Hi folks
If I set some Albano mole traps by noon, should I check them b4 dusk?
..or are they nocturnal?
Starting a job I only have 4 days on and want to check enough but not overdo it!
Thanx
John

Moles living underground in the dark can move anytime day or night.

As of the last few years I have been checking once a day on our jobs.Waiting 2 or more days you will begin seeing cannilabism in your mole catches.

Meaning you are missing other moles by having a caught mole blocking the tunnel.Moles are very active and if you are on their primary travel routes,new dig outs or new feed tunnels by knowing how to read the sign well you will catch them daily.Gang setting on the main runs will help to eradicate this problem.

I have found on any average job you will need at least 7-10 days on site and inspecting each check for missed runs to do a good clean out if you are good at your job.

Any less time you will be leaving moles on the job. Moles can have an extensive network of runs and it just requires time to allow them to make their rounds. Many ADC folks dont know what they leave on site and then you risk fast call backs and unhappy folks.

For someone who has never seen a mole in his life, I feel like I know more about them than most people. Am I lucky to not have moles or am I missing a lot of good business? After listening to you guys, I guess I'm happy without them. What do you think?

I love mole work, and Paul it comes with zero chance of falling off a ladder:)

I have fun with moles. How many traps do you guys set per job?

With my luck we'd get roof moles. And I don't even want to know how you have fun with moles.

The number of primary runs that you identify determine the number of traps set. You need to decipher and identify the maze of runs to establish the primary runs to different areas.

Some are travel routes to various landscape areas, some are tunnels leading to the nest sites,some are hard edge travel runs, some tunnels lead to dead end turn around/rest areas,some are new advancing feed runs, some are deep access runs to fresh surface mounds. Once you recognize them all mole clean outs are much easier.

They want me to trap 'tween camper sessions and will have 5 days and was wondering if I should check traps MORE than once/day.

I told them I'd do what I can in the limited time they've given me....no one else would even come look the place over...I made a ridiculous bid, including lodging, since it's 1.5 hrs away..and got the job..

There are 4 areas moled up, about 20-30 ft square each.
I have 12 Albanos and 6 victor spear type.

Based on your description of the time constraints, etc and mole behavior/biology, I'd check more frequently for sure. With each catch, start pressing down tunnels to serve as your indicators of subsequent activity.

Good idea Jason
thanx
Hope your custom holster is filling the bill!
John

Looks like you will be running without what I would deem enough traps for such a short term program. Spears are only good for shallow feed/run tunnels. So you will have six spears and six set ups with the Albano trap locations. That will give you 12 set ups which will be about 3 locations per activity area.

Good luck with your program. Let us know how it works out for you. Sounds like you will have 8 to 12 moles or more on that job. Then factor in the perimeter migratory runs that may feed those areas and the count could go up.

Most of our mole work here doesnt have many raised feed tunnel runs as described so there is no monitoring them. Just have to find the deeper more permanent runs that are the primary runs for most of your catches.Shallow runs produce very few moles in my experience.If they are fresh tunnel extension digs then you will connect.

2nd everything Bob Jameson has stated.

As long as you don't lose them (marker of some kind), the best thing about Steve Albano's and No-Mol type of trap is that they are out of sight and out of mind. People with dogs, kids, and nosy neighbors always appreciate them.

If not using spears or OOS, the place which has camper sessions may let the trapping go on during sessions with sub surface traps, not limiting the time, once they see (or don't in this case)that the traps pose no problems to their campers.

Because of the distance, another option may be selling a package of traps and education to the camp. They could run their own program with your consultation after you sold them the equipment and teach them how to use it.

Yeah, traprjohn, working like a charm!

American moles must be a lot different to the moles over here, a job that size I would only use 4 traps, its very rare, other than in the breeding season that there will be more than 1 mole in area that size [ 20 - 30ft square], our moles are very territorial and will fight to the death if they meet each other.

I typically can trap 4-8 moles around a tree that has multiple mounds both old and new digging. That is from a 20 ft radius from the base of the tree. I caught 43 moles from a typical city two lot area 2 weeks ago in 10 days.

Do catch many coloured moles ? I have 4 white and 1 orange in the freezer at the moment, I will have to get my lad to take some photos and show me how to put them up , because I haven't got a clue how to do it.

I caught a neat grey/blue one a few days ago. It had a beautiful pelt. Most of them aren't as interesting in my area.

I get some moles with white patches on their chest and bellies at times. Most are dark grey to near black in color.

I catch a few that have orange on the face.

Rickey