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Offline LogicalBee

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Moles
« on: January 19, 2015, 07:20:13 pm »
In my continuing battles with mother nature, I have another animal problem in need of bee keepers advice.  We thawed out a little this weekend.  We are now back to our normally cold temps; as opposed to the bitterly cold temps! 

Anyways I’m seeing some new dang mole hills in the septic field.  What to do?  Our soils tend to have a lot of clay in them so the moles really love to get into the septic fields that have sand.   Makes for easier digging.

So how do you deal with moles?  I’m not opposed to catching them and letting them loose at City Hall, if you know how to catch them live.  ;D
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Offline Ray4852

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Re: Moles
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2015, 08:04:18 pm »
I have them in my septic field too . Come spring I cover up the holes and they go away till next winter.

http://www.wildlife-removal.com/mole.htm
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Moles
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2015, 08:38:44 pm »
In my step grandfathers barn, I found a treasure trove of MOLE traps..  the ones you put OVER their tunnel, set it,and when MR MOLE comes by.. KERSNAP   a dozen big spikes slam into the ground.. may not work well when the temps are this cold...   I have also used the smoke bombs. They work on moles, and will run a groundhog out of his hole as well.. just make sure you have the SHOVEL READY.. dont be standin there leaning on it yapping your jaws.. Mr Groundhog can RUN FAST when he has to, and when he goes between your legs, YOU tend to scream like a girl, and make your buddy laugh so hard that a little wee leaks out.....
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Moles
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2015, 08:47:18 pm »
bats, now moles............. :D :D :D

moles or gophers logic?  thinking more likely moles.  they are in there because of the grubs. treat your lawn/septic field for the grubs. this is what they feed on.  we also found a variety of other ways............open a mound, shove mouse/rat poison in it. done. kills the mole/s but doesn't take care of the grubs, another mole comes along and you start all over.   ;D

if it's gophers,open the mound, find the biggest smoke bomb at a fireworks store.  baseball size smoke bomb, set the smoke bomb in, light it up, wait til it's smoking really good, lay a piece of plywood or something over the tunnel.  smokes them out and sends the smell down the tunnel and they won't come back............might find them somewhere else.............. :D

traps work about half the time or less for moles, don't bother, unless you want to experience frustration from them setting them off. just take care of the grubs, you won't have any moles.

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Offline LogicalBee

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Re: Moles
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2015, 09:42:57 pm »
Quote from: riverbee on January 19, 2015, 08:47:18 pm
bats, now moles............. :D :D :D

I haven't even mentioned the toad problem I had the other day  ;D

Yep, they're moles.  I don't believe we have gophers in Michigan.  I've never heard of any. 

In the past I've tried Milky Spores to kill the grubs/moles and that didn't work.  Seems the moles love earthworms more than grubs.  I've tried flooding them out (didn't work), smoking them out (didn't work), and trapping them out (half works, but is time consuming).  I've come to respect the mole as a worthy adversary!  I think they are a beneficial creature too, and don't mind them around as long as they're not digging up the lawn.  So I'm also interested in how to live catch them.
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Offline Slowmodem

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Re: Moles
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2015, 09:46:13 pm »
Moles (I suspect) are making tunnels around my property, too.  I can feel them when I walk around in the yard.  It feels like soft dirt.  My old dog is too lazy to deal with them.  It's more of an annoyance at this point, but worth pondering.   :eusa_think:

At least you don't have fire ants.  That's my perpetual battle.  They're hateful goomers!   >:(
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Moles
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2015, 10:25:12 pm »
"I haven't even mentioned the toad problem I had the other day  ;D"

LOL!  toads! don't worry about them?! okay wait,  gotta hear the toad problem! 

true logic, the moles love earthworms as much as the grubs, not sure which they prefer.......all the things you have tried, been there done that, flooding, smoking and trapping. the only way to get rid of them is either ....treat for the grubs, or better yet use Bromethalin, the poison i spoke of for rats and mice. it works. 
have a question, so if you 'live catch them' then what will you do  with them?
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Offline iddee

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Re: Moles
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2015, 10:36:06 pm »
Yeah, what do you do with them. Cut their backside off and make molasses?   :P :o   ;D   :D
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Moles
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2015, 11:03:08 pm »
.................. :D
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Offline Slowmodem

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Re: Moles
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2015, 11:24:38 pm »
Quote from: iddee on January 19, 2015, 10:36:06 pm
Yeah, what do you do with them. Cut their backside off and make molasses?   :P :o   ;D   :D

ROFL!!!   Good one!   :laugh:
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Greg Whitehead
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Moles
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2015, 12:08:42 am »
Set in a lawn chair next to the mole hill with a six pack in a cooler next to the chair and wait till you see the mound move, then take your 20 ga. shot gun and see how far you can blow the mole into the air, :D works 95% of the time.  8) Jack
PS. never had one return.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Moles
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2015, 12:18:03 am »
well that's true jack if i had time to 'set' around in a lawn chair with a pistol/shotgun................ :D
guess i forgot the cooler?................. :D

and i have nailed those buggers with a pitch fork a time or two....... :D
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Offline Retroguy

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Re: Moles
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2015, 02:17:31 am »
One of the tricks that helps up your score while using a mole trap is to understand that they only have certain "runs" that they use over or use frequently.  My Dad used to step on the mole run in the evening after milking was done then check the spots he'd stepped on to determine which runs were being used.  That's where he'd set his trap.  If he got nothing after a couple of days he'd move the trap to another run he'd found being used.  Usually only took him about 3 days to catch the critter.
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Offline Slowmodem

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Re: Moles
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2015, 03:09:46 am »
Quote from: brooksbeefarm on January 20, 2015, 12:08:42 am
Set in a lawn chair next to the mole hill with a six pack in a cooler next to the chair and wait till you see the mound move, then take your 20 ga. shot gun and see how far you can blow the mole into the air, :D works 95% of the time.  8) Jack
PS. never had one return.

It's possible that method could possibly take a lot of beer!    8)
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Greg Whitehead
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Moles
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2015, 07:26:49 pm »
Quote from: Slowmodem on January 20, 2015, 03:09:46 am
Quote from: brooksbeefarm on January 20, 2015, 12:08:42 am
Set in a lawn chair next to the mole hill with a six pack in a cooler next to the chair and wait till you see the mound move, then take your 20 ga. shot gun and see how far you can blow the mole into the air, :D works 95% of the time.  8) Jack
PS. never had one return.

It's possible that method could possibly take a lot of beer!    8)

   I was actually wondering what the wifes reaction would be when she saw all the holes in the yard...
   You know, after a few beers....   DID THAT JUST MOVE???    BOOM... nope
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Offline rcannon

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Re: Moles
« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2015, 08:22:49 pm »
Paul Harvey said to take the paper wrapper off a stick of Juicy Fruit gum, leave the foil wrapper on. Push a stick into each mole hill and in a few days the moles are gone. I don't know if it kills them or runs them off.
I have never tried it, but I've always wondered if it works.
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Moles
« Reply #16 on: January 20, 2015, 09:03:20 pm »
Moles are looking for and eating grubs.  Get rid of the grubs and the moles will go away.  They will move to a neighbors yard that has grubs.
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Offline iddee

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Re: Moles
« Reply #17 on: January 20, 2015, 10:05:29 pm »
I want my grubs and worms. They help my yard........"weeds".... grow and bloom for the bees.

The moles just soften the ground for my bare feet. I don't bother them, either.
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Offline lazy shooter

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Re: Moles
« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2015, 03:11:34 am »
I've got a big yard.  The flower beds are all around the house and the rest of it trees and grass, about an acre and a half.  Like Iddee the mole tunnels and an occasional small mound of sand don't bother me enough to worry about the mole.
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Re: Moles
« Reply #19 on: January 21, 2015, 09:09:07 am »
I don't have mole issues in my lawn, I SEVERELY down size the lawn ;D.
"Grass is for animal feed" that's what my Y2K Jersey is for :D. ( That's s nother story)
The main problem with that is a marked decrease in Dandelions :'(
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