Finding A Main Mole Run

[RossR 14]

Im reading a lot about finding the main run instead of the feeding area, and i have no clue what everyone is on about? if someone could shed some light on this it would be much appreciated!

 

Ross

[Matt 160]

Moles have travelling runs to get from A to B and feeding runs that they patrol for earthworms.

 

Main (or travelling) runs go from their nest (sometimes more than one nest) and the feeding areas. They also go between feeding areas, and between territories.

 

Personally, I think the best runs to trap are the ones that go between territories

 

Feeding areas are usually easy to spot; they are groups of molehills tightly together. Travelling runs are often (but not always found around the outside of a field, often coming from a hedge or wall or even a fence and going towards the feeding areas.

 

It's one of those things you learn by experience

[Mr Muddy 141]

 

It's one of those things you learn by experience

 

I’d say my time is rarely wasted just standing looking at mole hills on the other side of a valley (whether I've got a job there or not) , just trying to work out what’s going on.

Can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m sure I soon start seeing patterns and get an idea what the moles are up to.

 

I’m even considering getting one of those drone things, so I can take an aerial photo of a site before I start work.

[Nicepix 5,650]

In my short experience I regard those hidden runs where you just get a bit of crumb pushed up in the middle of the lawn, no sign of molehills past or present, just an unexplained eruption of soil, as Paydirt. They are the ones that many generations of moles have been using and will continue to use for years to come.

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

The run is always there,...it has to be....

SO,.if you choose to accept this mission,.it is your job to find it...

This message will self destruct very shortly...

[perthshire keeper 1,239]

 

 

It's one of those things you learn by experience

 

I’d say my time is rarely wasted just standing looking at mole hills on the other side of a valley (whether I've got a job there or not) , just trying to work out what’s going on.

Can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m sure I soon start seeing patterns and get an idea what the moles are up to.

 

I’m even considering getting one of those drone things, so I can take an aerial photo of a site before I start work.

 

 

That's such a good idea! There's a field I used to watch on a hillside when i was trapping one farm and there was a line of hills almost right across this field at the top then all down both sides for about 700 m was a half a dozen groups of hills maybe 5-600 hills in the field. Over the year all the hills that made the line were washed down and more and more hills come up down the field and I would sit and look every few month as to how the moles were working this field and where I would put traps etc ..

 

So when the day came that the phone rang I went right round and put what I had pondered over for a year into action and I put 1 trap in that line of now nondescript hills and a dozen more in travelling runs. I set whilst the farmer was there and he kept saying you will need more traps you will need more traps...you will be here all year etc ..

 

I had 3 doubles the next day and the trap in the old run had a double for 3 days then 2 singles.. 8 moles in 5 days from one old run..and I bet you could keep that whole field clear of moles with one or two traps in the right place.

 

I would go as far as to say once a field is clear it could be kept clear with one or two well placed traps!

Edited February 25, 2015 by Matt
The spelling fairy strikes again!