patchworkcrew

if they are honey bees and you have a swarm then call your local bee-keeping society. Bees are having a tough time at the moment and swarms are in short supply. Bob G

What do people suggest is the best method of dealing with "chicken rats". I don't want to use poison nor sit for hours with gun. What do you reckon? Bob g

Signed up Bob g

It may sound obvious but do gun dogs go deaf or get the canine equivalent of tinnitus through prolonged exposure to gunshot? We wear ear defenders and given dogs seem to have more sensitive hearing........???? Bob G

A bit harsh I think. Without them you wouldn't get your qualifications. You should ask yourslelf why they do the job? Gamekeeping is hardly reknown for good pay and some folk are forced due to financial reasons to go where the money is (sad but true). Others have taken it up for family reasons, babies, etc. It is a competitive market out there and land is decreasing so the work isn't as abundant. There are a lot of crap keepers out there without doubt. Some have only got their jobs through nepotism. I applaud those who have the common sense to seek a qualification for their profession and

this is where I get mine. Good quality at a reasonable price https://www.theflatpack.co.uk/merchantmanag...?products_id=11 Bob G

Try doing both. Hopefully one will be a good clean set trap. But check you have activity first. Regards Bob G

Yes, if you are setting traps in "shakes" the mole may be long gone. That said, not all runs close to the surface are shakes. There seems to be a general rule that the better the feeding, the shallower the run. Small molehills equal shallow runs. Large molehills equal deeper. It's only a generalisation but often true and gives you a guide to how deep you should be looking for the run. I think the easiest runs to set traps are under short grass with mole hills about 6-9 inches high. Moles tend to block tunnels that have had traps in. They may not use the tunnel again but often it set

Some people lift the next day on the basis that the Mole will know and avoid. I'm not so sure about this. I usually check traps after about 12 hours, sometimes less, and if still no result after a couple of days then I lift them. The Mole seems to live on a 4 hour shift system. In theory this means that in 24 hours it will have had several opportunities to spring the trap. But the Mole doesn't seem to visit every part of its tunnel system in a shift so I think it is possible a trap could be undetected for some time. You might try flattening mole hills in the area, that way any new activi

You might want to add exp or expanding bullet as well if that's an option you are considering. Bob G

If you think education is bad, try no education! That's worse. Wouldn't be able to fill in FAC forms, for one thing. Or count how many rabbits after an evenings foray. Bob G

ASE Utra about £60 - Tops!! Bob G

As far as I understand - the general licences apply to Wales as they do for England. Sorry guys - I think Wales is still a Principality and we've only given you enough independence to stop you setting fire to holiday homes Bob G

Just an update! I showed a couple of pupils from a nearby school how to set Mole Traps. After showing them how it should be done they set their own traps. The traps they set were a right dog's dinner. The Trap was set at an angle to the run, the covering let in air and light. The run was full of loose earth. They took ages to set the trap and by the time they had finished - what with tramping up and down, shouting and hollering...... You get the picture? Well you know what's coming - their trap caught the mole!!!!!!! Ah well! Even experienced Mole trappers can learn - I g

Thanks for that. I'll give it a go and see if Foxy keeps out! Regards Bob G