Moles

I"ve got 3 victor out-o-site mole traps..i cant"t seem to catch any moles with them..I"ve tried pellets,water hose,spraying the lawn......nothing seems to work. I have sandy soil...Just planted this spring..20 little pine trees and 15 boxwood shrubs..and the moles are eating the roots. Anyone know how to get rid of moles?

Grandpa had a recipe that involved castor oil and maybe dish soap that you sprayed on the grass and that was supposed to keep them away.

Put bubble gum down there hole.

The best way to get rid of moles is the application of lime. Moles feed on grubs that live in the soil. Lime raises the ph level of the soil and grubs will not live in "sweet" soil, so no grubs, no moles. Not only do you not have to kill anything, but you get a greener lawn.

We use the kind of trap with a set of spears on both sides of the trap.

The one thing I'm unsure about is if this type would work in real sandy soil... because you tamp-down their tunnel before setting the trap over the top of it. Then next time they try to go through, they set it off and the spears drop.

Also... have to move the trap every day or two to where you see new activity.

I share your pain on the moles. From what I have read on moles they normally don't eat plant roots. They may disturb the root system as they tunnel. The main diet of moles is earthworms. Voles, however will eat plant roots and will use the mole tunnels. The experts say that most mole repellant methods do not work (see the link below). What works the best for me is a 20 gauge shotgun. I have discovered something just this week that has helped me a bunch. Keep in mind that my soil is not sandy. What I discovered is that if you take a shovel and dig up a 12 inch section of the main mole run and clean the exposed ends of the run, the mole will fairly quickly try to seal the exposed ends of of the run with soil. Just wait to you see the soil coming and fire away. They say the mole can sense the airflow. This will also work for the moles that make the big "volcano" piles of dirt and don't have visible surface runs. Just take a shovel, remove the volcano and dig a hole about a foot wide and down abut 8 inches. This will expose the horizontal tunnels normally going two directions. Again clean the holes and leave open. I had a mole this week that tried to seal the hole within 5 minutes of when I opened it up. Granted you have to have a little time on your hands, but this method has been effective for me.....think I have killed 5 or 6 this week alone.

You might take a look at utube for the cinch trap videos. I ordered a couple of these and set them one time, but the mole just tunneled down and around the trap. I probably didn't have it set properly in the tunnel. I am going to try again if I don't have time to "shotgun" hunt! Good Luck
What doesnt work on moles

You can flush them out. Block of about a five or six foot section of the tunnel with two shovels. Stick the hose in between and turn on the water. If no action, leap frog the shovels and try again, and again. I have forced many out this way. TDF

If moles (round mound) and not gophers ("U" shaped mound) you can buy Talprid "worms". They look like worms and come in a tray. Locate a runway with a small diameter steel rod. Usually I put the rod in the hole to see which way the runway goes. Then, about 6" or so from the hole find the runway with the thin steel rod. When located, use a 3/4" or more rod or dowel to make a vertical hole into the runway and drop in half a "worm". Cover the hole you just made with the rod. If gophers, same way except use pellets.
I"ve gotten rid of all of mine this way. Sometimes it takes more than one try but I always get them.

The only thing that ever worked for me is the spring trap that crushes them from the sides. Set the trap and if it is not sprung in24 hours moved it. Trap 9 one spring.

We had them real bad in the hay field a few years ago and like yourself I had no luck getting rid of them.
Told my boy's I would give them 5 dollars a mole if they could get them.
Youngest son figured out how to make some good money off me that summer.
He would take a coffee can [the 2lb size] and bury it flush with the ground near the mounds, open end facing up, no bait no nothing, they fall in and can't get out.
He had to bring the dead ones to the yard to get paid, he took $85.00 off my hands that summer.
Not putting my head into the roof of the tractor as often when hitting the mounds I figure it was worth it.

The only way to get rid of them is to kill their food supply, kill the bugs and the moles will go somewhere else. I tried everything mentioned in the replys below. Kinda like with people, no free food and they leave.

I to fight the moles in the country place. So far patience and a 12 ga shotgun is most gratifying. Last week tried the Sulphur burning stick from TSC, one hole the next morning it was throw a foot from the hole and he was still there. I tried the Milky Spores last year on the front yard and it is free of the moles where it was applied. Rather expensive.
I will try the lime. The June Bugts are gone so this should be the right time to apply.

Got about 50 acres of mole hills supposed to be hay fields. Plays hobb with sickle bar type mowers. The push up rocks that damage knives and guards. Have gone over to DRUM mowerand less damage, but still dulls knives. A few mole hills in the back yard is one thing, but the whole farm?

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Lime is your best betquote="TominKy"](reply to post at 05:47:48 07/16/14) [/quote]

Loop type traps are marginarily effective. Have set many, caught few moles. Sometimes would catch mole and hold mole,uninjured. Fun, because you can do a catch and release on your worst enemy!

a friend of mine uses the exhaust of a old push mower

Once in awhile one will get caged between the sets of spears (rather than speared).

Then you stomp, play whack-a-mole with a shovel, or get it with your hunting knife. (I leave the trapping to my other half or the kids... getting too old for that much fun. LOL)

Milky spores. Spend ten minute. Good for four years.

used for 4 years...just bought another box of 20

rohdog,

I tried pest/grubs poison, worms, upright traps, heck, even paid for a professional that was surprised at the mole activity. He charged 150 bucks.

Mole eliminator trap. I don't own any part of the company, but I have "arrested" seven moles. The moles no longer are immune to my trapping. I prefer to have a small dead mole evidence, than a bunch of unsure chemicals in my yard.

D.

I've tried everything. A cat finally turned up at my house that would kill them. He wouldn't eat them, but he would kill them.