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Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? #6547880
06/01/19 09:46 PM
06/01/19 09:46 PM
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 177
Canada
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Urbancoon Offline OP
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Urbancoon  Offline OP
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When trapping moles for ADC work, do you trap just the easy, "can see from the surface" tunnels, or do you probe for deeper tunnels?

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548008
06/02/19 08:38 AM
06/02/19 08:38 AM
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Posts: 1,514
Woodhull, Illinois 77
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Jim Bethell Offline
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Usually set the surface tunnels. However, if there are no surface tunnels, I will look around the mounds and set them. Usually the tunnel coming from the deep tunnels to the mound.

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548049
06/02/19 09:48 AM
06/02/19 09:48 AM
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Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
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Getting There Offline
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If I see mounds with no runs I probe around the mounds but stay back a few feet. JMO


To Old
U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548161
06/02/19 01:19 PM
06/02/19 01:19 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 776
MN, USA
star flakes Offline
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star flakes  Offline
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Moles are like pocket gophers in they have main tunnels, feeder tunnels and deeper tunnels. What you are looking for are the main connecting tunnels. In most cases they will be in a line with the mounds. Moles in worm quests can dig 15 feet in an hour, but those are offshoot feeder tunnels and meander, and will probably not be returned to.
Main tunnels follow barriers or concentrated food sources, like sidewalks, hedgerows etc.... They will also have mounds which are opened periodically. If you look at the soil on the mounds, you can tell which are the freshest and the direction the mole is probing. That is the most active locations to set in.
For probling I use a spike or a quarter inch rod.
I always overload on set ups to on traps.
Hope that helps.

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548319
06/02/19 07:25 PM
06/02/19 07:25 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 732
Schenectady, NY
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EatenByLimestone Offline
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Schenectady, NY
Trap on the main tunnels when you can find them. Feeder tunnels when you must. Deep when you absolutely must.

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548326
06/02/19 07:32 PM
06/02/19 07:32 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,590
SW Pa
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Bob Jameson Offline
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Like most animals that you trap you need to learn where to set the better locations. I set heavy and cover most all the obvious old and new runs.

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: star flakes] #6548337
06/02/19 07:47 PM
06/02/19 07:47 PM
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West Michigan
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Getting There Offline
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Bob
You make a good point. A lot of the run are old and flat with the ground and just look like an old flinted out mound with no grass. Check them out, you can tell if the run is being used or not.

For probing I use a 6 inch and 12 inch Phillip's screwdriver.. I put a washer just a little larger than the shaft. Tack it with a weld. With a welder on the 6 inch probe I put a little weld around the end a little larger that the shaft and make a blunt end. Goes in easy and lets you know when you hit the tunnel. On the 12 inch probe I do the same thing but put a point because you have to go deeper, but the point is a little larger than the shaft so there is no drag.


To Old
U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548366
06/02/19 08:32 PM
06/02/19 08:32 PM
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 177
Canada
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Urbancoon Offline OP
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This helps. Up until last week, a mole was making major tunnels in the garden beds but since it's dried up a bit, no more. I'm guessing the mole is still there, but has gone deeper. (lots of worms in the soil in the back yard).

Bit of a difficult situation as there were only two mole hills about two months ago, and no obvious runs through the grass.

Is this meaningful in any way? Would this indicate that the mole tunnels are well estabilished and some female was just getting a nursery ready for later?

Landscaping was put in two years ago and there was a bit of mole activity last year.

Thanks.

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548439
06/02/19 10:28 PM
06/02/19 10:28 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 732
Schenectady, NY
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EatenByLimestone Offline
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Schenectady, NY
Turn on the sprinkler. Get the mole to the surface.

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548558
06/03/19 07:48 AM
06/03/19 07:48 AM
Joined: Sep 2012
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West Michigan
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Getting There Offline
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Originally Posted by Urbancoon
This helps. Up until last week, a mole was making major tunnels in the garden beds but since it's dried up a bit, no more. I'm guessing the mole is still there, but has gone deeper. (lots of worms in the soil in the back yard).

Bit of a difficult situation as there were only two mole hills about two months ago, and no obvious runs through the grass.

Is this meaningful in any way? Would this indicate that the mole tunnels are well estabilished and some female was just getting a nursery ready for later?

Landscaping was put in two years ago and there was a bit of mole activity last year.

Thanks.



The moles are still there if you have mounds. The mounds are made because of several reason's. The mole can not get rid of the dirt underground or they are making a place to have baby's or have run into a object underground.


To Old
U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548659
06/03/19 10:51 AM
06/03/19 10:51 AM
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 72
South Texas
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Aggie73 Offline
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South Texas
Originally Posted by Urbancoon
When trapping moles for ADC work, do you trap just the easy, "can see from the surface" tunnels, or do you probe for deeper tunnels?


Trapping in the "can see from the surface" tunnels means I'll use the "easier to set and see when tripped" traps!

[Linked Image]


"Happier than a gopher in wet sand."
Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6548875
06/03/19 07:42 PM
06/03/19 07:42 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
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Getting There Offline
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I see that you have modified the OOS. Look like they do the job for your!


To Old
U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: EatenByLimestone] #6548919
06/03/19 08:43 PM
06/03/19 08:43 PM
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Posts: 177
Canada
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Urbancoon Offline OP
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Originally Posted by EatenByLimestone
Turn on the sprinkler. Get the mole to the surface.


A good idea should I be unsuccessful with the other methods. Aa shovel, a lawn chair, something big to read and wait for the digging to begin!

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Getting There] #6548930
06/03/19 08:54 PM
06/03/19 08:54 PM
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Posts: 177
Canada
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Urbancoon Offline OP
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Originally Posted by Getting There

The moles are still there if you have mounds. The mounds are made because of several reason's. The mole can not get rid of the dirt underground or they are making a place to have baby's or have run into a object underground.


But there aren't any more mounds--other than the two mounds a couple of months ago--but there were significant wandering surface tunnels in the mulched beds up until two weeks ago when it dried up some.

Had a bit of dig by the house and found a tunnel 8 - 10" deep. Lots of worms in the back yard. Quite shaded there, too. Will stay green for most of the summer without watering. Not the same for the front which will burn at the start of summer if not watered.

Traps here in about a week. Will get my probe ready. Supposed to get some rain soon, so we'll see if the moles come up closer to the surface for food.

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6549329
06/04/19 12:49 PM
06/04/19 12:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,590
SW Pa
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Bob Jameson Offline
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Most mulch areas that surround a home or part of it will have a main travel run along the foundation. Dig down until you find it and set it up. If you can set a couple of sets along this tunnel area. You will catch most if not all of the moles eventually in these tunnels in a week or less. I use Trap line traps so they work well for me. You could use No Mole traps there also. It would be difficult to set OS traps due to the tunnel being right up against the block.

I dig out the run to set traps and cover the open area with some weed block pieces cut to fit larger then what you need to use to cover and keep the area dark below. These areas tend to collapse easily.

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6549509
06/04/19 06:45 PM
06/04/19 06:45 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 732
Schenectady, NY
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EatenByLimestone Offline
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Schenectady, NY
I hate setting mulch beds.

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: EatenByLimestone] #6549639
06/04/19 10:05 PM
06/04/19 10:05 PM
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Posts: 177
Canada
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Urbancoon Offline OP
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Canada
Originally Posted by EatenByLimestone
I hate setting mulch beds.


Why's that? A lot of dig around & unders?

Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6549808
06/05/19 08:20 AM
06/05/19 08:20 AM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
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Getting There Offline
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Getting There  Offline
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I also do not like setting mulch beds, watch out for plants, keeping the old mulch out of the run. JMO


To Old
U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Aggie73] #6549913
06/05/19 11:40 AM
06/05/19 11:40 AM
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 849
Washington
wildflights Offline
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Washington
Originally Posted by Aggie73
Originally Posted by Urbancoon
When trapping moles for ADC work, do you trap just the easy, "can see from the surface" tunnels, or do you probe for deeper tunnels?


Trapping in the "can see from the surface" tunnels means I'll use the "easier to set and see when tripped" traps!

[Linked Image]


What is the reason for changing the pan setup like that? Are you setting those in a clear run or one with dirt pushed into it?


Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire. -Gustav Mahler
Re: Moles: Trap in obvious tunnels or probe? [Re: Urbancoon] #6550141
06/05/19 08:52 PM
06/05/19 08:52 PM
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 72
South Texas
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Aggie73 Offline
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The stainless steel trip rod and offset pan affords me no worries regarding rust. A few years back, there was a wooden insert available for the OOS that would slide onto the original steel pan. Popular now is the "building a bridge" of dirt under the pan instead of using the woodie insert. The SS offset pan makes using a woodie or dirt bridge unnecessary.

I dig out the trap set. Using a wooden mallet head, I then compress the soil in the set to the bottom of mole tunnel. I also slightly compress the area underneath the trip pan allowing nose room for Mr. Mole before back filling the trap set. I rarely have misses using this trap and method on surface/foraging runs and in sandy soil.


"Happier than a gopher in wet sand."
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