Tweaking Traps (Mole Traps)

[Nicepix 5,650]

The only tweak I do with Talpex is to file off the burr on the trigger plate and use emery cloth to smooth the end of the latching wire. All mass produced traps have burrs where the wires have been cut and around any holes that have been drilled.

 

With Duffus traps they are all different. Some need half a mile cutting off the trigger latch to prevent excessive travel. I only use Flatpacks and the modern ones are not the same as the earlier ones. I squash the bodies in a vice to reduce the width from 73mm to around 65mm (the original Duffus was around 60mm). That puts more pressure on the retaining wire so the trigger latch needs adjusting, and while I'm at it I file the burr off that can cause the trap to hang before triggering. As Hutch says; the trigger loops are best bent forward to prevent foul captures. A mate dropped one off for me to look at yesterday. A small mole would be clear of the trapping loop by the time it triggered. Then it comes to the immovable second trigger and you get a blocked trap.

 

I've got a few scissor traps that have been donated and they are all crap.

[Giro 2,648]

Cheers Fellas ..

 

Ive had a few helpful pms too..

 

Many Thnaks .

[earth-thrower 493]

Ive had a few versions, of the 'larger' scissor type mole trap, over the years , Giro,....& some were a bit better made, than others ? (its also called, the 'english' or 'pincer', sometimes, as well) Now,( if you havent already heard ?,...lol lol),....ive found that the 'trigger' on these, can be quite 'hard',...& (as far as im concerned ?) , you want much less 'resistance' on it,...So if you notice the wee 'lugs' each side of the trigger, which when set , you 'jam' between the pincers ?,....well , if you take a pair of small pliers, you can move them slightly ?,...reset it, & this will make the trigger, go off much , easier ?,....(you will soon know , what i mean, once you 'play' about with it),.....believe it or not, you know how the triggers suspended on a 'metal hook' ,which is held on, over the hinge,usually ?,....well, if you take this off, & tie the trigger to a similar length, of string/twine ?, & knot it back over the hinge,..this can also make the 'trigger' a bit softer, in itself (initially) ?,................Also, make sure the 'pincers/legs' of this type, are 'wide enough', apart ?,...cause i bought a batch, once (half a dozen),.& The 'jaws' just didnt sit open wide enough ?,,when the trap was set.This can really affect, your capture rate,.....( i had to hold them in a vice, & try & knock the pincers (gently) out a bit, with a hammer)

Edited April 22, 2016 by earth-thrower

[unclepesta 101]

just to stir it up, i disagree about scissor traps especially after tweeking, just a lot of crap unserviced ones about with them crap leaf springs, nice coil spring and your away, using standard scissors might improve your set and understanding of mole trapping. a right learning curve that you will learn from.

 

when talpex arrived they had it right with power and the precise set of the plate, literally out of the box service. i instantly converted but i look back on my old scissors with pride, years and years of service and some were used long before i was born so they certainly paid there way.

 

tongs are ancient possibly older than scissors but i dont know for sure, i can only say i had them over 30 years ago as a young kid exactly the same including square wire trigger. even as a young boy i could set one, the french copper ones are much much stronger. but the same in design.

 

most traps like phil says require checking over, and if any i would say the duffus requires the most attention imo, its trigger can often be messed up. duffus should definitly be checked often. with talpex and the old scissors you can have a bit more confidence,its components are more robust and dont bend out of shape so easy, so once you tweek them your done. duffus will require ongoing tweeks.

 

 

once the trap is right( AND YOU KNOW WHAT RIGHT IS) then get the set right. the tool is only gonna be as good as than person using it.

 

dont blame the tool unless its honestly broke.

 

Earthrower has plenty of experience he just wants it respected a bit, some wont understand but we only wanna create good molers and not fly by night cowboys that will damage the trade of mole control. giro understands its not a no or a feck off, Earthrower did say comments will come to help giro. he just wanted to stir his thoughts so he went on the path of self discovery.

 

if someone just gives you something it suffers loss of value. it loses something when its not earnt. a bit like getting a gold medal but you didnt run the race to actually win it.

 

debate and arguement need not be bad its different strokes for different folks

 

i like the talpex no tweeks or messing, talpex might make you a mole trapper they are that good.

 

excuse my grammar in my posts,hope you guys have a good season

[earth-thrower 493]

just to stir it up, i disagree about scissor traps especially after tweeking, just a lot of crap unserviced ones about with them crap leaf springs, nice coil spring and your away, using standard scissors might improve your set and understanding of mole trapping. a right learning curve that you will learn from.

 

when talpex arrived they had it right with power and the precise set of the plate, literally out of the box service. i instantly converted but i look back on my old scissors with pride, years and years of service and some were used long before i was born so they certainly paid there way.

 

tongs are ancient possibly older than scissors but i dont know for sure, i can only say i had them over 30 years ago as a young kid exactly the same including square wire trigger. even as a young boy i could set one, the french copper ones are much much stronger. but the same in design.

 

most traps like phil says require checking over, and if any i would say the duffus requires the most attention imo, its trigger can often be messed up. duffus should definitly be checked often. with talpex and the old scissors you can have a bit more confidence,its components are more robust and dont bend out of shape so easy, so once you tweek them your done. duffus will require ongoing tweeks.

 

 

once the trap is right( AND YOU KNOW WHAT RIGHT IS) then get the set right. the tool is only gonna be as good as than person using it.

 

dont blame the tool unless its honestly broke.

 

Earthrower has plenty of experience he just wants it respected a bit, some wont understand but we only wanna create good molers and not fly by night cowboys that will damage the trade of mole control. giro understands its not a no or a feck off, Earthrower did say comments will come to help giro. he just wanted to stir his thoughts so he went on the path of self discovery.

 

if someone just gives you something it suffers loss of value. it loses something when its not earnt. a bit like getting a gold medal but you didnt run the race to actually win it.

 

debate and arguement need not be bad its different strokes for different folks

 

i like the talpex no tweeks or messing, talpex might make you a mole trapper they are that good.

 

excuse my grammar in my posts,hope you guys have a good season

God, you dont half know, how to put things across, well,....(wish i could),....Thanks, but im not worried , how i come across on here, im not interested in being 'popular' , or being part of the 'in' crowd ?,...lol,...or 'ganging' up, if i want too have a 'go', at someone,.....You mentioned about those 'leaf' springs, on the scissor traps,....one year a manufacturer, who made them regular, decided to use 'inferior' metal, for the springs,....so, the result was , they started too 'snap',..after just a little use !,.....well, you can imagine the outcry,....& all the traps, getting sent back, for a refund ,....lol (boxes of ten, if i remember right),...dont think they ever made that mistake, again !,....

[Giro 2,648]

Cheers guys..

 

Much appreciated..

 

[earth-thrower 493]

Ive had a few versions, of the 'larger' scissor type mole trap, over the years , Giro,....& some were a bit better made, than others ? (its also called, the 'english' or 'pincer', sometimes, as well) Now,( if you havent already heard ?,...lol lol),....ive found that the 'trigger' on these, can be quite 'hard',...& (as far as im concerned ?) , you want much less 'resistance' on it,...So if you notice the wee 'lugs' each side of the trigger, which when set , you 'jam' between the pincers ?,....well , if you take a pair of small pliers, you can move them slightly ?,...reset it, & this will make the trigger, go off much , easier ?,....(you will soon know , what i mean, once you 'play' about with it),.....believe it or not, you know how the triggers suspended on a 'metal hook' ,which is held on, over the hinge,usually ?,....well, if you take this off, & tie the trigger to a similar length, of string/twine ?, & knot it back over the hinge,..this also makes the 'trigger' a bit softer, in itself ?,................Also, make sure the 'pincers/legs' of this type, are 'wide enought', apart ?,...cause i bought a batch, once (half a dozen),.& The 'jaws' just didnt sit open wide enough ?,,when the trap was set.This can really affect, your capture rate,.....( i had to hold them in a vice, & try & knock the pincers (gently) out a bit, with a hammer)

It can also be a bit controversial, regarding the 'depth' at which you place these traps in the 'run', for best results ?,.....(i know what works best for me), (but soil conditions, can play a part ?),.....its best tried out, as an individual thing, by trial & error,...too find out, which works best, for yourself, perhaps ?,.........the 'covering' of this type of trap, needs too be carried out, with care, as well,......

[earth-thrower 493]

Having faffed about with the ones you mention then there are a few tweaks i would recommend before you put them in the Earth's crust.

 

Dufus Types:

 

Before I set the trap I know that the trigger loop will have to travel too far for how I use them so I get a pair of snub nosed pliers with the wire cutting bit in the jaws. I slide the cutting jaw under the trigger pin holding wire and if the cutting edge catches then I simply trim the holding wire length by about half a mil.

Then you want to set that end of the trap. If it holds then quids in, if not then bend the trigger holding wire over a bit. Then you want to flip the trap over holding it set in your hand. Using the pliers grab the sides of the bottom of the loops and bend them towards to the trap. This not only opens the loops up wider but also means the bottom of the loops will sit flush with the bottom of the run.

Still holding the trap set bend the trigger loop towards the catch loop so the mole doesn't have to go so far in to trigger the trap.

Now with that side sorted out you want to do the same to the other side.

With both sides set trigger one side and ensure the non-triggered side remains set - you don't want the vibrations from one side going off to set off a side that hasn't been touched. Then reset that side and set off the other side to ensure that both sides now remain set when the opposite is triggered.

With a bit of bending and cutting here and there you can get the triggers to go off if the air pressure in he tunnels changes from the mole farting if you desire.

 

Taplex.

 

I have never needed to adjust these at all. Maybe bend the trigger plate downwards if you want a better trigger but I just adjust how I set the trap rather than the trap itself. When Ou've got the trigger pin through the little hole on the trigger plate, take the pressure off the spring a little by squeezing and then use the surface of your thumb to ensure than the pin doesn't protrude through the trigger plate as this means more travel distance for the trigger plate for the trap to be sprung.

 

Scissor traps.

 

I adjusted mine by putting them in a bin for a week until they disappeared.

 

Adjusting traps isn't rocket science and knowing how isn't going to put anyone out of business unless they don;t know how to do this already. The science part comes in from when you first look at the field or area to be trapped. I must be a wanted man on here now for divulging such info so make sure you put these tips to use and carry on the legacy that is trapping moles.

Well done, ...youve earned your 'Blue Peter', badge !,.......lol (only a joke, mind)

[unclepesta 101]

its good to get a trap that you feel confident with set up correct, sometimes i have set duffus and worried a little if i checked the triggers, i usually test fire my duffus were as with talpex or scissors its pretty much set and go.

 

duffus triggers can and do stick so working on that is good, im not sold on the over forming of the duffus shape a little tweek but not too tight, sometimes i dirt the trap rims, the only thing you want him to touch is the trigger, smooth transaction from tunnel to trap. tongs do come in handy as they require no actual setting in a disturbed run, everything is natural, no big dug out cavitys.

 

i have actually seen folks try and guide moles in runs with twigs either side of entrance then trap.. maybe im missing something.

 

i can understand nicepix with a big spade setting tongs on deep runs and doing visits to check areas,but moles trapped in our country dont need a spade. trowel at most. a nice sharp hand trowel.but be careful i cut myself a few times, mine got sharper as i used it i reckon, im not sayin dont have a mole spade but its not needed for most gardens or plough.

 

im so lazy on my sets its normally a mole hill or something i do by hand, at most trowel,thats if if i wanna look busy lol or feel like using tools. the important thing is making sure the client is happy and everyone sleeps well... i literally love my clients.

 

hit the mole job hard first visit,remember sometimes a bad set can create further misfires. so its not the amount of traps but quality of set. set that trap dead right and you will improve your catch rate.. and timing on jobs, be too lazy like i sometimes am and you might need to do that extra visit lol. i charge fix price so no the customer dont pay for my lazy view when it occurs.

 

im busy tomorrow molin and rattin so im happy and my clients will be happy, moles and rats wont though lol

 

 

wish the forum would liven up a bit so many good guys gone off

[Nicepix 5,650]

Where I work a lot depends on the type of soil as to what I use to open up the tunnels. Out west it is all limestone country and the soil is littered with small stones. In some gardens it is like builder's rubble. It also dries out pretty quickly and so a cut down border spade with a narrow blade, about the same width as a trowel, is better than a hand trowel. Same in the clay areas in summer. You wouldn't get through to the deeper runs with a hand trowel. Up in the north of the area I work all that is needed is a large knife on most occasions.

 

Thankfully I manage to do the business most times. In fact the only time I have not succeeded was a garden where no matter how many moles I caught there would still be more to catch. I got up to about 12 or 13 in three visits and realised that it would be a never ending job because of the soil, moisture and surrounding uncontrolled areas. The place had been an asparagus farm and the soft fertile soil went down over 6 feet with barely a stone on the whole plot. It was also a long way off my usual route and so I told the customer that it was futile and didn't take any payment. Even if I'd had cleared them for the week after my last visit they would have been back within a very short time. It was better for both of us to call it off.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Nicepix

[hutch6 550]

Well done, ...youve earned your 'Blue Peter', badge !,.......lol (only a joke, mind)

No, no!! I want my bloody badge now!!

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

Well done fellas,..friendly, sensible banter, constructive chat and some good craic there..

[earth-thrower 493]

Well done fellas,..friendly, sensible banter, constructive chat and some good craic there..

Well, i gave in,..& got 'back on track', in the end, Phil ? ha ha,....(but, i had some 'fun', too !,..lol)

[swarmcatcher 15]

Nice summary for trap setting - definitely worth a blue badge.

With duffus you should be checking that the trap is not catching too far down the body otherwise the mole will take longer to die.

You should also be making sure that the spring is off sufficient power to kill quickly - one very good reason to buy from a reputable UK manufacturer and not cheep chinese imports

I've never used the putangs but if they are similar to no-moles then no adjustments needed, same for traplines which are great in 3 way tunnels. Don't really go much on scissor traps - doubtful about the springs and who wants them sticking up out of the lawn anyway? Talpex seem to be great straight out of the box.

 

Anyone know why the duffus traps are getting wider and wider, i'm always trying to find my older narrower ones to place in the tunnels, and squeezing them affects the catching loops travel and then narrowing that all becomes somewhat messy.

[MAG1980 116]

[quote if they are similar to no-moles then no adjustments needed,

 

 

If using Nomols remove the inferior trigger and use a different one.Bin the chain thats attatched to it aswel. Use braid or fishing line to attatch it to the trap like the putanges.just mho.