On the moles

[earth-thrower 493]

5 hours ago, Moorman 1 said:

If we waited for the dry weather here you wouldn't get anything done. We are setting every day regardless. It's a pain sometimes but we have to keep going to keep up with the demand atm otherwise the work would just snowball and we would run out of time.

I do understand you, (don't get me wrong),...but my attitude nowadays is , when I set a trap I want a mole in it (a won't f..k about on flooded ground, where I might get 4 or 5 out of 12, say) ,..I average 1 miss out of a dozen set, in good conditions (roughly 3 trap types)) or rarely (now) no catch , cause mole didn't come too it....& it's important , cause on foot I get nowhere near the amount set ,...say that you would, for example ? (in a day) ,...& price per mole, & all that (I was never the fastest at laying a trap either , compared too some, I reckon ....always took my time to be satisfied , with each set,..too have confidence mole was gonna be caught in it, next day, etc )

Edited February 13, 2022 by earth-thrower

[Moorman 1 1,375]

8 hours ago, earth-thrower said:

I do understand you, (don't get me wrong),...but my attitude nowadays is , when I set a trap I want a mole in it (a won't f..k about on flooded ground, where I might get 4 or 5 out of 12, say) ,..I average 1 miss out of a dozen set, in good conditions (roughly 3 trap types)) or rarely (now) no catch , cause mole didn't come too it....& it's important , cause on foot I get nowhere near the amount set ,...say that you would, for example ? (in a day) ,...& price per mole, & all that (I was never the fastest at laying a trap either , compared too some, I reckon ....always took my time to be satisfied , with each set,..too have confidence mole was gonna be caught in it, next day, etc )

We did 55 acres of flooded ground on one of the highest points of the moor last month and picked up 137 moles. Some of the tubes were running with water when it was raining, but as soon as the rain stops they are dry and they caught. We picked up 129 last week in two days. You physically couldn't do these farms on foot, it just wouldn't be cost effective. Each to their own, we need to cover a lot of ground and its stoney (hard setting ground). We all have our own way of doing things, I wouldn't knock anyone for doing it their way. We all have to do it how it suits us, our ground, the quantity that we catch (per mole etc etc), and the amount of farms that we need to cover. I am new at it and don't pretend otherwise, but I need to earn as much as I can in the season!

[Nicepix 5,650]

I've set traps underwater and had caught moles in them when I checked a few days later. And set traps that became flooded and had moles in them. I reckon the moles migrate uphill when it floods and then return down the same tunnels when it dries out. Best catch to trap ratio was 11 in 6 duffus traps. They were set on a Friday and checked on the Monday. In between there had been a humongous rain storm and the garden was the highest point in that hamlet. By the end of the week those 6 traps had accounted for 19 moles which is more than I caught in that garden over the following three years. 

[Moorman 1 1,375]

11 minutes ago, Nicepix said:

I've set traps underwater and had caught moles in them when I checked a few days later. And set traps that became flooded and had moles in them. I reckon the moles migrate uphill when it floods and then return down the same tunnels when it dries out. Best catch to trap ratio was 11 in 6 duffus traps. They were set on a Friday and checked on the Monday. In between there had been a humongous rain storm and the garden was the highest point in that hamlet. By the end of the week those 6 traps had accounted for 19 moles which is more than I caught in that garden over the following three years. 

Yes I set a trap and the water was flowing down the tunnel like a hose pipe when I set it I had a mole in it in the morning!

You can use the water to your advantage as you say set higher above on a hill.

Edited February 13, 2022 by Moorman 1

[OldPhil 5,762]

You are certainly earning your corn Moorman

I used to trap on large farms, and grass producer's fields,..it was great trapping, and the moles filled the traps every day..

I think its a bit like the rabbiting game, where I always used to urge young guys, to get out and about, and travel to an quality area, where they could fill their boots.

Once you have killed, 'in quantity' it kinda settles your mind, and you can then get on with the important business, of earning your living..

We all do things differently, and that is the way things have to be,...mercifully, after several decades working with the traps, I no longer have to walk the large pastures and chalk down lands , putting in copious amounts of metal ..

For me, the carefully manicured Lawn and expensive Horse paddock  is now the order of the day.

I've spent years, literally sifting through and sorting out, the most profitable paying jobs....I want maximum profit,...and now, life is good....

And why not , eh.... 

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by OldPhil

[earth-thrower 493]

1 hour ago, Moorman 1 said:

We did 55 acres of flooded ground on one of the highest points of the moor last month and picked up 137 moles. Some of the tubes were running with water when it was raining, but as soon as the rain stops they are dry and they caught. We picked up 129 last week in two days. You physically couldn't do these farms on foot, it just wouldn't be cost effective. Each to their own, we need to cover a lot of ground and its stoney (hard setting ground). We all have our own way of doing things, I wouldn't knock anyone for doing it their way. We all have to do it how it suits us, our ground, the quantity that we catch (per mole etc etc), and the amount of farms that we need to cover. I am new at it and don't pretend otherwise, but I need to earn as much as I can in the season!

Aye, it's working well, for yous

[earth-thrower 493]

52 minutes ago, Moorman 1 said:

Yes I set a trap and the water was flowing down the tunnel like a hose pipe when I set it I had a mole in it in the morning!

You can use the water to your advantage as you say set higher above on a hill.

It's just getting the heavy rain to cease here !  had one gap for half a day, & traps out , & caught in 75% of them,..rest not even touched, cause deluged with rain in no time, again ,...I find local, if we get a week or two dry (rare),..we always pay for it with two or three weeks of constant rain, afterwards

[earth-thrower 493]

1 hour ago, earth-thrower said:

It's just getting the heavy rain to cease here !  had one gap for half a day, & traps out , & caught in 75% of them,..rest not even touched, cause deluged with rain in no time, again ,...I find local, if we get a week or two dry (rare),..we always pay for it with two or three weeks of constant rain, afterwards

Our regions got to be in contention,  for having the most consistent rainfall,  over the whole of  the UK !  

[comanche 3,003]

7 hours ago, Nicepix said:

I've set traps underwater and had caught moles in them when I checked a few days later. And set traps that became flooded and had moles in them. I reckon the moles migrate uphill when it floods and then return down the same tunnels when it dries out. Best catch to trap ratio was 11 in 6 duffus traps. They were set on a Friday and checked on the Monday. In between there had been a humongous rain storm and the garden was the highest point in that hamlet. By the end of the week those 6 traps had accounted for 19 moles which is more than I caught in that garden over the following three years. 

I came  to  believe a long time ago  that  moles return almost immediately to sort out their flood damaged  tunnels.   A  trap  set in a flooded run  is often perfectly placed when the water recedes.

 

[Moorman 1 1,375]

8 hours ago, OldPhil said:

You are certainly earning your corn Moorman

I used to trap on large farms, and grass producer's fields,..it was great trapping, and the moles filled the traps every day..

I think its a bit like the rabbiting game, where I always used to urge young guys, to get out and about, and travel to an quality area, where they could fill their boots.

Once you have killed, 'in quantity' it kinda settles your mind, and you can then get on with the important business, of earning your living..

We all do things differently, and that is the way things have to be,...mercifully, after several decades working with the traps, I no longer have to walk the large pastures and chalk down lands , putting in copious amounts of metal ..

For me, the carefully manicured Lawn and expensive Horse paddock  is now the order of the day.

I've spent years, literally sifting through and sorting out, the most profitable paying jobs....I want maximum profit,...and now, life is good....

And why not , eh.... 

You are in an enviable position Phil, very nice. Your situation comes with time. I am lucky that I have been contacted by a lot of the big farmers in our area as there isn't anyone doing it here on the scale that we are. Word of mouth is an amazing thing in the farming community. Also getting some paddocks etc coming in as the farmers are spreading the word.

[Nicepix 5,650]

2 hours ago, comanche said:

I came  to  believe a long time ago  that  moles return almost immediately to sort out their flood damaged  tunnels.   A  trap  set in a flooded run  is often perfectly placed when the water recedes.

 

I once told a customer that when I was putting a duffus in a well flooded tunnel. As soon as the water recedes the mole will go back home. I was right. 

I think there is a lot of migration going on during the different seasons. I have been doing some gardens for 8 years and see definite patterns of behaviour throughout the year. 

[comanche 3,003]

14 hours ago, Nicepix said:

I once told a customer that when I was putting a duffus in a well flooded tunnel. As soon as the water recedes the mole will go back home. I was right. 

I think there is a lot of migration going on during the different seasons. I have been doing some gardens for 8 years and see definite patterns of behaviour throughout the year. 

" temporary territories inherited from previous generations  of moles" ,or something like that anyway .

l bet that if we could interview long dead gardeners and farmers from 100 or more  years ago we'd realise we're dealing with moles in exactly the same patches of ground as they did. Probably during comparable times of the year and    weather conditions.

Even new housing estates  are not without problems . 

They might not suffer the curse of an old indian burial ground( not in Sussex anyway)  or a pet cemetery   , but no Estate Agent dare speak of the sinister horror that may lay beneath the manicured turf .   Ancestral mole runs!    

Edited February 14, 2022 by comanche

[earth-thrower 493]

Back out for at least a day, with no rain forecast. Playing with my latest, mole spud (can't resist a bit of kit), see how it holds up,..

[earth-thrower 493]

20 hours ago, comanche said:

I came  to  believe a long time ago  that  moles return almost immediately to sort out their flood damaged  tunnels.   A  trap  set in a flooded run  is often perfectly placed when the water recedes.

 

Aye, they come back into them alright,...a can't set the traps they way I want, when runs 'burns' full flow,...but as you say,...you can still catch, some of the time.

[earth-thrower 493]

4 minutes ago, earth-thrower said:

Aye, they come back into them alright,...a can't set the traps they way I want, when runs 'burns' full flow,...but as you say,...you can still catch, some of the time.

& I don't want to be differing with the modern 'experts' anymore,..just get my 'fingers burned' , again !