Traps arrived yesterday. I set customers at 10 this morning. Stopped by at 2:00 looked at traps and seen one set off and ....

Lot easier than the albano I used last year I can see a place for both

Good work.
Are you saying it was ez to set and use?
I bought 1...I've only used it once though and it didn't seem to work right. I think I was doing something wrong maybe. I'm excited about the OOS though and I am optomistic about it. Mine came with setters I believe, and I think it may require a shovel to make slots. I may have bought the wrong trap.

I use a three prong garden tool to open up the runs. No shovel needed. Works well for me.

I just use a small garden spade cut a hole out

Build a bridge of dirt where trigger sets

Set trap, remember to release safety

Put all the dirt back on the hole

And that was it

Congrats

Congrats again.
I'll try mine again. Maybe I had the safety in the wrong position.

I take the safety off of mine and throw them away.

When I first read that I was thinking why buy it if your going to throw it away

About the third time I got it!

Like with any new or unfamiliar tool or device it takes a learning curve and practice to get on to the most productive use of the device. Nothing comes without a price as they say.

Once you have mastered the use of all the tools you will settle on the ones or one that fits your needs the best and is most productive for you. Some of us have used them all at one point or another.

Years back the spears were my primary mole trap and they did very well for me and not many other choices in the states. Of course you had to learn their best application method as well.

I still use some every now and then to keep in practice. Now I go for the smaller, light and less dangerous and no maintenance traps. I am still sold on the Albano traps for all applications. My system is deadly and I don't see changing unless a newer and better trap is developed.

With our population I need as many doubles per set as I can get. With smaller numbers you can get by with using what ever works for you and just set a few traps. That philosophy just wont fly in my area. I get lots of practice that is for sure.

I plan on doing ADC work in a few years when I retire from my office job. I have been picking up a few traps along the way when I get a good deal and have also been using them for my own personal use. I was able to get five used OOS and a couple of Victor Easy Set gopher traps and one trap similar to an OOS on e-bay (total price with shipping was $28 so I think I did pretty good). The one is a little smaller than an OOS and has loops on the top to use as handles - any idea what this trap is? See revised below....

Also, are the Victor Easy Set traps any good for gopher and/or mole?

Update: I figured out that the one trap is a Aspectek. Lighter made and weaker than the OOS but it is easy to set.

What's this albano mole trap? Does anyone have a link to where I can buy 1 to give it a try?

You need to buy at least two traps at a time to set a mole run properly. Two traps are inserted into a mole run, each trap is facing opposite directions. Doubles catches are possible if you are on a busy run and letting them set for a couple of days or so after being set.

Oh, ok. He's the guy that makes those supposedly great pocker gopher traps too.

Yes Steve has very effective traps.

I added three more to the removed list this weekend with OOS traps. I have a dozen of Steve's traps I will have to try next weekend. We got some good rain the last couple days so that should get them working good close to the surface. That is four moles in the last couple weeks out of my yard. I consider myself pretty strong and can set a bunch of coil spring traps without getting too tired but setting eight of these OOS traps made my hands pretty tired. Of course I had to set each one two or three times trying to figure out the best way to go about bedding them without setting them off. Do you guys use the standard setters and do you have any other tricks?

The second time u put trap in ground you shouldnt be wiggling it back n forth...push straight down so trap is solid in place.

Those are some solid catches

I caught two more Saturday morning in OOS traps. I caught one within fifteen minutes before I finished setting the other traps and caught the second one within an hour. I left six OOS and six of Steve's traps out until Sunday afternoon and didn't catch anymore. That makes six in my yard. I sure like seeing the OOS opened up on top as I know it is closed on a mole underneath.

"Do you guys use the standard setters and do you have any other tricks?"

One Hand Setters

I use the standard setters that come in the box. However, I Take a large pair of pliers and squeeze one of the setters to make it narrower. That way, the setters fit on the trap better. Just what works for me.

Never have used the setters. I use my digging tool, an 8" flat blade screwdriver.

Where can I get those longer heavy duty OOS trap setters shown in the pic above? Can they be bought separately? Please advise. Thanks.

Contact Dave "OneHandSetters" the guy that made the post.

Duh - (Senior Moment)!!!

Thanks

I use the standard setters but interested in trying your custom HD OOS mole trap setters. I also squeeze one of the setters' jaws in a vise to facilitate releasing/setting the OOS trap.



I've either got carpel tunnel syndrome or the onset of arthritis in my trap setting hand and wrist. I'm hoping your custom setters will help. I do not actually dry fire my OOS traps when I'm ready to backfill the set. Instead, I do a "soft dry fire." As I'm inserting/setting the trap in the prepared bed, I hold on to the setters with one hand and trip the trap and slowly release the trap, checking for anything that will obstruct the path of the scissor legs. Your longer setters might help in this regard too.

Another tip - paint your setters, traps, tools, etc. to keep from losing them in the weeds, grass or dirt!

Aggie73, got them on the way for you.
See if they make it easier for you.
Dave

Picked up two yesterday

I do like being able to just walk by them and see if I have a catch. Big time saver for me compared to last year

I got my OOS setters from David yesterday along with setters for No-BS K-9 extreme setters. I will give them a try this weekend when I get back home.

Ive been doing mole work since 05 and the OOS has always been my ace in the hole. I'm not so rigid to think it's the only tool that'll work so I'm giving steves trap a fair shake. Just ordered some of the traps and one of Jameson's MTP tools. The biggest attraction of these traps-- weight and space savings in the truck. As my business grows, I have to put more gear back there and it makes more sense to economize the space with a lighter and smaller trap if I can catch onto them.

Speaking of Steve Albano, does he frequent tman anymore?

His traps work, I just don't like the amount of time to check them

They do have there place though, I have some moles running over 12" deep (but it still pushes top of soil up) on a job where the OOS has caught 5 moles. But these deeper runs have the albano set in them.

I also have some of the standard type trap that you push into the ground and set. Like these for the nicer looking yards because I do not have to dig a hole to set them. Only makes a hole when I catch one and pull it up to the surface

Once you get on to a good system of set up using the Albano trap line traps you will not spend much time checking at all. The initial first sod cut out is the key to a fast, clean set up and check time. When I get the time to post a video for you tube I will have it linked to our site to view. I could never go back to using OS traps after working with my trap setting system for all these years.

Just too much weight and bulk to carry around on all the jobs we have to do.

When checking the traps it is just a matter of removing the sod plug by grabbing the grass or using your trowel to lift up the sod quickly. Look at the traps to determine a fired trap or a catch, remove your catch,reset and place the plug of soil back into position then go on your way. Doesn't take long at all. Only takes a few seconds.

After pulling your traps it is just a matter of replacing the sod plug into the cut out area. Just press it down with your foot to allow good root contact back with the soil and the grass will reestablish the root system without any sign that you were there.

Setting your traps in a manner that you can see the trigger / dog loop set up on the trap from the end of the mole run is key to a fast check. I don't see how it takes so long to run these traps as I do several hundred trap checks on any given day. Probably more then most due to how many traps we must set for a good catch in the shortest amount of time. We have some high mole populations in many local areas that we service.

Been using my tunnel pilot from Bob J. for about a week now and it's super easy to get the hang of. They catch right behind the front shoulder. The trap plus the pilot is an outstanding system and I'm ordering more of steves traps soon.

I will keep a few OS in my truck for sandy soils-- haven't figured out how to make the trapline mole work well in sand just yet.

Jason:
I have been using Bob J. pilot tool also. I like being able to pack the soil in the tunnel. Sugar sand will be something all together different. No one trap is the best for all soil condition IMO.
Picking the right run/tunnel is the best tool you can have. I have been luck in finding the run or runs that the mole are using to come into the yard.

I caught four more with the OOS this weekend so up to ten now in my own yard. I really like the one-hand setters for the OOS. I'm sure I will end up trying the pilot tool for the Albano traps but it is sure nice to take a quick look around the yard at the OOS traps to see if any are opened up with a catch.

Bob J. pilot tool works nice when setting No-mol traps also.

Do yall know if those traps will work for shrews too? We have tons of the tunnels in our yard but I got a feeling shrews use them more than moles. We have tons here

The Albano trap line traps catch a lot of shrews. We catch shrews on many mole jobs not all jobs but regularly.

You will get a clean miss with a fired trap at times doing mole work. I believe this is the result of a shrew many times, if not it may be due to a poorly set trap that gets hung up on a stone or roots. Since a shrews body is shorter overall and very fast they can get thru the trap at times with the jaws closing behind them missing them.

Steve's traps also can also work well on voles.

Never had any luck catching shrew with No-mol. I have with Steve A. Traps.

I think I completely agree-- just like gear for other critters, it's not one size fits all. I'm keeping some OOS's in my truck as well. BUT, Im catching good with steves traps so I ordered more yesterday and I'm excited about the space savings!

Two more in OOS this past Saturday so I'm up to twelve now in my own yard. I only get to set them for one or two days on the weekend and it seems that another two or three move in each week while I'm out of town for work. I set a few of Steve's traps and nothing yet but will keep working with them and will probably get one of Bob's tools for them.

Bob's MTP is worth the money.