Not pictured are 3 moles buried at customers yards....

I have my 1st 2 estimates of the year tomorrow. I'm not sure what I'll be seeing, or what I'll be able to do. The ground is still covered by snow and frozen.

Not a mole, vole, or a gopher but carnage non the less. Quite a toll to pay while looking for a mole snack.

C'mon, you did that because he was your biggest competitor. ( Wish I could do that to a couple of mine )

Wink- "The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy!" Now, where have I recently heard that?

First mole job tomorrow, Still a lot of snow on the ground. We'll see what up.

Set up my first mole job of the season this morning. Got four more calls for moles throughout the day. I got this vole damage call today as well. Half the yard looked like this. It was all under snow activity. Couldn't find a single hole going under ground.

I have been Moling hard since January, this is today;s catch




Brian

Do you like those chinese made bright steel traps...i have tried them before and caught moles in them but they feel flimsy....however i can buy a case of 50 of them for about $85 shipping included from the manufacturer in china

those cheap shiny traps are actually british made stainless steel and retail around £7.40 plus taxes each, that converts to $10.88 plus tax, the chinese traps are as much use as a chocolate kettle.


Brian

I am sorry...they looked like the Chinese traps I got in an email catalog.....

I use out of sights over here and satisfied with them...actually ran out of traps yesterday and had to buy more....glad my local fleet farm carries them and they cost less there than what I would have to pay at a supply store and I don't have to pay shipping

Yep, our Fleet Farm among others, carries them too. Which always makes me wonder: Who buys them and what are they used for?

Voles all came out of one lawn...have got 17 so far out of 5 holes in lawn

3 moles not pictured...buried in customers lawns...full day of mole set ups tomm

TR:
How do you catch these little guys. I would guess a mouse trap and a tunnel? Is this part of your mole contract? Ck yesterday for mole, ground still frozen in parts of the lawnl

Lt Grey" 5000th mole trap,,,,,Jan 2008.....I got it hanging on my wall

you guys don't know what moles is.......lol..

I set my first mole traps of the year today.

I managed 5 double catches in the duffus traps today, the days total of moles being 52

Roe:
How many moles a year do you catch?

Id be in my heaven!
I really enjoy mole work

Good to see you posting Nic...........

Hi I'm not sure as I never take count. Each day varies, but I must trap over 100 moles a week easily. But thats at this time of year when it's a busy period. Later in the summer I might not have a mole job for two months! From January til the end of may I'm working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, just to try and keep up.

It's like everything Nic; you can have too much of a good thing. Some of the farms I have to work on are 500 acres in size. It's much nicer doing paddocks or small fields.
Friday is always a busy day for me anyway, as I do lift alot of traps.

Yea I know what you mean. Still would be fun

I'd like to try trapping out a farm sometime. I like mole trapping too.

Do yo guys use rat or mouse traps for voles?

I cleared this field the other day. There's about seven fields just the same as this. No other mole trapper wanted a go at them, so I said i would. £7 a mole meant I made a few £...

Regarding the above photo, where would you guys set your traps when there's a mole hill every yard or less!

Look straight out about 327 meter, the third mound to the left, that is where I would start.

Throw Back, mouse traps but I usually attach a line. I don't like predators running off with the catch and trap.

Moles and more Moles...and Shrews

How do u kill them Myanmar looks like the one posted

Nice ! How do you like your enlarged pans ??

Wow.roe...i would be grinnin ear to ear seein a field like that

How many moles did you get roe? How many traps did you make?

I think I only got about 8 off that field. Or something like that. There are many moire fields that i am clearing, this piccy here is of two fields over and although it looks terrible, there is, on average, only a dozen moles per field. I'm looking forward to seeing the fields when they have been harrowed , to see how many survivors there are.....
The way I trap means that I don;'t need too many traps, so typically i might use about 15 traps per field and i expect to catch 90% of the moles on the first set....

Interesting, How will this same field look after it is mowed or have the boils knock down? Hard to believe that only 8 to 12 moles did all this damage. But not many woods in the area. Thanks for posting.

Adam - that was my first attempt at tweaking my OOS traps gleaned from this forum I'm sure. Then, I went offset:



All of this was when I had more time on my hands. Still had issues with rust on trip rods and pans. On open surface/foraging runs, I now use Bud 25's Modified OOS. Money well spent!

I tell you ....if you guys try talpex traps you won't look at an out-o-sight trap ever again!! They are smaller, lighter, easier to set by hand and they don't need any adjustment....they really are superb.

I will take a pic of the fields when i next go. I expect that there will be one or two moles in each field that I have to trap. I think the farmer will be delighted, he better be.

I learnt a long time ago that one mole, left to his own devices, will create a (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) of alot of mess....

Roe - while paying my dues and learning how to catch "The Little Gentleman in the Black Velvet Waistcoat," I purchased both the Flatpack Co.'s version of the Duffus/Half-Barrel and the Talpex mole traps. I did catch moles with the Talpex-type trap but also had many more misses than catches. Understand that I'm trapping in sandy soils and these Michael Phelps' rascals can swim under and around my traps as soon as their whiskers touch metal parts. Or, so it seemed. Also know that the majority of mole runs in my part of the world are along the surface (foraging/feeding runs). They will only occasionally throw mounds in our so called winter (less than 6 weeks sometimes) and during the heat of our summers and usually droughty conditions when their food sources also head south and deeper in our soils. I first speculated that the Talpex tines were not long enough in my situation compared to the OOS.



In reality, I probably didn't devote enough time to the Talpex and got more comfortable/successful with the Modified OOS and using Steve's Trapline trap (upside down). Still working on learning the Half-Barrel trap but have the same issues with my moles having the Michael Phelps' Syndrome when using this trap.

What holds the Steve A. traps in place if sat upside down? It seam as it would be at the wrong angle

GT - We discussed this on 3/10/15. Go back 3 weeks ago and to Page 3 under SUBJECT "Gophers." It's a mixed discussion on gopher vs. mole trapping.

Aggie, correct me if I'm wrong, but is that trap in the pic not a talpex?

I know what you mean about the surface runs. A nightmare. But i do stand by what I said and i think the talpex would benefit you guys.

Here's one thing to think about: If you set the talpex correctly the mole should never really come into contact with metal so it shouldnt be able to swim under the trap....the idea is to block the run so Mr Mole gets caught as he shovels the debris out of the way.,..

Roe - You are correct. It is The Flatpack Co.'s version of it, I think. Although I'm happy with the modified OOS I use, I'd try a true Talpex trap just for grins if it were available in the USA. I just surmised that the shorter length of the catch tines on this particular trap was the cause of my misses in my situation. I also use the Trapline Mole Trap along foundations, sidewalks/driveways, fences, etc. where the use of the scissor trap is not feasible. There were earlier discussions on the setting/bedding of this trap along with the "dig-unders" in sandy soils when he senses the trap.

I've had success in placing the offset pan of the modified OOS just at the base of the mole run or slightly above it, then back-filling. Not too sure if he senses the metal or not. I just want to feel that "tug" when I'm pulling a trap that's been set off!!!

Mole-catchers over here are waiting for the day that Steve Albano, or someone else, produces a Stainless Steel scissor trap that encompasses all of the features of a modified OOS and Talpex! Wishful thinking, huh?

Been settin oos for 12 years and highly effective....i do modify my traps with a couple bends in the pan but over 8,500 moles have told me i should keep using the oos

Alot of trap avoidance with oos is more in the way you set the trap and the way you make your mound in center of the trap that your pan lays on...i bend my pans so that it exactly matches my mound i create

Also i catch alot of moles against sidewalks...foundations with the oos....there really is no need to have more than one kind of trap to catch moles....the oos is the most versatile

Is there a how to thread on modifying the oos

Aggie, would you mind me asking in what scenario the misses were. had the trap been sprung, but no mole in it? Thanks.

Roe - It has been 3 years or so when I was experimenting with this trap, among other types (Trapline, Duffus/Half-barrel, and the original OOS) due to moles digging under my sets. Moles can nearly "swim" in the sandy soils where I trap. Steve Albano, himself, even admits to using the OOS in sandy soils.

I followed the tips and techniques offered here on this forum when I first started experimenting with the Talpex-type trap. I'd cut out a section of turf/soil the length and width of the trap, compact the soil in the cut-out section with a wooden mallet head, place another compacted piece of soil as a bump or block under the trip pan, then backfill the cut-out section (bath tub). Some trappers in the States do not "bath tub" their sets but sink there OOS traps directly into the run. Understand that the above technique is used almost exclusively for the surface/foraging runs created by our more common subspecies of mole, Eastern Mole. I use the Trapline mole trap when they are tunneling deeper and in all other circumstances.

I did not use this Talpex-trap enough time to learn its proper use as mentioned in previous posts and is now a moot point for me. I use the modified OOS trap (Elite Mole Upgrade) and have very few misses. I'm also waiting to see what Steve Albano has to off in his new trap. He came on this forum nearly a year ago and TEASED us with mention of his working on a new trap. Come on Steve, we're waiting!!! Cheers Roe

Well Aggie, I think you, and many other molers, would benefit from the talpex. It is important to false fire the talpex in heavy soil or clay, and i set mine a little different. I do not put a plug of soil under the trigger, i only backfill the run a little, the rest i 'cap off' with squeezed handfuls of soil, so that the mole is well in the trap before he triggers it. A mole should not be able to swim under any talpex if it is set right IMO. In sandy soil i use them too. I have very few misses and i do catch many, many moles in a year.

I always false fire my oos

Got my first mole job. Photos to follow.

Chuck

I have been getting a few call, but it is still to early in my area. The moles worked under the snow but are still not showing any new activity yet. In a couple week things will start up.

I am on vacation this week and kinda hate it....i already got 5 new lawns to set up when i get back plus a big vole job.....so looks like will be buyin a couple dozen more oos

Not sure, probably look for freshest mounds and go from there...
How did you pull it off?

I set fields from the edges. You'll catch nearly every mole in that type of field from the edge as thats where they live and their travelling routes .

If I have moles digging under traps I set upside down. I just stick it in the tunnel. It seems that the mole goes just far enough under the trap to clear the metal, which puts it inside the jaws and on its way to the trigger.

Took this crude pic of a cut-away of a surface mole run trying to show GT and answer his question. Trapline's regular mole trap's catch tines actually jut into the sidewalls of the tunnels. This along with only slightly having to bed the spring end (really the spring catch pin) of the trap makes for a snug fit, stabilizes the trap and elevates the catch tines. Steve also sells a larger mole trap with tines spaced 1/4" wider for larger mole subspecies. Works for me in sandy soils with less dig unders and when I can't use the modified OOS.

Before and after,.....this is why I'm busy!

Roe, how on earth did you fix all of that ?

I would be interested in talking with you.

I just started but I've gotten 2 so far I only have a pic of 1

Nice Cole, how is business?

I got a 76 on my exampn the first try so I missed passing by 2 questions! ( each question is 2 points) But me and my friend are taking it next week so I am hopefully going to pass then. And might too lol

It was easy. I just stumbled around putting traps in the ground!
Lots of my jobs are like that, no other mole catcher seems to want to touch them around here, I think they get over-awed and don't have the heart.

First step to solving a problem is the willingness to try.

A job like that around here would be a good paycheck in the mid four figures if that area appears to be as vast as the photo suggests.

This is how I get rid of them

Lever, I'd like to get all the pertinent questions out of the way before some gun buff asks them; caliber, scope, trajectory, windage,

elevation, grain weight, manufacturer, and did you use a spotter?

I should clarify. It's not catchin the critters I am having trouble with, how do you fix all the damage?

I get the farmer to harrow the field once I've done the control work.

I've just started a big golf course job, just had a few hours at it this morning. I think I'm going to be getting a big pay cheque this week!! There's lots of moles and I've set lots of traps.Work generally starts dying down around now but I'm stacked out.

Impressive!!!!

Golf course this week. They've been trying to trap the moles themselves. Last YEAR between six of them they managed to trap 13. I've been on four four days, and a total of around less than six hours and had 47. Got to check again today...
They look at me with mystical eyes, but I'm just doing my job. And i've got another two golf courses out of it!! ££££££££££

I have got to remember that quote; "They look at me with mystical eyes, but I'm just doing my job." Well said, roe!

"They look at me with mystical eyes." [/quote]



That's how Mrs.Ponyboy looks at me also.

Let Mrs. Ponyboy answer this one. Was ponyboy just doing his job?

That's amazing! Our dead moles always form a frown.

Ha HA.
There was a tradition here in England (still is in some remote places) of pinning moles to a barbed wire fence - so the farmer could see what had been caught before he paid the molecatcher.

I thought it was about time I did something a bit more jolly.

I have too many to post but, here's a few from yesterday on a new job I just set up.

You've gotta be the hottest mole catcher I ever did see.......

Calm down roe! We all look like that.

Maybe you do Paul but I think she is an exception to the rule. Most of us don't come close to looking like that. I am looking to hire someone like that if they were closer and available. We have lots of moles in these parts that need catching.

I started using the modified OOS along fences and foundations instead of Steve's traps bc of the many "dig unders" in sandy soils. They do definitely work in these situations but it involves setting the trap so that the trip rod fires away from the foundation or fence. This can be a pain in more ways than one! Tried the more docile Talpex-type trap mentioned in this thread. They can be set by hand and I'm not as jumpy as I would be in setting the OOS in these circumstances.

The modified OOS will continue to be my go to mole trap but now I have another one, along with Steve's, to throw in the tool box!

Is that a job offer, Bob ?

Aggie73
I see you have cables on your OOS traps. Do you have animals carry them off? I have to agree. I use a lot of Steve A. traps. But if I get a dig under I going to OOS more and more. It has been getting hot and if the soil is not water it turns to sugar sand real fast.

Aggie73
I see you have cables on your OOS traps. Do you have animals carry them off? I have to agree. I use a lot of Steve A. traps. But if I get a dig under I going to OOS more and more. It has been getting hot and if the soil is not water it turns to sugar sand real fast.

GT - I tether all of my gopher and mole traps mostly to keep other 4-legged critters from carrying off my prized catches. You will definitely lose your trap to a mis-caught gopher if you don't tether it! Tethering Steve's mole traps is also a must. There have been times when I've caught a mole by the belly or other body parts only to be saved by the fishing leader tether I use for these traps. The thin wire rope tether used on the Talpex and OOS mole traps might be a little overkill. I normally don't have too much trouble of a mole getting away with these traps. Also, because of their mostly earthworm/insectivorous diet, they are not as tasty to predators wanting to steal my catch. They stink!!! Regardless, I feel more comfortable tethering all of my traps.

I have a tether on all of Steve's traps. I like to put the flag as close to the winder as I can.