinkle a little loose dirt then cover with chunk of sod.  Some light and air seems to be ok.

[WSU]

How much dirt do you add?  Enough to fill the hole and tunnel?

[Mudman]

No I dont fill it.  I clean it out well, dig inch deeper where trap sits and build dirt mound under trigger flap so trigger is almost touching dirt.  Then sprinkle a few small handfulls over entire hole and trap.  Flip sod over and done. I dunno if this is correct but I get about 66% of the time they go thru.  The little moles are tuffer to catch.  I have a few mole hills from time to time until I get em but my neighbors have about a hundred!

[dayn]

Choose your spot wisely.  If it is a good straight run then   Akso I dig the bottom an inch deeper for trap.  This is a big deal for my success. I mound and pat firm dirt below trigger and sprinkle a little loose dirt then cover with chunk of sod.  Some light and air seems to be ok.

Here's a shortcut, Once I establish line of travel, I take the setting tongs and open up the jaws, push the out o sight as deep as I want it to finally rest, I then let the jaws close, at that point you will pull up a rock or encounter a root or most times neither of these,( if You run into roots, take out your pruners and cut them) if its neither of these I do it once more to make sure, if its good to go, I make my speed bump and lay the trap in my premade spot (note, Ive been having good luck attaching 1/2 pvc pipe to the bottom of the trigger, thus bypassing the dirt mound step) I then fill the soil to the depth of the pivot point of the jaws (above the mole tunnel and line of travel)  Always set at least 3 traps for every mole you estimate, in other words, I f You think there are 5 moles in that acre set 15 traps(in good straight runs of course), most people make the mistake of setting too few traps.


Before You even set traps, do Your probing, do Your prospecting, a good tool, is a metal rod with a semi blunt end, one inch up from the end, grind or ream out a circumferance a little bit in to the rod, when you push into the ground you will notice a differance when it gives, so you probe to find straight runs or mole superhighways, and yes many moles will use the same highway, like I said earlier, dont overlook the drip spots under all manner of fencing, and of course they like concrete edges to travel, though some spots are harder to set, once you start catching them, you will be in their head and think like them(Thats a scary thought), like I said they are not cagey , they are just intersted in catching worms, grubs and other morsels, if you have any questions feel free to ask...

[TangoU]

I use the Victor out of sight trap at my house. Once a mole hill appears, I set the trap(s) and usually am succesful in killing all the enter my yard within a few days.  For me there are four tricks to success:

1. I'll dig the mound right up or find the highway between two mounds. Excavate and put the trap down.  I'll put up to a half dozen traps (all I own) out as soon as I see a mound, in as many paths of the highways that I can find.  The key in this part is to put a speedbump directly under the trigger.  The speedbump is a small mound above the highway floor. The mole was to craw over / through this speedbump to get through, thereby hitting the trigger.

2. I put a quart mason jar lid under the trigger and on top of the speedbump.  The lid expands the size of the trigger dramatically and helps insure the mole cannot scoot around the trap. I push the trap down on top of said mason jar lid and speedbump such that the it's basically a hair trigger.  Any movement on the speedbump or mason jar lid will set the trigger and capture your mole.

3. For me they are usually in my lawn, though I've trapped them in the dirt, too.  When they are in the lawn, I gently replace the sod around the hole I dug so that the roof on the highway is intact.

4. I put a bucket or planter upside down on top of the trap.  This makes it dark, even in the day light.  Black planter boxes work the best because they keep it darkest during the day, too.  I usually put a rock on top of the bucket or planter.  This also serves as a notice to my kids to stay away and also keeps other animals (dogs and cats) away from it.

Finally as an added bonus, when I kill one, I bury it right back in the highway.  As a message to all mole-kind that if they come into my yard they will surely die. 

[MuleySniper]

Good topic! I finally got frustrated with cinch traps. Frustration turns to anger. Anger turns to building a trap that uses a 12 gauge shell lol. Should work great. I have to move the stake adjusters to the front so a five gallon bucket fits over it. Ill add a pic. Anyone interested in building one I have a step by step picture album of the build just pm me.
MS.

[WSU]

I have not been doing the speed bump.  I'm going to have to figure out how to make that work.  I think my main problem is the moles are able to get around the trap or push dirt up into the trap.

When building the speedbump, doesn't filling the hole with loose dirt negate the speedbump effect?  Or, do the moles simply dig through the loose dirt and get killed trying to go over the harder bump?

[kisfish]

good info from everyone. Going to kill a few myself now that you have me thinking of it.

[Mudman]

If the dirt is sandy it seems that they are more likely to push dirt up thru trapand not set it off.  This is when the lids or washers help trigger it.  Loose dirt just seems to be natural.  The speedbump they will dig thru as they stay on the bottom of original tunnel.

[Mudman]

No Luck?

[Mudman]

If this doesn't work ill wait until tomorrow and donut from a computer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

:chuckle:nope.

[TangoU]

I have not been doing the speed bump.  I'm going to have to figure out how to make that work.  I think my main problem is the moles are able to get around the trap or push dirt up into the trap.

When building the speedbump, doesn't filling the hole with loose dirt negate the speedbump effect?  Or, do the moles simply dig through the loose dirt and get killed trying to go over the harder bump?

yeah, you have to build the speedbump.  Necessary for success. I don't fill the hole with loose dirt, but I do put sprinkle some dirt around the highway hole on either side of the trap.  If your dirty is sandy, get some dirt from another spot in the yard.  Something to build that speedbump.

[Mudman]

Ya i sprinkle a few handfuls not fill it.

[TangoU]

I also believe the quart mason jar lid is necessary for success.  The surface area of the trigger needs to be as big as you can get it.

[Mudman]

That is very different then what I was expecting.  Great idea! I like it and the form stake anchor idea is very clever.  Adjustable all thread trigger awesome too!

[deadwoodbuck]

the tunnel(dufus) trap is killer in certain circumstances.

i have a 1/2 dozen of these and they seem to work great.  probe between mounts for a run...dig out a chunk of sod...compact the dirt in the run or place a chunk of brick on the floor...this keeps them on top of the floor of the run...place the dufus trap in the run on top of the brick...cover the hole with some cedar shakes...throw alittle dirt on top...come back in a couple days...have cleaned them out of my land and simple to use...

[Alpinist]

That's a great trap design MuleySniper. I wonder if a lighter weight version using .22 shotshells would be as effective.

[dayn]

I use the Victor out of sight trap at my house. Once a mole hill appears, I set the trap(s) and usually am succesful in killing all the enter my yard within a few days.  For me there are four tricks to success:

1. I'll dig the mound right up or find the highway between two mounds. Excavate and put the trap down.  I'll put up to a half dozen traps (all I own) out as soon as I see a mound, in as many paths of the highways that I can find.  The key in this part is to put a speedbump directly under the trigger.  The speedbump is a small mound above the highway floor. The mole was to craw over / through this speedbump to get through, thereby hitting the trigger.

2. I put a quart mason jar lid under the trigger and on top of the speedbump.  The lid expands the size of the trigger dramatically and helps insure the mole cannot scoot around the trap. I push the trap down on top of said mason jar lid and speedbump such that the it's basically a hair trigger.  Any movement on the speedbump or mason jar lid will set the trigger and capture your mole.

3. For me they are usually in my lawn, though I've trapped them in the dirt, too.  When they are in the lawn, I gently replace the sod around the hole I dug so that the roof on the highway is intact.

4. I put a bucket or planter upside down on top of the trap.  This makes it dark, even in the day light.  Black planter boxes work the best because they keep it darkest during the day, too.  I usually put a rock on top of the bucket or planter.  This also serves as a notice to my kids to stay away and also keeps other animals (dogs and cats) away from it.

Finally as an added bonus, when I kill one, I bury it right back in the highway.  As a message to all mole-kind that if they come into my yard they will surely die. 

Thats a great tip I hadnt thought of, I'll have to give that a try, thanks!