Trap shy moles

[tilimangro 1,013]

I personally believe there is No such thing as a trap shy mole

its always something we’ve done not right

[comanche 3,044]

The great thing about this sort of topic is that it promotes thought.

And l've just had one, a rare occurrence for me

Maybe we are being too fixated on the reaction of some moles  in some situations to  traps .

Just suppose that by setting traps in some mole runs in some situations we are on odd occasions actually changing the behaviour of the worms upon which the mole feeds . By altering the  characteristics or profile of the run or the air pressure around the trap might we be forcing the worms deeper or to  one side?

Hence the mole  follows the worms rather than the course of the established run  . Merely a though.Perhaps l'm thinking a bit too much though

Edited March 19, 2022 by comanche

[Nicepix 5,650]

I can't rationalise it. It isn't the old, wise moles or long standing residents. I have disproved that theory. It can't be trap type or placement. In December 2020 I had a rogue mole going under trap sites that had caught regularly and were still catching whilst this one went under everyting including traps in established fence line tunnels that had never, ever been blocked before. Can't be weather or soil conditions as other moles are often trapped around the rogues. There are a few moles that for whatever reason avoid traps yet happily negotiate tree roots, stones and other obstructions. Trap shy, metal shy, awkward call it what you want. But when it happens at a garden 60 miles away it isn't funny.

If you are looking for a solution check out the French Detaupeur. It is a small blank firing device that uses a starting gun cartridge to fire a shock wave into the  mole tunnel as the mole passes through. My neighbour has a home made device, basically a  cut down .410 chamber and the village handyman sells home made ones that use empty 12g cartridges, but I wouldn't reccomend going down that route. 

[earth-thrower 493]

On 18/03/2022 at 21:36, OldPhil said:

Fair play.. erudite and well-considered reply

 I guess the bottom line is,.. we are all doing our own thing , earning our corn, and basically just trying to get through life, the best way we can...

 Just like dear old Moley

I'm just glad , it's usually only the odd mole , that's awkward, or doesn't get caught, first couple of attempts, if a high percentage of them were commonly difficult to catch in traps (of whatever type), then it's a whole different outlook, & the trapping game,  largely loses its appeal,....then they'd be looking to rely on a chemical control method, solely, for dealing with mole damage.

[Torquemada 288]

Well in my experience there is such a thing as trap shy mole. Usually when the customer has had a go themselves and made the mole wary. 

[earth-thrower 493]

On 18/03/2022 at 10:48, tank34 said:

Had moles in past take some catching but put that down to me just starting out an not putting traps in right , still learning not been at in long , some call a back fill a shy trap mole me I think it's mole cleaning runs out and poor trap placement??

Recently had one or two Talpex, fail, (sprung) mole had dug & formed a new tunnel below the trap. Rather than change tack,...I decided to reset in new lower tunnel, again , a miss, mole dug below again. (I would definitely, change tack, by now,...but decided to set the trap again, at the even lower depth tunnel, & bingo ! ,....(2 misses is rare, cause I would normally change things after any first fail) So 3rd attempt , same trap , same hole, captured. I pondered this & realised it coincided with temperature really dipping, through the evening & night,........whether that was the cause, I'm not 100% sure ?

[earth-thrower 493]

On 18/03/2022 at 21:36, OldPhil said:

Fair play.. erudite and well-considered reply

 I guess the bottom line is,.. we are all doing our own thing , earning our corn, and basically just trying to get through life, the best way we can...

 Just like dear old Moley

Probably only the one mole , regarding that photo, Phil. So a man of your experience, will only be setting the one trap, for it , then ? ,..& a wee £50 price tag, for it, added to the bill !!   Iol

[fred90 3,257]

On 18/03/2022 at 21:36, OldPhil said:

Fair play.. erudite and well-considered reply

 I guess the bottom line is,.. we are all doing our own thing , earning our corn, and basically just trying to get through life, the best way we can...

 Just like dear old Moley

is that what they call end terrace in Hampshire now? 

[tank34 2,364]

44 minutes ago, earth-thrower said:

Recently had one or two Talpex, fail, (sprung) mole had dug & formed a new tunnel below the trap. Rather than change tack,...I decided to reset in new lower tunnel, again , a miss, mole dug below again. (I would definitely, change tack, by now,...but decided to set the trap again, at the even lower depth tunnel, & bingo ! ,....(2 misses is rare, cause I would normally change things after any first fail) So 3rd attempt , same trap , same hole, captured. I pondered this & realised it coincided with temperature really dipping, through the evening & night,........whether that was the cause, I'm not 100% sure ?

Only trap I use on gardens in talpex smooth run out put a bumper in trap in back fill with mole hill , I find can sit trap a little highter in run with bumper as mole hits it lifts head up bang dead mole 

[earth-thrower 493]

2 minutes ago, tank34 said:

Only trap I use on gardens in talpex smooth run out put a bumper in trap in back fill with mole hill , I find can sit trap a little highter in run with bumper as mole hits it lifts head up bang dead mole 

Yes mate, am familiar with the speed bump, technique, with the Talpex

[OldPhil 5,802]

You are spot on there Tank

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by OldPhil

[earth-thrower 493]

Just now, OldPhil said:

You are spot on there Tank

 When I bought the first Talpex over from Holland, I also imported a few 'Little Woody's'.

As time went on, I just put in a wee speed bump...

Is this where I first heard about it then...I can't remember ? ,...& no wonder , anyone giving out good tips,  it gets well copied & repeated !,... (it's all good, though,..)

[earth-thrower 493]

8 minutes ago, tank34 said:

Only trap I use on gardens in talpex smooth run out put a bumper in trap in back fill with mole hill , I find can sit trap a little highter in run with bumper as mole hits it lifts head up bang dead mole 

Why do you only prefer to use only Talpex, in gardens, mate ? ,..just curious ?

[Borr 6,199]

I'm not a seasoned trapper but what I found was if I couldn't catch them deep then I'd catch on boundry and turf runs...only ever used scissor traps but not failed to catch said mole....

[earth-thrower 493]

6 minutes ago, OldPhil said:

You are spot on there Tank

 When I bought the first Talpex over from Holland, I also imported a few 'Little Woody's'.

As time went on, I just put in a wee speed bump...

What,  you reckon you were the first to introduce the Talpex over here, Phil ? (didn't realise that,  either)