# Beating a dead horse...er mole...



## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

I did a search, but found mostly joking about how to kill moles. 

I need to rid my yard of moles. They are not only making a mess of the sod, they are costing me money. I have dogs who do their best to dig them out, but that just makes more damage without results.

We have a 30 foot above ground pool and they tunnel under it and then try to surface and in that process, they actually cut the vinyl liner with their claws. We had to replace the liner that was 8 years old 2 years ago. Now I had to patch the new liner. 

I have read a lot online but found very little agreement on how to rid myself of these little devils.

What say you folks? Thanks in advance.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Depends. My "barn cat" is prolific and as effective as anything I have put down on the yard.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

I had tunnels all over my yard and worried someone would twist their ankle. Researching I saw traps you put in the ground. Eventually a black racer showed up and no more moles. 

We have a great DIY Pest Control store here where you get good advice. 

I used to have a cat that killed them. I read a few reviews that didn’t recommend the Sonic things. 

You need to elimination their food source. Probably if you didn’t mind spending the money you could call an exterminator


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Could you put your pool on top of sheets of plywood?


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

Startingover said:


> Could you put your pool on top of sheets of plywood?


I have considered something like that. However with vinyl liners, once they are taken out you can't put them back. My thought was in place of the sand currently under the liner, use sand and cement mix and put it in dry. It will set up from ground moisture and become like a layer of concrete. Moles would have a hard time getting to the liner. BUT, we are talking quite a bit of cost. Liner alone is in excess of 500.00.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Thats as ugly a pest as I’ve seen. You have a beautiful lawn and pool. 
I think it’d be hard to treat that large of an area. Plus your neighbors probably have them too and they might just migrated over. One thing I read about protecting plants was bury screen to make a barrier but mole tunnels can be about a foot deep. 

They eat grubs, worms an insects. I don’t know how you’d get rid of all those.


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

Sonic spikes, guillotines, poison pills/worms, snuff/search them out, tried them all to no avail. The only method I've had success with is grub worm control.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

3onthetree said:


> Sonic spikes, guillotines, poison pills/worms, snuff/search them out, tried them all to no avail. The only method I've had success with is grub worm control.


Yep, I've tried a couple different mechanical mole killers and the poison worms. I guess I could have gotten one or two with the worms, but nothing with the mechanical ones.


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## Davejss (May 14, 2012)

I just watched and waited until I saw the tunnel moving a bit and then I plucked the mole out and put him in a bucket. I walked across the street and let him go. It took him about 5 seconds to burrow into the ground and disappear. He must like it over there because he never came back.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

Find the whole or put a hole above the tunnel then set a camp fire over the hole.


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## LS-6 (Nov 26, 2019)

Davejss said:


> I just watched and waited until I saw the tunnel moving a bit and then I plucked the mole out and put him in a bucket. I walked across the street and let him go. It took him about 5 seconds to burrow into the ground and disappear. He must like it over there because he never came back.


Should have put him in a bucket of water to see if they can swim. :wink2:
Try to call Bill Murray from Caddyshack, but he might be retired by now? :wink2:


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Sorry but they live 5-6 yrs, there are different types of moles. 

They’re solitary and there are probably not over 5 moles per acre.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@Mike Milam, 

Ouch! We had moles in Ohio, and we didn't play whack a mole; instead we'd play Nuke All Those [Expletive] Moles. They could really make a mess of a golf course or nice lawn.

I concur with @3onthetree; the best thing is grub control, and, if possible, your neighbors doing it too.

If you don't have many moles, you can also resort to "blue collar" methods of literally whacking them, or trapping them, or spearing them, or a combo of all three. 

That constant bug killing sucks, though, because it can carry a price tag. It pollutes ground water, and, if your neighbors don't do it, too, the moles will keep visiting your place from theirs. You want, if you can, to establish a for-real DMZ - a De Moled Zone in your neighborhood, much as we try (desperately) to do with gophers out here. That way, constant treatment will not be necessary. 

@Windows on Wash's barn cat idea has merits, too. And it doesn't even have to be a barn cat. Back in the late 70s, I had this cute, lovable kitty who was a murderer of rodents and other critters, and no doubt would have eaten moles, too. (Pounce - SQUEAK! yeah!) He'd go on these periodic escapades of slaughter, then come inside in the morning and sit on my dad's lap and sleep, likely dreaming of more slaughter. He'd kill and eat so many his cat food would go uneaten for days at a time. 

Trouble is, coyotes are everywhere now, and cats have no real protection. A present coyote-free zone might not stay that way forever.

Nice lawn! I gave up on lawns, then I see yours and I re-think that position . . . .


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Heck. The hawk just ate the black snake I was hoping would eat my moles.


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