Mole Catchers

john432

Member
Location
Carmarthenshire
Some decades ago you could buy stryctnene from a chemist. I have a vague memory of going on a course on how to use it for mole control. I bought some from Boots. The method was to put some in a jam jar and add some worms, they wriggle a lot so I guess it's an unpleasant experience for them! I only did it once it's extreemly dangerous stuff. Banned now of course ang quite rightly so.
It really wasn't that dangerous, not on the amounts used for say half a jam jar of worms. It was so easy to get rid of moles with strichninehydrochloride. Without checking think that was the proper name, it worked because it was both taste less and ouderless. The strike nine was just because of the name, never seen a half eaten mole in a trap myself? Like so many things, if only one had stockpiled it ....another example of the stupid do gooders ruining our farming.
 

down n'dirty

Member
Location
South Wales
With it being so wet, you will find it difficult to trap moles at the moment-moles not pushing up many fresh hills and soil so sodden that tunnels don't hold their shape. Wait till it dries up and you can see their fresh working much more easily- in the meantime go out and kick over/level off any existing tumps, then it is easy to know where to put your traps when it finally stops raining.
 

Beames

Member
Location
South wales
Google. Daltonpestservices. He covers the Cardiff area. He is very good. his mate traps with us. If your on Facebook his has a closed group. A A mole control and they share tips and advice on trapping.
Dalton pest services trapped some moles for me a few weeks ago. He’s A good and guy and I would have no hesitation in recommending him.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
a good mole catcher will always leave a few, no point in catching them all he'll have nothing to do next year

I was discussing this with the fella I got in to help out last year. He said most people got up to a certain bill, like £500, and said that was enough. Fair enough financially, but if that means you leave half of them behind to breed again, then you might as well not have bothered at all imo.
That’s why I chose to carry on and blitz the area we did. Even then, there were enough left for me to clear up, which would have bred, and spread down all those ready dug runs, if left to it.
 

FarmerD89

Member
I’ve found an easy method, 2 inch hose on an IBC x2 filled with water and some dish soap, it soaks their fur and they don’t like that,

find the main run, and have two of you sat with shovels and drown them, they can’t deal with the volume. Hose pipe trick works if the runs are small enough. within a minute or two they emerge then play whack a mole, caught 15 in 3 hours last year doing this in the orchard.
 

Henery

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South shropshire
We had a mess here, bought 40 traps from a local who was giving up , watched some YouTube, talked to some “experts” and had a go. Caught 98 this year, clears some bad patches up but plenty more to do.
I really enjoy trapping the little sods, it’s quite fascinating.
Definitely too wet at the moment, grass harrows in spring are your friend 👍
 

Bogweevil

Member
Thank you, but how are they rated.
Anyone can say their the best at anything these days, so I'm trying to understand how they are rated before taking the plunge?

Good point; pay by results, not quite sure what the bounty is on moles, dead or alive.

Alternatively your local golf course can probably advise - zero tolerance to moles of course.
 

Ukjay

Member
Location
Wales!
We had a mess here, bought 40 traps from a local who was giving up , watched some YouTube, talked to some “experts” and had a go. Caught 98 this year, clears some bad patches up but plenty more to do.
I really enjoy trapping the little sods, it’s quite fascinating.
Definitely too wet at the moment, grass harrows in spring are your friend 👍

Yes, definitely too wet. Went for a walk and the ground is saturated.
Chain Harrows were used earlier in the year to flatten mounds and lift the dead grass in our ongoing clear up process 👍

The grass ideally needs rolled to help with the poaching caused by too many horses let loose in wet weather. It's like the himalayas in areas and uncomfortable walking with dodgy ankles.. But that will have to wait for the appropriate timing.
Also need to look at the land drainage at some point, as the current drains do not appear to be working. I have only found one drain though to be honest - so not sure how many are there.
 

Alias

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Lancashire
If there is a run that goes to a hedge or fence you might catch them there when it's wet, they retreat to the drier ground if the field's waterlogged. There is often a run directly below a fence line where it never gets poached, set a trap and leave it a few days because it might not be a regular run. I've even caught a weasel using one of these drier runs
 

Ukjay

Member
Location
Wales!
Saved myself a fiver today 😁

IMG_20210113_095258.jpg


Several Traps tripped but no mole, so obviously a lot of learning to do, but hey, Rome wasn't built in a day.
 

Ukjay

Member
Location
Wales!
Well, looks like the business expenditure may break even in 5 weeks at this rate, not a bad ROI for a newbie 😁

IMG_20210114_091437.jpg


No failed traps or traps filled with mud this time, however due to the amount of runs between each area - I may be selecting some that are not main runs, but all in all, fairly happy with the new learning.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Well, looks like the business expenditure may break even in 5 weeks at this rate, not a bad ROI for a newbie 😁

View attachment 933596

No failed traps or traps filled with mud this time, however due to the amount of runs between each area - I may be selecting some that are not main runs, but all in all, fairly happy with the new learning.

It’s almost addictive once you get started.👍

I don’t worry about finding main runs particularly. Regularly used feeding runs seem to be just as good, particularly if they’re just starting on a patch and there is a nice straight line of mole hills out into a field.
 

Ukjay

Member
Location
Wales!
It’s almost addictive once you get started.👍

I don’t worry about finding main runs particularly. Regularly used feeding runs seem to be just as good, particularly if they’re just starting on a patch and there is a nice straight line of mole hills out into a field.


The dogs keep trying to help get them too if I'm not quick enough to spot them heading for the fresh runs - nose straight into the mud, then bloody larger holes to fill afterwards. To be fair - they have caught two, so can't complain :)
 
Mole man close to me charges £50 first visit and £10 per mole and it soon adds up. I used to work on an estate (Gardener) and the groundsman allowed the moles to run riot. Mole man came in and cleared it..Bill came to over 2K. Within a month because said groundsman didn't bother we were again over run.
It is simple enough to do. Make sure you get a good fit on the trap (sides and under) and block light out. Rub the arses of any caught on traps in a different area.
One thing for sure..The traps need to be in the ground, not in a bucket in the shed.
 

Ukjay

Member
Location
Wales!
Another 2 this afternoon, so 5 for today:

IMG_20210114_150306.jpg


IMG_20210114_150623.jpg


Our ground is still quite wet in places, but I read that Traps full of mud is through the little buggars burying under them - so I compact the ground well before setting trap now, and had 5 for today and no empty or mud filled Traps?

Need to roll the field really as it is like the himalayas, plus the grass needs grazing.
 

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