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Old 16-02-2008, 11:48 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Eddy Eddy is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jan 2008
Posts: 241
Default Trapping moles.

Thanks for all advice, guys. Found this online and I am convinced. I
just need now to buy a couple of Duffus traps.

"The best type of trap by far is the tunnel trap, much more effective
than the scissor mole type. Apart from two (or more) of these, all you
need is a small hand trowel, a spare roof tile and a mole stick. This is
a T-shaped stick of about half-inch diameter or a little more, which you
can either find in a hedgerow or you can use the handle of a child's
seaside spade. It should be about 18" long and four or five inches
across the end of the "T". An "L" shaped end of about 3" will do just as
well. Point the longer end of the stick, but leave it slightly blunt to
give a better "feel".. Spread the existing mole hills, either by
digging them up (the soil is useful as a basis for potting compost) or
by spreading them using a garden fork "wiped" flat against the soil.
When new hills appear, start probing the ground with the stick in a
circle, at two-inch intervals, at least 2ft away from a fresh mole hill.
Suddenly you'll hit a point where the stick suddenly "gives", then
"bottoms" firmly beneath the tunnel. Some catchers say that you can
never catch moles this close to a hill and that you have to find a deep
main run (which is far from easy). Don't believe them! Determine the
direction of the mole run with a couple more prods, then dig a round
hole about four inches across and roughly the depth to which the stick
was sunk. Probe its sides until you find the two ends of the mole
tunnel, then insert the "L" or "T" of the stick into and along these to
make a smooth, continuous run right across your hole. Try the mole trap
in place without setting it, just to check that it fits - if not, dig a
little more soil away, but not too much as it must be a tight fit. Set
the mole trap, and don't worry too much about adjusting it to a "hair
trigger" - moles are powerful diggers and will easily release a firmly
set mole trap. And don't bother to use gloves (which is almost
impossible anyway) as the latest research shows that moles actually have
quite a poor sense of smell. Cover the top of the hole with the roof
tile, mark the position with a stick (if in a large field), and leave
for at least a couple of hours - preferably all day or overnight (once I
succeeded within ten minutes, but that was very much the exception!).
If you're lucky, you'll find a mole inside. My average rate of success
is about 25%, so the more mole traps you set the better your chance of
success. Death is virtually instantaneous, so don't worry about having
to deal with an injured animal. If you're less fortunate, the mole trap
will be untouched, so leave it - for up to two or three days altogether,
after which there is a reduced chance of success. The worst thing that
can happen is that the hole you patiently dug will be crammed full of
soil, in which case you must dig out the mole trap, refill the hole and
try again elsewhere; you could try again in the same place, but this
rarely seems to work."