Using mole traps

[Nicepix 5,650]

I've never owned that many traps. Not even including the ones I've lost 

[Moorman 1 1,373]

10 hours ago, Nicepix said:

I've never owned that many traps. Not even including the ones I've lost 

So how would you make a living on agricultural work?

[Nicepix 5,650]

16 minutes ago, Moorman 1 said:

So how would you make a living on agricultural work?

I don't. I used to do three small farms, about 100 traps maximum, in and amongst my usual garden jobs. But it was too much hassle. Farmers asking for quotes for specific areas then when I turned up to do the job asking: "While you're here could you have a look at........" Or they would make the call in March or April after I had made it clear I would only do the clearances in December and January when the stock was indoors, the grass wasn't growing and my garden jobs were quiet.

So now I don't do any farm work or equine jobs. Just gardens on a regular fortnightly visits basis. I work 3 days a fortnight. It tops up my UK pensions, and I'll get a small French pension at the end of next year. 

[Moorman 1 1,373]

14 minutes ago, Nicepix said:

I don't. I used to do three small farms, about 100 traps maximum, in and amongst my usual garden jobs. But it was too much hassle. Farmers asking for quotes for specific areas then when I turned up to do the job asking: "While you're here could you have a look at........" Or they would make the call in March or April after I had made it clear I would only do the clearances in December and January when the stock was indoors, the grass wasn't growing and my garden jobs were quiet.

So now I don't do any farm work or equine jobs. Just gardens on a regular fortnightly visits basis. I work 3 days a fortnight. It tops up my UK pensions, and I'll get a small French pension at the end of next year. 

Ideal sounds like a good plan.

It's totally different from what we are doing. 

Regarding the farmers, we just say a set price per mole no livestock in the fields. That way if they add on anything its to our benefit. It's hard graft but good money in the season

 

[Nicepix 5,650]

The problem I had is that I could only set around 100 traps a day and anything extra meant putting in extra time. I could roll traps over to other areas if I was confident that they had done their job, but that meant the job running over the time I had allocated to it. I am not geared up to farm work and don't really enjoy it. 

Once I have new garden jobs fettled I can pull up, check the garden and any permanent trap sites and be off to the next call in 10 minutes unless I get offered a cuppa. If there are any new molehills I can usually sort it with two or three traps. Some of them haven't had a molehill or mole in years, but I still get paid.

[Moorman 1 1,373]

5 minutes ago, Nicepix said:

The problem I had is that I could only set around 100 traps a day and anything extra meant putting in extra time. I could roll traps over to other areas if I was confident that they had done their job, but that meant the job running over the time I had allocated to it. I am not geared up to farm work and don't really enjoy it. 

Once I have new garden jobs fettled I can pull up, check the garden and any permanent trap sites and be off to the next call in 10 minutes unless I get offered a cuppa. If there are any new molehills I can usually sort it with two or three traps. Some of them haven't had a molehill or mole in years, but I still get paid.

You definitely can't beat the garden work, if you can get enough of it. If you are trying to earn enough to live on around here then the agricultural work is a good way to get the high workload at the appropriate time of the year. Make hay while the sun shines, as they say!

[Nicepix 5,650]

I think that any mole trapper setting out has to take anything initially. Then it is possible to hive off what you don't like and concentrate on what is best for your own situation. I regard my job as a paid hobby, but if I had taken on every enquiry I have declined over the last two years it could have been a full time 40 hours a week job.

If someone set up properly out here and took on farms, communal areas; parks and playing fields, gardens and rodent jobs they could make a killing. Far too much work for what I am prepared to do.

[Moorman 1 1,373]

6 minutes ago, Nicepix said:

I think that any mole trapper setting out has to take anything initially. Then it is possible to hive off what you don't like and concentrate on what is best for your own situation. I regard my job as a paid hobby, but if I had taken on every enquiry I have declined over the last two years it could have been a full time 40 hours a week job.

If someone set up properly out here and took on farms, communal areas; parks and playing fields, gardens and rodent jobs they could make a killing. Far too much work for what I am prepared to do.

That's it once you are established and known, you can then hone the workload to keep the favourable jobs and decline the rest. I am but a mere beginner, but once people hear that you get the results then the works starts to pour in. Word of mouth is a powerful tool especially in the farming community.