Mole Trapping For A Living

[earth-thrower 493]

 

Now no one do it as a full time work, either it is part time or no one is interested it doing now a days

 

I can't speak for the US situation, but nothing could be further from the truth here in the UK.

 

There are more people than ever trapping moles, and quite a few who make a living from it.

 

The 'myth' that molecatching is a dying art still persists here, and some see it as an easy buck. The situation has not been helped by certain self proclaimed celebrities running courses and giving anyone with a spare £100 the impression that it's a romantic and easy living that's waiting for them.

 

When strychnine was on it's way out, one of the reasons used to defend it was that there was a shortage of mole trappers. In reality, there wasn't a shortage of trappers at all; what there was, was a shortage of people prepared to pay a realistic fee to have moles trapped.

 

I've just started working on a farm that I used to poison with strychnine twenty years ago. Looking back through the records, the farmer actually paid me more (inflation adjusted) to poison his moles back then than he'll end up paying to have the same ground trapped this time around.

 

Conning people into believing that mole trapping was a 'dying art' suited certain individuals who made money from selling books, dvds and training courses and added to the 'romance' of their cult status.

 

Let's just make this clear; wherever you are in the UK today, there is no shortage of molecatchers.

 

Good, informative post there, Matt.

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

Would agree 100%....

 

I was once asked by a fellow offering Mole trapping 'courses',...

 

"What is your objection to us teaching, all and sundry, the 'art of mole catching'....do you want the ancient art to die out' ?

 

I think my reply shocked him,...'Yes',...and you can fecking resurect the 'art',.. when I am retired !!

[jamie mc 168]

I could not agree more with the abundance of mole catches now. If you can make a living out of it then good look. But it is not the romantic dream that people think it is out in cold and rain and competing for new work all the time.Traps being stolen and their is one thing you are spot on about Matt trust and that comes with time and building up a reputation for being good at what you do.It also lets you set your prices for the area you work in.

[Matt 160]

Would agree 100%....

 

I was once asked by a fellow offering Mole trapping 'courses',...

 

"What is your objection to us teaching, all and sundry, the 'art of mole catching'....do you want the ancient art to die out' ?

 

I think my reply shocked him,...'Yes',...and you can fecking resurect the 'art',.. when I am retired !!

 

You see, that, is part of the problem....

 

Molecatching, using the humble trap developed by Mr Duffus, has only been around since 1922. Hardly an 'ancient art'...

 

Is molecatching an art? I don't think so.

 

It's a skill, honed with experience and helped by instinct. An art? No.

 

I also object (admittedly because I'm a grumpy old git) to people forking out money to take a short cut to learning how to do it.

 

When I started out, back as a schoolboy, it was with scissor traps. Like most trappers of that time, I had to learn which runs to trap, how to place that trap, and how to make that trap work effectively. I was lucky enough to lay my hands on a couple of well made Duffus traps, and soon learned that they were the bees knees. Sadly, even then, traps of that quality were not available on the open market, and it was very disheartening to go through the rigmarole of writing off to suppliers with postal orders, and keenly waiting for the postman to call just to deliver an inferior trap that needed tuning up to get it to even work.

 

Nowadays, folks tap the right words into google, and turn themselves into experts after a couple of hours of reading, or part with the value of a couple of nights out and go on a course where they are told that the local 'Berkshire' terminology is written in stone, and that the best traps you can buy come from China.

 

I've had a busy couple of weeks. A couple of hundred moles have been caught by me despite the weather, and the lack of my beloved quad. I can pay my mortgage this month, and send some wonga to some other creditors before I start worrying again next month.... What really concerns me is the prospect of yet more eager, overnight experts appearing in the area next month to undercut me, mess my customers around, and potentially deprive me of my home and livelihood.

 

Courses? The worst thing to happen to this molecatcher in recent years.

 

Now I'm sounding bitter and twisted (which I'm not really) so I'll sign off. Before I do, I'd just like to make it clear that I've no problem with anyone wanting to learn how to catch moles. My problem is with people who should know better telling the unwitting that molecatching is a dying art, and that there is a shortage of molecatchers....

[Mr Muddy 141]

It’s not so much the ‘teaching’ people, but the ‘bullsh****ng’ people that’s wrong.

 

You can correct me if I’m wrong here; but I’d guess it takes years, if not decades, to build up enough customers to be a mole catcher full-time.

 

I bet they don’t admit that to the people taking the courses.

[earth-thrower 493]

 

Would agree 100%....

 

I was once asked by a fellow offering Mole trapping 'courses',...

 

"What is your objection to us teaching, all and sundry, the 'art of mole catching'....do you want the ancient art to die out' ?

 

I think my reply shocked him,...'Yes',...and you can fecking resurect the 'art',.. when I am retired !!

 

You see, that, is part of the problem....

 

Molecatching, using the humble trap developed by Mr Duffus, has only been around since 1922. Hardly an 'ancient art'...

 

Is molecatching an art? I don't think so.

 

It's a skill, honed with experience and helped by instinct. An art? No.

 

I also object (admittedly because I'm a grumpy old git) to people forking out money to take a short cut to learning how to do it.

 

When I started out, back as a schoolboy, it was with scissor traps. Like most trappers of that time, I had to learn which runs to trap, how to place that trap, and how to make that trap work effectively. I was lucky enough to lay my hands on a couple of well made Duffus traps, and soon learned that they were the bees knees. Sadly, even then, traps of that quality were not available on the open market, and it was very disheartening to go through the rigmarole of writing off to suppliers with postal orders, and keenly waiting for the postman to call just to deliver an inferior trap that needed tuning up to get it to even work.

 

Nowadays, folks tap the right words into google, and turn themselves into experts after a couple of hours of reading, or part with the value of a couple of nights out and go on a course where they are told that the local 'Berkshire' terminology is written in stone, and that the best traps you can buy come from China.

 

I've had a busy couple of weeks. A couple of hundred moles have been caught by me despite the weather, and the lack of my beloved quad. I can pay my mortgage this month, and send some wonga to some other creditors before I start worrying again next month.... What really concerns me is the prospect of yet more eager, overnight experts appearing in the area next month to undercut me, mess my customers around, and potentially deprive me of my home and livelihood.

 

Courses? The worst thing to happen to this molecatcher in recent years.

 

Now I'm sounding bitter and twisted (which I'm not really) so I'll sign off. Before I do, I'd just like to make it clear that I've no problem with anyone wanting to learn how to catch moles. My problem is with people who should know better telling the unwitting that molecatching is a dying art, and that there is a shortage of molecatchers....

 

Oh, how i wish, you could be 'let loose', in the ' forums ' of these 'molecatching organisations', Matt !!

[primrose 4]

i have recently taken on a couple large farms for pest control so i am thinking about buying a quad so i was wondering what make and model would be better and whether a 2wd or 4wd thanks

[outandabout 27]

Matt, I have a question for you:

 

Why are 'they' pushing for traps to be inspected every day?

 

I don't understand, because:

 

I use flat pack traps & talpex, traps. I have tuned/adjusted the FP's to suit how I like them to work.

 

I cannot remember the last time I had a foul catch in my traps.

 

My traps kill instantly, I've seen this for myself. I check them regularly for defects. They are completely humane.

 

So what's the point in inspecting every day unless you want to? A dead mole is a dead mole, whether you retrieve it a day or two days after you've caught it.

 

p.s. (The one time I can remember getting a foul catch was when I tried a proctor trap. Read into that what you will).

Edited April 19, 2014 by ekpestcontrol

[Matt 160]

EK, the reason why one organisation is pushing the issue is that it's founder wants to make a name for himself.

 

Changing the law to enforce 24 hour trap checks will do nothing for welfare.

 

If you're not already a member, I'd strongly urge you to join the APMC which campaigns to protect professional molecatchers from idiots like JN.

[perthshire keeper 1,239]

EK, the reason why one organisation is pushing the issue is that it's founder wants to make a name for himself.

 

Changing the law to enforce 24 hour trap checks will do nothing for welfare.

 

If you're not already a member, I'd strongly urge you to join the APMC which campaigns to protect professional molecatchers from idiots like JN.

ive got 2 books if his.....and the only thing i picked up was setting barrel traps on its side...tried it once worked once and fogot about it till every time i hear his name

[Mr Muddy 141]

 

EK, the reason why one organisation is pushing the issue is that it's founder wants to make a name for himself.

 

Changing the law to enforce 24 hour trap checks will do nothing for welfare.

 

If you're not already a member, I'd strongly urge you to join the APMC which campaigns to protect professional molecatchers from idiots like JN.

ive got 2 books if his.....and the only thing i picked up was setting barrel traps on its side...tried it once worked once and fogot about it till every time i hear his name

 

 

I was given a copy of the Mole Catching, a practical guide book.

 

Page 50 made me laugh, where he’s writing about the Arouze trap. The bloke clearly doesn’t know how to set it, yet he writes a page on it anyway!! With pictures!!!

Jesus: that’s one hell an ego.

[outandabout 27]

I'll take a look at the APMC website Matt.

 

These organisations try to make out that people have no regard for animal welfare, be it pest controllers, people hunting & working dogs, shooting, trappers etc.

 

Nothing could be further from the truth. No-one in their right mind likes to see an animal suffering.

 

I do my job professionally, I have respect for animals and I ensure my activites are conducted humanely. I also shoot, hunt and fish recreationally, and show the same level of respect for quarry. Everyone I know has the same attitude.

 

If something needs to be addressed concerning animal welfare, you only have to look at the thousands of mistreated pet animals in the UK.

 

I'm drifting off topic now so I'll sign off.