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Same old thing #7853308
04/25/23 08:10 PM
04/25/23 08:10 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
G
Getting There Offline OP
trapper
Getting There  Offline OP
trapper
G

Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
The mole season has started this week. I am having the same issue as last year. The mole digging under the traps or tripping the trap in sandy soil. I am using Steve A. trap or No Mole traps. There is something I am missing! I have had very good advice from the best mole trapper in the country. I am making sure I bed Steves trap but not stabbing them down to far. Make sure I am not disrupting the set when back filling the hole. Time will tell I guess!


To Old
U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
Re: Same old thing [Re: Getting There] #7853637
04/26/23 10:35 AM
04/26/23 10:35 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,590
SW Pa
B
Bob Jameson Offline
trapper
Bob Jameson  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,590
SW Pa
Making sure you have the trap perfectly centered each time you set it and pressed down enough so they cannot detect the frame of it or the jaws. Any misalignment can cause a reaction as you described. "Do not back fill the set traps" with the Trapline traps. Cover the cut out exposed tunnel with a piece of the right cut size thick black weed block fabric. Cover the weed fabric with debris or dirt / stones or pin it down with landscape pins. Keep all light and air flow out of the run.

Re: Same old thing [Re: Bob Jameson] #7853881
04/26/23 06:59 PM
04/26/23 06:59 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
G
Getting There Offline OP
trapper
Getting There  Offline OP
trapper
G

Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
Originally Posted by Bob Jameson
Making sure you have the trap perfectly centered each time you set it and pressed down enough so they cannot detect the frame of it or the jaws. Any misalignment can cause a reaction as you described. "Do not back fill the set traps" with the Trapline traps. Cover the cut out exposed tunnel with a piece of the right cut size thick black weed block fabric. Cover the weed fabric with debris or dirt / stones or pin it down with landscape pins. Keep all light and air flow out of the run.


Thanks Bob, I will give that a try.


To Old
U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
Re: Same old thing [Re: Getting There] #7853945
04/26/23 08:45 PM
04/26/23 08:45 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 732
Schenectady, NY
E
EatenByLimestone Offline
trapper
EatenByLimestone  Offline
trapper
E

Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 732
Schenectady, NY
Trapping in Sandy soil is tougher with Steve A traps than the no mol. There’s no bottom on the no mol to bed.

Re: Same old thing [Re: Getting There] #7854464
04/27/23 03:08 PM
04/27/23 03:08 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6
UK
T
Talpa Offline
trapper
Talpa  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6
UK
You could try setting the Trapline trap upside down - so the frame is at the top of the tunnel.
I found early on that i wanted to insert the trap too far into the tunnel up to the rear upright spring tensioning bar. This is a big mistake as often the tunnel can turn or split or come to cross junction or a change in slope, which means the mole comes against the trap on the side or beneath.
If you leave debris in the tunnel before inserting the trap when you push the trap in and put pressure to bed it in you build up too much dirt in front and onto the trap frame that the mole pushes forward firing the trap that it then digs under or around. Hope this helps.

Re: Same old thing [Re: Getting There] #7854734
04/27/23 09:29 PM
04/27/23 09:29 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 83
CT
R
RF Wildlife Offline
trapper
RF Wildlife  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 83
CT
I sometimes have luck switching to a topcat trap in sandy soil. Expensive, but work great for voles, moles and chipmunks.

Re: Same old thing [Re: Bob Jameson] #7857861
05/02/23 09:58 AM
05/02/23 09:58 AM
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 72
South Texas
A
Aggie73 Offline
trapper
Aggie73  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 72
South Texas
I also struggled with the issues you mention trapping moles in sandy soils. I still use Steve A's mole trap in deeper runs and when other circumstances call for it. BUT, I use his trap exclusively upside down. My preference when trapping surface/foraging runs is the modified OOS, the Talpex, or the Mole Whacker. All scissor type traps.

[Linked Image]

Note the 4 types of mole traps mentioned. Also note the catch position of the 2 moles caught with Steve A's trap. Upside down! I struggled mightily using his trap in the conventional manner in my sandy soils until I read on here about using them upside down. My success rate improved tremendously thereafter. I further enhance my chances of catching moles using this method by modifying or compressing the bottom of the mole tunnel using my Aggie mole tunnel pilot or Bob Jameson's Mole Tunnel Pilot. I haven't messed with BJ's device enough yet to comment but hope to soon.

[Linked Image]


"Happier than a gopher in wet sand."
Re: Same old thing [Re: Getting There] #7859215
05/04/23 09:40 AM
05/04/23 09:40 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,590
SW Pa
B
Bob Jameson Offline
trapper
Bob Jameson  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,590
SW Pa
Using a Mole Tunnel Pilot tool effectively will eliminate most of the basic trap setting problems.

Human errors and not understanding some important basic trap setting guidelines will always give you the same problems.

Most of the mechanical mole trapping problems that arise from using the Trapline mole traps from my perspective are as follows:

Failure to determine and select an active straight - line mole tunnel run to set up. Never stake you traps thru the spring loop. Always use a tether extension for good free spring rotation.

Failure to compress/compact the trap setting throat chamber where you will eventually " bed the trap."
Referring to the compression of the top of the tunnel and the bottom.

This will reduce the soil settling time allowing you to keep your trap set area working long enough to catch the mole. Soil is in a constant state of motion. Weather and surface conditions/pressure all affect this process.

Creating a depression for the spring rotation to move freely without interference is critical for a fast trap and a lethal capture/dispatch.

Proper bedding of the front jaws into the tunnel floor to eliminate the jaw detection as an obstruction. This is critical for successful catches avoiding negative reactions from the mole.

Have you folks used stiff window screen like that used for pan coverts on coil spring traps. Cut to size, create some memory to form a slight dome for the tunnel top. Insert set and bed the traps and sift over with the local ground media sand or loam cover. That will stop the collapse from the top of the tunnel.

Re: Same old thing [Re: Getting There] #7861322
05/07/23 05:22 PM
05/07/23 05:22 PM
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 72
South Texas
A
Aggie73 Offline
trapper
Aggie73  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 72
South Texas
GT - I responded to your PM.


"Happier than a gopher in wet sand."
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