Instead of making mountains of mole hills, I have taken on these little buggers. Periodically this blog will make mention of my successes and failures of controlling moles, since one of the frequent questions I get is on controlling these rascals.
Forget about all the home remedies; they don't work. Start a trapping program and keep with it. After about 14 years, I think I have finally figured out how to consistently catch them using mole traps. I caught my 5th mole of the year this morning. Didn't have time to reset the trap, but I did plug the run to see if anyone else is using it. A couple of weeks ago, I caught 2 in 3 days in the same spot. And the run was "fixed" (pushed back up) later the same day, indicating there's yet another one to catch.
I've tried the harpoon traps and Nash choker loop trap. The trouble with the loop trap is that it has a lower profile, and it really goofs up a mower blade when you run over (not to mention completely destroying the trap). I never caught one using, but have heard from a professional trapper it was his trap of choice.
I've gone back to the harpoon trap. The keys to successful trapping are: 1) finding major runways that are used regularly, and 2) setting the trap in the ground correctly. If traps are sprung, that's a good sign, even if you don't catch one. Reset the trap, and make sure there is minimal distance between the trigger pan and the top of the actual tunnel. Don't disturb the run except where you set the trap. And, make sure the 1) the trigger will easily lift up and is not blocked by soil where it will tilt down, and 2) the spears will quickly and easily penetrate the soil - do that by releasing the spears a couple of times before the final set.
