# Help! We got Moles



## jimn (Nov 13, 2010)

There are Mike traps. Look more like guillotine than a mouse trap. So, answers are

1. More cats
2. Hawks or birds of prey
3. Possible a family of red fox
4. Mole trap
5. Get rid of the pest the moles are eating. The usually seek out grubs of various sorts. While I argue against broad application of pesticide you may want to find out what they are eating and get rid of the food source.


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## Bigbluefrog (Oct 15, 2014)

I am not sure about pesticides either, It is well water we drink and I rather avoid contamination. The cats did nothing!! 

those traps look scary! i bought one. set it out this eek to see what we can get. 

The trouble with moles is that after they move on other critters move in!


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## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

jimn01 said:


> There are Mike traps. Look more like guillotine than a mouse trap. So, answers are
> 
> 1. More cats
> 2. Hawks or birds of prey
> ...


If you don't want to make a hobby out of mole control then the most positive control is to treat your yard to kill off the insects and worms the moles eat. This is not always a good idea however. Worms Are very beneficial and pesticides can poison more than the target. If you go the mole trap method you need a bunch of them. One trap clearing out your whole yard is less likely than hitting the lottery. You have to monitor them daily and reset and move as needed.
I had a boss that demonstrated the shovel & patience method once. He had read that you could wipe out an entire colony of moles buy catching one and placing it in a large bowl set in the ground so the top was at ground level. The premise was that the stranded mole would cry and the rest of his clan would come to his aid and end up trapped in the bowl with him. After about an hour of diligent hunting he spotted one moving the soil and dug it up. We placed the mole in the bowl and headed back towards the shop to wait for results. Never made it more than 100 yards away from the bowl and a hawk came swooping down and took off with the mole. Most fun I ever had on the job right there.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Spent hundreds of dollars addressing this issue.
Only two things I've found that work is mowing the lawn with a lawn roller behind me compressing the tunnels, next day come back and follow the new tunnel to the end and dig out the mole or vole.
Plan B is to bring my dog with me, for some reason she lives for dig them up.
Get's at least one every time.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Bigbluefrog said:


> I tried the sulfur bombs and that didnt work.


We use to control moles in our filbert orchards with burning sulfur (available at a farm store) and a propane weed torch. Open up the mound to access the tunnel, dump a cup of sulfur in the hole and then blast that with the torch for a few minutes. You'll see the sulfur fumes coming up out of the ground up to a hundred feet away. We would do this once a year if needed.

Sulfur does work but the bombs just don't have the pressure that the weed torch has to push the fumes through the tunnel system.


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## Bigbluefrog (Oct 15, 2014)

i need a better dog!! dig em up! :laughing:
my dog is scared of her shadow!

i will see about the sulfur and weed torch...

And we need more hawks!! I would love to see that happen.

Moles are the ugliest creature you ever did see


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

Kwikfishron's post makes me wonder if an insecticide bomb would have enough pressure to push the smoke through the tunnel network. You'd have to dig an opening, light it, put it in and then block the opening with a piece of metal or concrete tile.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Put in about 1/2 of a stick of juicy fruit chewing gum in a few spots in each tunnel and cover it up. Try not to touch it directly to transfer your scent.

Moles cannot digest it and it gums up their works. Sorry for the pun, but believe it or not it does work.


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## funflyer (Dec 5, 2014)

If they're anything like gophers then ammonia will work. I would dig down to their main tunnel, dump a few cups in and then cover it back up with dirt. It only took one or two minutes until they dug out to get some fresh air where I would be waiting with a shovel to take them out of their misery.


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## whippinpost (Apr 22, 2015)

I read at one point about a concoction of Murphy's oil soap and caster oil in water and sprayed on the lawn. Apparently it gets into the grubs and worms and makes them not so tasty to the moles. Don't know the recipe but Google it and you'll probably find it. Seems like pretty harmless to environment but don't know if it works. Good luck!


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## Bigbluefrog (Oct 15, 2014)

ChuckF. said:


> Kwikfishron's post makes me wonder if an insecticide bomb would have enough pressure to push the smoke through the tunnel network. You'd have to dig an opening, light it, put it in and then block the opening with a piece of metal or concrete tile.


 I tried that already, except it was a sulfur bomb made for Moles....IT smelled up the yard for a week, they came back the following week. 

I would try it again, it could of been a bad or expired one.

I wonder if I try the traps! They are kinda blind but can smell your scent.


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## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

Bigbluefrog said:


> i need a better dog!! dig em up! :laughing:
> my dog is scared of her shadow!
> 
> i will see about the sulfur and weed torch...
> ...


I'm starting to think this more about mole hate then lawn care.:gun_bandana:


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## Davejss (May 14, 2012)

They'll eat some and then move on after a while. I wouldn't lose any sleep over a few moles.


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## Bigbluefrog (Oct 15, 2014)

Setting up mole trap...this thing looks wicked...a person could loose a hand!! 
I followed the instructions...although I feel like I should of let more tunnel intact. I dug a hole...cleared the legs of the trap that snap...and place a bucket over it....like the instructions state. If it doesn't work...I may leave the tunnel more intake and just use. A spad to clear the trap mechanismm. HOPEFULLY I will get a mole.


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