Hunting Moles

[Cottis]

Everyone thinks they could become a trapper until the little buggers start taking the p**s out of them

Generally I find it easy work with putange and tunnel traps and have never felt scissors do the business as quickly but that's just me. Even huge areas like grass runways with deep tunnels never phased me.

But recently was called to a garden that was being devastated. Light, well drained soil and manicured grass. Easy finding tunnels but after 3 weeks of bulldozing and even traps being pushed out the ground, I walked away without a single catch

Next man came a couple of weeks later and took 3 moles in 3 nights with scissors So it's not an exact science. I'll still stick with my usual suspects of traps but keep some scissors just in case.

You definitely get the odd really clever mole. I have been given the run around the last 6 days on the bounce at the golf course. It is infuriating to put in so much effort only to be thwarted. Usually I get most moles on the first or second attempt but there are definitely outliers.

One particular mole that was causing havoc feet from a green kept pushing soil into my putanges either blocking them or triggering them and then giving me the run around. The tunnels were shallow and I decided to go on a proper rummage away from the green using my feet to feel the directions of the tunnel back towards shelter, which in this case was a hedgerow. It was steep ground but eventually the dibber found a deep (10 inches) tunnel junction with 4 tunnels branching off it which is very rare. I often find 3 junctions but not 4.

Anyway, set my normal putganges yesterday evening and came back this afternoon after playing 9 holes and there was the mole dead in the trap. Very very satisfying as it was doing a great deal of damage and was very clever. Sometimes you have to move away from what you normally do and change the approach. It was clearly expecting my traps to be next to the green where it had previously encountered them but it didn't think I would be nearly a foot down with my traps on a very steep slope.

Won't be digging anymore.

 

[Shrew]

I always keep a few different types but normally talpex and barrels are my main traps

 

[Shrew]

I also keep the small fenns . … I do use the odd Trap line and putanges but I do it for a living on a self employed basis and find trap line and putanges are time consuming .. they work well and a great little traps to use sometimes on say a 3 way split tunnel in a garden maybe but are to time consuming for me on a daily basis..

 

[Cottis]

I also keep the small fenns . … I do use the odd Trap line and putanges but I do it for a living on a self employed basis and find trap line and putanges are time consuming .. they work well and a great little traps to use sometimes on say a 3 way split tunnel in a garden maybe but are to time consuming for me on a daily basis..

That's interesting. I don't mind tunnel traps but i find it time consuming to dig a perfect hole to fit them snugly which is required to really prevent moley from realising something is up. They seem to backfill tunnel traps more than putanges. I find talpex decent enough if they are set with good purpose but that means building up soil underneath and making everything neat and just so. It all takes too much time.

I find putanges rapid. Almost instant to set and you don't need to be neat with a hole. Find the tunnel, dig a circular sod out with 3 steps on a roughneck oval spade and then chuck them in replace the sod and then line marker around and move on.

Moling is really interesting to read about. Everyone has their different ways of doing it.

 

[nightowl]

That's interesting. I don't mind tunnel traps but i find it time consuming to dig a perfect hole to fit them snugly which is required to really prevent moley from realising something is up. They seem to backfill tunnel traps more than putanges. I find talpex decent enough if they are set with good purpose but that means building up soil underneath and making everything neat and just so. It all takes too much time.

I find putanges rapid. Almost instant to set and you don't need to be neat with a hole. Find the tunnel, dig a circular sod out with 3 steps on a roughneck oval spade and then chuck them in replace the sod and then line marker around and move on.

Moling is really interesting to read about. Everyone has their different ways of doing it.

No need at all to build up under talpex,,bwcause if u build up under talpex,and a mole is pushing soil ,tou can get premature misses,talpex are my main traps, regards, to moles backing dirt up to traps it is because purlely to stop a draught and light nothing to do with smells either, barrel traps completely cover with a thin layer of soil,good quality barrel traps punch through half inch layer of soil no probs ive been at it nearly 50 years
Nightowl

 

[Shrew]

When you are doing it for a living .firstly you want to see if the trap has gone off from above ground.. you’ve already done the hard work on your knees to locate the tunnels.. all three traps I use are talpex . Barrels. Fenns.. and all three you can quickly see from above ground if they’ve been sprung.. with trap line and Putanges you cannot see if it’s been sprung until you have to get down again to see and open up the tube.. yes they work .. but with all my three you don’t have to worry about bends in the tube . No doubt you’ve hit a bend and then had to re locate the putange.. coz of the length of the trap.. moles are not stupid .. but each to their own if it works for you great and keep catching.. I’ve got a load of putanges if you want to swap for genuine talpex traps I’m up for a deal

 

[nightowl]

When you are doing it for a living .firstly you want to see if the trap has gone off from above ground.. you’ve already done the hard work on your knees to locate the tunnels.. all three traps I use are talpex . Barrels. Fenns.. and all three you can quickly see from above ground if they’ve been sprung.. with trap line and Putanges you cannot see if it’s been sprung until you have to get down again to see and open up the tube.. yes they work .. but with all my three you don’t have to worry about bends in the tube . No doubt you’ve hit a bend and then had to re locate the putange.. coz of the length of the trap.. moles are not stupid .. but each to their own if it works for you great and keep catching.. I’ve got a load of putanges if you want to swap for genuine talpex traps I’m up for a deal

Hi shrew
Ive got a few putangs i only use them ,in an awkward 3, talpex is the best trap out there .they can make an amateur look like a pro!! Most barrel traps,especially THE FLAT PACK TRAPS, an excellently made traps, but they need fettling, because the springs are so strong, i believe they set thwm that way so they dont get sued if an amateur breaks a finger setting them!!! Most of them a mole be wouldnt be strong enough to set them off!! until they been ,lets say tuned
Nightowl