Hunting moles

[cobber]

They make poisonous smoke bombs you can shove down the holes which is really cool because you can watch the smoke seep out of other runs you did not know were even there.

Once I did watch the runs for activity, and dispatched one of the buggers a la Chicago (with a shovel). The smoke bomb thing sounds gratifying, if the repellent and poisonous worms don't do the trick.

 

[Greyson]

I've been sharing this property with moles for almost a year now. My back yard is starting to look like the surface of the moon.
It's about 3 acres of lawn so the grub killer is too expensive. Besides, I want the moles dead, not just moved to my neighbor's place.

My soil is mostly clay so I don't usually get visible tunnels, I get lots of eruptions that they make after a rain as they enlarge their kingdoms and families.
I have tried the spikey traps which I thought were working. Once, on a rare tunnel, it fired off in less than 20 minutes so I dug the spot up for confirmation. No mole - sigh.
After buying the gummy worms, I read that moles only eat stuff like grubs and worms. Not gummies. - sigh. They didn't seem to eat the castor beans either.
I tried gopher smoke bombs yesterday. For $11 I got 8 bombs. (15 minute road flares are about the same price.) I dug the eight eruptions that were in one cluster and hoped to see smoke coming out of each hole. It took all eight smoke bombs since most tunnels were not connected.
This morning, as I look out the window, I see the eruptions on some of the spots I smoked.

Help?

 

[Fiddle]

I have killed several moles by putting my garden hose down the hole and turning the water on. Once all the tunnels fill with water the moles will pop up to get some air. I kill them with a shovel.
The amazing thing was how fast they can move!! I would find them by watching for them to stick their heads out of the hole for air, and I would scoop them out with the shovel and those suckers would scramble to find their way back into the ground.

One mole I scooped up with the shovel, tossing it into the air and then I hit it like a baseball into my neighbors yard. I assume it died on impact?!?

 

[ghuns]

I'd be willing to rent these guys out for mole control...

As long as you don't mind them killing EVERYTHING else, that's up to double their size, that is in or just near your yard.

 

[Leadeye]

Mole hounds?

 

[ghuns]

Mole hounds?

Nah. They aren't picky. Anything that acts like it wishes to continue living, the want it dead. Moles, mice, rats, cats, raccoons, ground hogs, squirrels, skunks, etc...

They find opossums to be baffling.

 

[rkwhyte2]

Nah. They aren't picky. Anything that acts like it wishes to continue living, the want it dead. Moles, mice, rats, cats, raccoons, ground hogs, squirrels, skunks, etc...

They find opossums to be baffling.

Yep I have a pair of Australian Terriers and they kill anything they can catch in the backyard. Mine have killed a opossum (it wasn't quite full grown).

 

[ghuns]

Mine have killed a opossum (it wasn't quite full grown).

Mine killed one that wanted to fight. Then they encounter one that played dead. That wasn't any fun, so they left it alone. Then they looked at me funny when I shot the thing. Must have thought I was .

 

[rkwhyte2]

Mine killed one that wanted to fight. Then they encounter one that played dead. That wasn't any fun, so they left it alone. Then they looked at me funny when I shot the thing. Must have thought I was .

LOL

 

[flyingsquirrel]

I smash all runs and then check for activity later. Smash tunnel behind movement and use my Cold Steel spike cane to do a Mafia greeting on them. Resmash tunnel for proper burial

 

[dnurk]

I typically have mole issues in the fall. Past years I’ve tried poison worms, the spiked traps that comes straight down, water in the tunnels...pretty much all of the normal suggestions.

Last Fall I bought this on recommendation from a friend
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SDKGC6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As long as you can see or know where one of their main runs are, it is extremely effective. I caught 3 within the first 36 hours. It also has really powerful jaws that clamp the carcass so you know it’s dead and can dispose of it.

I let my neighbor borrow it and he had success with it as well.

Good instructions on sand a solid build. I highly recommend.

 

[sugarcreekbrass]

I have had luck with Motomco worms. I didn’t need them tonight though! While spraying Roundup around the yard I noticed some huge runs. After spraying I got some worms to put out and saw the mole moving. I ran back and got my shovel and took care of him! He was one of the largest I have killed.