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Mole traps


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Hi - I seem to have been invaded by moles and was wondering if anyone could pass on some advise for trapping them, ie what traps are best..etc

 

I've heard that you should'nt touch the traps with your hands as they are very sensitive to scent but am hoping that a seasoned mole trapper could point me in the right direction.

 

Many thanks

EB

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Nearly always use scissor traps or tunnell traps. Have found the tunnell traps do seem to catch more for some reason but the old scissor traps do work quite well. My uncle has shot loads aswell after the fields have just been rolled flat after drilling :blink:

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Thanks guys, I've been given one tunnel trap that has been kept in soil so will start with that and see how I get on, and will try to pick up a couple of others when I can.

 

Lets hope I get them soon as I can see another row of mole hills this morning....am prepared to feel a little guilty though when I catch my first one!

 

EB

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If you buy new traps you will need to soak them in cow poo for a week or they

won`t go near them :good:

well ime not so shure about this myself i have never noticed a diffrence in catch rates from new traps i used 50 4 day old traps and got 24 moles in 50 traps in one day

but i think it does matter where in the system of tunnels you set them

but thats just my 2p worth

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Thanks guys, I've been given one tunnel trap that has been kept in soil so will start with that and see how I get on, and will try to pick up a couple of others when I can.

 

Lets hope I get them soon as I can see another row of mole hills this morning....am prepared to feel a little guilty though when I catch my first one!

 

EB

 

I catch many moles each year as It is my living. Underground barrel or duffus traps are very good. I dont worry too much about the scent thing, I do wear gloves but only to keep my hands clean. I have caught moles with traps straight out of the box and using bare hands and feel it is the setting that is more important. I f you are concerned about scent then give the trap a rub over in the molehill.

Find the feeding run by using a metal rod (dibber) or at a push a screwdriver will do. Look for the freshest hills and come away about a foot and push the rod gently into the soil a few inches. Search around the perimeter of the hill until you feel it suddenly give, which indicates you have found the burrow. Once located move a couple of inches away and dib again to find the direction of the tunnel. When you have worked out the direction, with a knife you can cut a small section to reveal the tunnel. You need to make it just slightly under the size of the trap. With the back of two fingers compress the soil to make a smooth flat run and fit the trap inline to intercept the tunnel. The mole now has to pass through the trap to continue its journey. Make sure there is room for the trap llevers to travel fully and put a slate or a flat piece of wood etc to cover the hole. For discretion and to cu tout any light and draught, cover the plate with the soiul from the molehill. Check trap in 3 days and you should be onto a winner. Any problems let me know. I see you are in Woking, I am only a few miles down the road from you. Good Luck

Edited by ratman
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Thanks guys, I've been given one tunnel trap that has been kept in soil so will start with that and see how I get on, and will try to pick up a couple of others when I can.

 

Lets hope I get them soon as I can see another row of mole hills this morning....am prepared to feel a little guilty though when I catch my first one!

 

EB

 

I catch many moles each year as It is my living. Underground barrel or duffus traps are very good. I dont worry too much about the scent thing, I do wear gloves but only to keep my hands clean. I have caught moles with traps straight out of the box and using bare hands and feel it is the setting that is more important. I f you are concerned about scent then give the trap a rub over in the molehill.

Find the feeding run by using a metal rod (dibber) or at a push a screwdriver will do. Look for the freshest hills and come away about a foot and push the rod gently into the soil a few inches. Search around the perimeter of the hill until you feel it suddenly give, which indicates you have found the burrow. Once located move a couple of inches away and dib again to find the direction of the tunnel. When you have worked out the direction, with a knife you can cut a small section to reveal the tunnel. You need to make it just slightly under the size of the trap. With the back of two fingers compress the soil to make a smooth flat run and fit the trap inline to intercept the tunnel. The mole now has to pass through the trap to continue its journey. Make sure there is room for the trap llevers to travel fully and put a slate or a flat piece of wood etc to cover the hole. For discretion and to cu tout any light and draught, cover the plate with the soiul from the molehill. Check trap in 3 days and you should be onto a winner. Any problems let me know. I see you are in Woking, I am only a few miles down the road from you. Good Luck

i thinbk you may find you must cheak traps every 24 hours by law :good: or have i got the rong end of the stick

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Sorry I did not explain myself very well. I meant you should catch the mole within 3 days.

You are quite right, the legal obligation is to check the traps at least once a day. I would limit this to once to avoid too much disturbance.

Sorry for the mislead

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