Good recommendations for getting rid of moles

[BOB OLINGER]

Who has a good recommendation(s) to get rid of moles in their yards? I've used spring traps, poison pellets, battery powered sound devices, and insecticide to get rid of the grubs that moles feed on. I've had success with most except the battery powered sound devices which I returned to Earl May as they simply didn't work for me. Live spring traps are a slow hit and miss. I'd prefer to eliminate the population rather than scaring them off to the neighbors - that's why I kind of favor the poison pellets. Anyway, spring is coming and I want to take a healthy charge against them. Anybody have any favorite remedy?

[Gary Max]

Bob you could always do like the wife does-------she shots them. Yup if you watch you can see what time of day they move and wait----22 does the trick. Life in the country has it's moments.

[Joe Pelonio]

We are not allowed to discharge firearms withing the city limits. I have found that the elixer made from boiled mint poured down their holes annoys them so they move to another part of the yard or next door. My only sure method requires some time. When I discover a new mound in the morning, I stomp it flat, then get a folding chair and a sharp shovel and sit quiet as a mouse. Within 20 minutes or so I can often see the soil coming back up as the bugger is making repairs. I jab the shovel frantically several times and more often than not get him. Then just leave it in the tunnel as a warning to the others.

[John Coloccia]

Rodenator.

[David Weaver]

Dermatolo...

...oh, wait. different kind of mole.

[Sam Murdoch]

We are not allowed to discharge firearms withing the city limits. I have found that the elixer made from boiled mint poured down their holes annoys them so they move to another part of the yard or next door. My only sure method requires some time. When I discover a new mound in the morning, I stomp it flat, then get a folding chair and a sharp shovel and sit quiet as a mouse. Within 20 minutes or so I can often see the soil coming back up as the bugger is making repairs. I jab the shovel frantically several times and more often than not get him. Then just leave it in the tunnel as a warning to the others.

Sound like Joe came up with a stealth beer break :D

[Shawn Pixley]

Try a dog?

[David G Baker]

I use the spike type trap. It has always worked but it takes patience and time. Use your foot and crush the tunnel where the mole is active, then wait until it pushes the dirt up then crush the tunnel again but this time insert the trap. I had one mole and it dug up over 50 feet of my lawn. I tried a lot of the suggested tricks but none worked so I broke down and bought the trap.

[Jim Sebring]

I had some old 2-cycle mix I used on mine about a month ago. Three or four of the buggers were tearing up my back yard. I poured about an ounce down each of a few of the mounds. I think the stink drove 'em away.

[Brian Elfert]

I'be had reasonably good luck with a spreadable product called MoleMax. My problem is I usually don't apply it often enough so the moles come back. I wouldn't be surprised if it is just grub killer with a fancy name.

[Don Van Velzer]

I had vole problems. I adopted two cats from the shelter. I no longer have vole problems.

[Jason Roehl]

A few years ago, I applied some milky spore to my yard, which was being criss-crossed by moles. The milky spore infects grubs (baby Japanese beetles), and spread when the grub dies. I didn't notice many Japanese beetles last year, and the moles are gone.

[Keith Outten]

Build your own mole knockers, they won't kill them but two mole knockers will clear 2.5 acres.
.

[Gary Max]

Isn't that a wind spinner that makes noise????????????
Heck I bet you even have a pic/plans??????????

[Keith Outten]

Gary,

Yes, the mole knockers are yard windmills that you add two blocks of wood behind the blades so they knock on the horizontal wooden shaft when the blades turn. It transmits the sound down the vertical shaft into the ground and drives moles crazy.

I wish I had some plans to share but I don't. Fact is I don't even have a picture. My Dad put two of them in our yard decades ago and drove the moles away in just a couple of weeks. Periodically he would put one of the mole knockers back in the yard if he thought there was activity. Eventually both of them rotted away so all I have is a mental picture to go on.......and I need a couple of them myself as the moles have taken over the yard again. Maybe I can at least come up with a hand sketch to share in a day or so.

Anyone who makes these make sure you make plenty of extras because your neighbors will beat you over the head to purchase them. Sadly you will be driving your moles to their yard and they will need something to keep from being overrun :)
.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Bob you could always do like the wife does-------she shots them. Yup if you watch you can see what time of day they move and wait----22 does the trick. Life in the country has it's moments
+1......

A pump up pellet rifle is quiet and does the job.

[BOB OLINGER]

If I can catch them working, forget the pellet gun or 22 - I can easily sneak up on them, stick the spade straight down about 8-10" back down the trench and pop them right out. They're only down about 4" or so. This is the best way to cut down the population, but the big challenge is catching them working - it's a bit of a game.

[BOB OLINGER]

This sounds like the same principle as the battery operated sound generating devices that you drive in the ground. I bought one, seemed to work, so bought another one. After installing the second one, the moles paid no attention and burrowed up within a few feet. So, I took them back to Earl May and got credit.

[David G Baker]

I went to Bing looking for mole knockers images. Guess what I found?

[Ryan Mooney]

I haven't tried it with moles, but these are death for pocket gophers and I think it should work similar for moles http://www.amazon.com/Woodstream-Black-Hole-Rodent-Trap/dp/B0007O24US I think most moles are a little smaller so that might be a problem but it gets good reviews for them as well. My grandpa clued me into these about 10 years ago.

The tricks I've found are:

Find a fresh run, our mini schnauzer was excellent for this (he'd find the runs and dig them out, I'd set the traps)
setting the trap correctly. Correctly here varies somewhat, you either want the hole in the far side closed or not (figuring out which the critters in your area like is an experiment it seems) but either way make sure that there is NO light at the entry side and that the trap is perfectly level with the floor of the tunnel
Put in two traps on every hole in the run - one going each way.
Once you've caught a critter in one spot move on, cause the critters have as well.

[Rick Moyer]

I here this guy's good but he may be retired now........



















227068

[Steven Green]

Go get some human hair from a salon and put it down the mounds. Makes them itch like crazy and they vacate.
It has worked for my yard for years.

[Ted Calver]

I have four of the spring traps that go out at the first sign of a tunnel. I put a trap on every tunnel or sometimes a couple of traps on one tunnel. I've spent fortunes on bait, battery operated squawkers, caster oil spray and milky spore. The neighbors don't care if they have moles, so i always get a few each year. Last year I killed five. I expect there will be more this year. The traps work just fine for me.

[Dave Lehnert]

Every problem needs a tool.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgztUzqaL3E&feature=related

[Lee Schierer]

A few years ago, I applied some milky spore to my yard, which was being criss-crossed by moles. The milky spore infects grubs (baby Japanese beetles), and spread when the grub dies. I didn't notice many Japanese beetles last year, and the moles are gone.

Milky spore really works, but you have to renew it after 5 years or so. Eliminate the food source and the moles will look for better places to get a meal.

[David Weaver]

Every problem needs a tool.



That looks more like a tillage toll than a rodent tool.

Be a good tool to use on a sunday at 7am here in the burbs, though!

[Jason Roehl]

That Rodenator makes me wonder if just pumping a cheap gas into the tunnels might work--something like carbon dioxide or nitrogen.

[David G Baker]

Carbon Dioxide works on humans by depriving them of oxygen but I don't know what nitrogen will do because I was exposed to quite a bit of it when I processed film and photographs in a nitrogen burst processing system while in the Army and as far as I can tell there weren't a lot of side effects. Carbon monoxide will work better and is more available than the other gasses.

[Jason Roehl]

I think any non-oxygen, heavier-than-oxygen gas will do the trick. The key would be dispensing it into the tunnel quick enough to displace the oxygen before they can escape. That's why I suggest compressed gas. A small engine would certainly produce enough CO to do it, but it would be at a low pressure, and the associate noise and other smelly gases may drive them off before the CO does the deed.

[Charles Goodnight]

There is one surefire way to get rid of moles. You need small mammalian predators. Sometimes referred to as a Clever Animal Trap, or a CAT for short. There is a reason we domesticated them, and it is not because they shed on our clothes or claw our furniture.

[Jerry Thompson]

Muggs, our 20 lb Main Coon Cat does an excellent job.

[Scott Donley]

I have four of the spring traps that go out at the first sign of a tunnel. I put a trap on every tunnel or sometimes a couple of traps on one tunnel. I've spent fortunes on bait, battery operated squawkers, caster oil spray and milky spore. The neighbors don't care if they have moles, so i always get a few each year. Last year I killed five. I expect there will be more this year. The traps work just fine for me.I agree the spring trap is the best for moles,in Washington they are illegal, Peta got to our legislators a few years ago.

[BOB OLINGER]

I agree the spring trap is the best for moles,in Washington they are illegal, Peta got to our legislators a few years ago.

I assume you are serious - unbelievable!!!!!!!!

[Larry Klaaren]

I agree with Shawn. A Rat Terrier would be perfect. And cute and cuddly.

[BOB OLINGER]

Here's my plan-

I asked a few questions to the guy at Earl May and the best recommendation to get rid of the grubs (which is the mole food) is application of the milky spores. It's a bit expensive. You apply it 3 times per year for 2 consecutive years and guarantees elimination of the Japanese Beetles and grubs for 10 yrs. So, it's cost effective in the long run. I am trying this. Next, I'll use poison bait and/or spring traps (again). Of course, if I catch them working, it's easy to sneak up on them and flip them out with a spade. So, we'll see how this plan goes.