They're baaaaack!

[Myrl Jeffcoat]

Well, I know we had this discussion awhile back, but I'm desperate.
Those pesky moles are back with a vengence. I know they are supposed
to be solitary critters, but I'm having a real hard time believing it.
My backyard looks like a terrorist training camp is being held just
below the surface!

So let's revisit this. . .I've tried putting chewing gum down the
holes. I've tried the gas sticks, which about killed me from the
fumes. I've poured Clorox down the holes and plugged 'em.

I've tried killing off their food source (the worms and the grubs).

Can you guys give me your latest best advice regarding these bane to
the garden?

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

[Rick F.]

In article m>, Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:
> Well, I know we had this discussion awhile back, but I'm desperate.
> Those pesky moles are back with a vengence. I know they are supposed
> to be solitary critters, but I'm having a real hard time believing it.
> My backyard looks like a terrorist training camp is being held just
> below the surface!
>
> So let's revisit this. . .I've tried putting chewing gum down the
> holes. I've tried the gas sticks, which about killed me from the
> fumes. I've poured Clorox down the holes and plugged 'em.
>
> I've tried killing off their food source (the worms and the grubs).
>
> Can you guys give me your latest best advice regarding these bane to
> the garden?

I had the same "entertainment" with gophers that were coming up in my
backyard and making rather large potholes. I've taken out 5 of them
in the course of 1 year with a device called the "BlackHole" made by
Victor I believe (see http://www.victorpest.com/blackhole.htm) and it
has worked great.. I tried all other tricks including making a "juice"
that had urine in it (supposed to drive them away), but nothing else
worked.. I tried the smoke sticks which I found to have a very high
failure rate (like only 1 in the entire package worked -- the rest
were duds).. This trap has been the only thing that worked and
if you are able to gently excavate a fresh hole to regain access to
the tunnel system, you can dig out the hole a bit to give room for
the trap.. IF you do it right, you can fool the gopher/mole into
trying to bury the trap which is what gets them trapped.. Until this
last gopher I had, I had a 1-5 miss ratio which I think was excellent
overall..

For a better picture of what this device looks like, visit :

http://tinyurl.com/hdc5a

[Frank]

Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:
> Well, I know we had this discussion awhile back, but I'm desperate.
> Those pesky moles are back with a vengence. I know they are supposed
> to be solitary critters, but I'm having a real hard time believing it.
> My backyard looks like a terrorist training camp is being held just
> below the surface!
>
> So let's revisit this. . .I've tried putting chewing gum down the
> holes. I've tried the gas sticks, which about killed me from the
> fumes. I've poured Clorox down the holes and plugged 'em.
>
> I've tried killing off their food source (the worms and the grubs).
>
> Can you guys give me your latest best advice regarding these bane to
> the garden?
>
I think the poison that finally did mine in contained zinc phosphide.
It's been at least 10 years, and I have not been troubled with moles
since. Prior to that, I was using a mouse type poison which was only
moderately effective.

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:
> Well, I know we had this discussion awhile back, but I'm desperate.
> Those pesky moles are back with a vengence. I know they are supposed
> to be solitary critters, but I'm having a real hard time believing it.
> My backyard looks like a terrorist training camp is being held just
> below the surface!
>
> So let's revisit this. . .I've tried putting chewing gum down the
> holes. I've tried the gas sticks, which about killed me from the
> fumes. I've poured Clorox down the holes and plugged 'em.
>
> I've tried killing off their food source (the worms and the grubs).
>
> Can you guys give me your latest best advice regarding these bane to
> the garden?
>
> Myrl Jeffcoat
> http://www.myrljeffcoat.com
>

I 'feel' the 4 most likely to work methods are the following;

1. the 'traps' (killing type)
2. the Giant Destroyer (smoke bombs)
3. Tom Cat (Talpirid) baits
4. Propane

Of course, all the above require extreme attention to detail and/or a
full understaning of what might happen if used improperly.

I'm pretty sure the Giant Destroyer worked for me and my neighbor for
several weeks. problem is, a neighbor further down the street(I recently
discovered) had mole(s) and I think another one just moved into the
existing tunnel network.

they are infuriating

Carl



--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

[sockiescat]

Frank Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:
Well, I know we had this discussion awhile back, but I'm desperate.
Those pesky moles are back with a vengence. I know they are supposed
to be solitary critters, but I'm having a real hard time believing it.
My backyard looks like a terrorist training camp is being held just
below the surface!

So let's revisit this. . .I've tried putting chewing gum down the
holes. I've tried the gas sticks, which about killed me from the
fumes. I've poured Clorox down the holes and plugged 'em.

I've tried killing off their food source (the worms and the grubs).

Can you guys give me your latest best advice regarding these bane to
the garden?

I think the poison that finally did mine in contained zinc phosphide.
It's been at least 10 years, and I have not been troubled with moles
since. Prior to that, I was using a mouse type poison which was only
moderately effective.

my mom had a really bad time with moles in her garden :(. i had read somewhere to try using the windmill things that kids play with. it seems that the vibration that the turning windmill causes underground drives the moles nuts and they were soon gone. moms had really good luck with them but i guess for a lawn its not a real feasible idea:(. cyaaaa, sockiescat.

[sherwindu]

Trap em. Offer them a free ride to the nearest Forest Preserve.

Sherwin D.

Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:

> Well, I know we had this discussion awhile back, but I'm desperate.
> Those pesky moles are back with a vengence. I know they are supposed
> to be solitary critters, but I'm having a real hard time believing it.
> My backyard looks like a terrorist training camp is being held just
> below the surface!
>
> So let's revisit this. . .I've tried putting chewing gum down the
> holes. I've tried the gas sticks, which about killed me from the
> fumes. I've poured Clorox down the holes and plugged 'em.
>
> I've tried killing off their food source (the worms and the grubs).
>
> Can you guys give me your latest best advice regarding these bane to
> the garden?
>
> Myrl Jeffcoat
> http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

[Myrl Jeffcoat]

Actually a few years back, I managed to get one to come near the
surface while it was trying to escape fumes from the Clorox I'd poured
down it's tunnel. When I actually unearthed it, I ended up taking pity
on it. I tossed it into a styrofoam cooler, and drove it a couple of
miles, to a wildlife area, near the river.

I also heard if you put stereo speakers near their little tunnels, and
play loud rap music they'll leave and go to the neighbors. I don't
know if my neighbors would have any better luck eradicating the little
varmints, than I am. They may be a little less squimish though, but
suspect it wouldn't make me really popular as a neighbor;-)

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

[Sgt.Sausage]

"Myrl Jeffcoat" > wrote in message
ps.com...
> Well, I know we had this discussion awhile back, but I'm desperate.
> Those pesky moles are back with a vengence. I know they are supposed
> to be solitary critters, but I'm having a real hard time believing it.
> My backyard looks like a terrorist training camp is being held just
> below the surface!
>
> So let's revisit this. . .I've tried putting chewing gum down the
> holes. I've tried the gas sticks, which about killed me from the
> fumes. I've poured Clorox down the holes and plugged 'em.
>
> I've tried killing off their food source (the worms and the grubs).
>
> Can you guys give me your latest best advice regarding these bane to
> the garden?

I found the easieast, and arguably the *best* solution to this
(and other problems) last year.

C.A.T.

A cat solved my mole, mouse, squirrel, rabbit problem in a matter
of a few weeks.

[Myrl Jeffcoat]

I have three cats. None has to date caught a mole. One won't hunt at
all, because she believes she's a princess.

I have one black cat that was once an amazing hunter, but he's 17 years
old now, and doesn't hunt very much.

I "inherited" the third cat, from my daughter, whose neighbor was upset
because the cat was supposed to be some sort of amazon hunter, who had
been wiping out her bird sanctuary. That cat came to live with me
about 3 years ago. She will nap next to her feed bowl out on the spa
cover, and the Magpies will come eat out of that same bowl with her
laying there. . . Some hunter she is;-)

To my knowledge that cat has never caught a thing in the 3 years she's
been with me.

I want to borrow your cat!

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

[sherwindu]

Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:

> Actually a few years back, I managed to get one to come near the
> surface while it was trying to escape fumes from the Clorox I'd poured
> down it's tunnel. When I actually unearthed it, I ended up taking pity
> on it. I tossed it into a styrofoam cooler, and drove it a couple of
> miles, to a wildlife area, near the river.
>
> I also heard if you put stereo speakers near their little tunnels, and
> play loud rap music they'll leave and go to the neighbors.

Now that's cruelty to animals.

> I don't
> know if my neighbors would have any better luck eradicating the little
> varmints, than I am. They may be a little less squimish though, but
> suspect it wouldn't make me really popular as a neighbor;-)

Don't expect them to knock on your door with milk and cookies.

Sherwin

>
>
> Myrl Jeffcoat
> http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

[Vivek.M]

> On 13 Jul 2006 18:05:12 -0700, "Myrl Jeffcoat" > wrote:
>I "inherited" the third cat, from my daughter, whose neighbor was upset
>because the cat was supposed to be some sort of amazon hunter, who had
>been wiping out her bird sanctuary. That cat came to live with me
>about 3 years ago. She will nap next to her feed bowl out on the spa
>cover, and the Magpies will come eat out of that same bowl with her
>laying there. . . Some hunter she is;-)
>
>To my knowledge that cat has never caught a thing in the 3 years she's
>been with me.
*grin* sensible cat : well fed cat.

[James]

I heard a new one just today but can't verify it's effectiveness. Run a hose
from your car's exhaust to a tunnel and let the car idle for awhile. It
sounds reasonable but I would imagine some old tunnels are sealed away from
some of the fresh ones.


"Myrl Jeffcoat" > wrote in message
ps.com...
> Well, I know we had this discussion awhile back, but I'm desperate.
> Those pesky moles are back with a vengence. I know they are supposed
> to be solitary critters, but I'm having a real hard time believing it.
> My backyard looks like a terrorist training camp is being held just
> below the surface!
>
> So let's revisit this. . .I've tried putting chewing gum down the
> holes. I've tried the gas sticks, which about killed me from the
> fumes. I've poured Clorox down the holes and plugged 'em.
>
> I've tried killing off their food source (the worms and the grubs).
>
> Can you guys give me your latest best advice regarding these bane to
> the garden?
>
> Myrl Jeffcoat
> http://www.myrljeffcoat.com
>