Moles in Eastern WA??

[HighCountryHunter88]

So, there is a critter(s) in my backyard that needs to die!! mole mounds everywhere! I was under the impression there were not moles this far east, am i wrong? if its not a mole what else make mole like mounds near spokane area? And how do i make them go bye bye? I thought gophers but there are no open holes just mounds. my dogs can smell em and are digging up the mounds making an even bigger mess!!!

[quadrafire]

I think they may be pocket gophers??

http://www.spokane-county.wsu.edu/spokane/eastside/Fact%20Sheets/C051%20Gophers%20%2005.pdf

They had/have a big problem a the Arboretum in spokane. They were using this propane blaster to get rid of them. Caused quite the stir.

[Curly]

Pocket gophers are a hot topic right now in Thurston County.  The county is protecting them and won't let landowners with pocket gopher habitat do anything with their property. 

I'd kill them ASAP and get rid of any evidence of mounds before the State gets into protecting the little *censored*s.

[whacker1]

There are also voles in the area as well. 

[HighCountryHunter88]

  EFFFing Great... i need to get a farret!!

[quadrafire]

EFFFing Great... i need to get a farret!!

Or one of these (if you do call me to come help)

http://youtu.be/fNpicBYtyxI

[Machias]

There are lots of moles in eastern WA.

[Special T]

I've seen traps that lots of hay farmers use to kill them off... should be able to pick them up at a farm supply place.

[rasbo]

this is the answer to any mole problems in california,steve has a great product.
http://youtu.be/ceCnAlhXJTU

[jackmaster]

yeah except trapping is illegal  , thanks alot bunny huggers

[HighCountryHunter88]

My neighbor said he uses vitamin D3, gel capsules from safe way. He told my to dig up a hole and drop a half dozen in there. He said they can't handle that much and die. Anyone ever hear of this before?

[Curly]

My neighbor said he uses vitamin D3, gel capsules from safe way. He told my to dig up a hole and drop a half dozen in there. He said they can't handle that much and die. Anyone ever hear of this before?

I googled moles and vitamin D but most of what I get is info on staying out of the sun and taking Vit D because of staying out of the sun.

But I did find this under mice and voles:

Traps and baits: Some orchardists place snap traps baited with peanut butter, nut meats, or rolled oats along mouse runways to catch and kill them. A bait of vitamin D is available. It causes a calcium imbalance in the animals, and they will die several days after eating the bait.

http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/animal-pests?page=0,2

I'm not sure how you'd convince a mole to eat Vit D ? 

I did find this stuff too:  http://www.kaputproducts.com/Mole_Gel_Bait.php

 (mole traps sure sound like the best option.........screw the law).

[HighCountryHunter88]

Well I got pocket gophers, the neighbor confirmed it. It pussed through my traps last night. So well see when I get home

[Curly]

I hope you kill and get rid of the vermin before the geniuses at the county decide to protect them like they are doing in Thurston County.

I googled some info on the pocket gopher.  Apparently there is a difference between the western WA variety and the E. WA variety:

I was curious, what is so special about the Mazama Pocket Gopher? Certainly this species must be highly important. I found an explanation by Kelly McAllister. He’s a District Wildlife Biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. He writes, “The main difference between the gopher of eastern Washington and the gopher of western Washington is quite simple. The western Washington species, Thomomys Mazama, has a bigger penis. Its penis averages twice the size of its eastern Washington counterpart. In fact, the Mazama Pocket Gopher has the largest penis of any member of its family.”

   

http://www.libertylive.org/blog_main/post.php?post_id=2393

[jackmaster]

you see its true western washingtonians are bigger in the britches than eastern washingtonians 

[hunterlady]

I have had pretty good luck putting dog crap down their holes and washing it down with plenty of water.  They don’t seem to like that.  Of course they just move somewhere else. 

The dogs are always digging up moles and gophers.  They chow down on the gophers but won’t eat the moles. 
 

[HighCountryHunter88]

SUCCESS

[blindpig]

just use the traps from the hardware store.  all the voodoo stuff works for awhile but when you trap them, you know they are dead.  Unfortunatley I have got very good at this.

[Armadillo]

get the giant destroyer smoke bombs and say goodbye to em 

[Machias]

just use the traps from the hardware store.  all the voodoo stuff works for awhile but when you trap them, you know they are dead.  Unfortunatley I have got very good at this.

They're illegal to use.

[HighCountryHunter88]

ive been boring out baby carrots and stuffing them with poison pellets, also vitamin D2 and that seemed to take a large toll on those little critters. i have also got rid of a couple by other means 

[fair-chase]

This is by far the cheapest way to get rid of them, but it may also raise some eyebrows depending on the neighborhood you live in. All you need to do is open up one of the mounds to access the vent tunnel. Next you will need a roll of duct tape and the hose off your shop vac. Duct tape one end of the hose to your cars exhaust and stick the other end in the hole. Push up some dirt around the hose end that is in the hole so that it is fairly well sealed. Let the car run for 30 minutes and then move to the next mound. Letting your car idle for several hours shouldn't burn more than a gallon of fuel. Estimated cost $4.00. 

[bigtex]

Pocket gophers are a hot topic right now in Thurston County.  The county is protecting them and won't let landowners with pocket gopher habitat do anything with their property. 

I'd kill them ASAP and get rid of any evidence of mounds before the State gets into protecting the little *censored*s.

The Mazama Pocket Gopher (which are the ones in Thurston County) have been protected by WDFW for many years now and are classified as a threatened species.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=232-12-011

[Curly]

Pocket gophers are a hot topic right now in Thurston County.  The county is protecting them and won't let landowners with pocket gopher habitat do anything with their property. 

I'd kill them ASAP and get rid of any evidence of mounds before the State gets into protecting the little *censored*s.

The Mazama Pocket Gopher (which are the ones in Thurston County) have been protected by WDFW for many years now and are classified as a threatened species.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=232-12-011

Interesting that the Mazama pocket gopher and Steller Sea Lion are on the same list........both of them are a nuisance and most people just lump them in with their cousins (moles, and California Sea Lion). 

http://www.myfreedomfoundation.com/index.php/stop_thurston_county/view/komo_reports_on_the_pocket_gopher

[bigtex]

Pocket gophers are a hot topic right now in Thurston County.  The county is protecting them and won't let landowners with pocket gopher habitat do anything with their property. 

I'd kill them ASAP and get rid of any evidence of mounds before the State gets into protecting the little *censored*s.

The Mazama Pocket Gopher (which are the ones in Thurston County) have been protected by WDFW for many years now and are classified as a threatened species.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=232-12-011

Interesting that the Mazama pocket gopher and Steller Sea Lion are on the same list........both of them are a nuisance and most people just lump them in with their cousins (moles, and California Sea Lion). 

http://www.myfreedomfoundation.com/index.php/stop_thurston_county/view/komo_reports_on_the_pocket_gopher

Well the stellar Sea Lion is also protected at the federal level under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

[Curly]

Well the stellar Sea Lion is also protected at the federal level under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Yep.  It's too bad.  Maybe if they weren't Federally Protected we'd have a shot at reducing their numbers (along with California Sea Lions) in the Columbia River................ Oh wait, no, that would never happen with wolf hugging/sealion loving type people in this state that would complain and whine if their numbers were reduced.

[Cylvertip]

I hope you kill and get rid of the vermin before the geniuses at the county decide to protect them like they are doing in Thurston County.

I googled some info on the pocket gopher.  Apparently there is a difference between the western WA variety and the E. WA variety:

I was curious, what is so special about the Mazama Pocket Gopher? Certainly this species must be highly important. I found an explanation by Kelly McAllister. He’s a District Wildlife Biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. He writes, “The main difference between the gopher of eastern Washington and the gopher of western Washington is quite simple. The western Washington species, Thomomys Mazama, has a bigger penis. Its penis averages twice the size of its eastern Washington counterpart. In fact, the Mazama Pocket Gopher has the largest penis of any member of its family.”

   

http://www.libertylive.org/blog_main/post.php?post_id=2393

That explains things, apparently it's contagious  - I grew up in Thurston County and was bit by one of those buggers when I was younger  ......

[Sumpnneedskillin]

I hope you kill and get rid of the vermin before the geniuses at the county decide to protect them like they are doing in Thurston County.

I googled some info on the pocket gopher.  Apparently there is a difference between the western WA variety and the E. WA variety:

I was curious, what is so special about the Mazama Pocket Gopher? Certainly this species must be highly important. I found an explanation by Kelly McAllister. He’s a District Wildlife Biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. He writes, “The main difference between the gopher of eastern Washington and the gopher of western Washington is quite simple. The western Washington species, Thomomys Mazama, has a bigger penis. Its penis averages twice the size of its eastern Washington counterpart. In fact, the Mazama Pocket Gopher has the largest penis of any member of its family.”

   

http://www.libertylive.org/blog_main/post.php?post_id=2393

That explains things, apparently it's contagious  - I grew up in Thurston County and was bit by one of those buggers when I was younger  ......

When?  During one of your many trips to the East side?