In trapping moles, persistence pays off. You can't just give up. And, traps do work! After about a week of attempts, I finally got # 8 for the year, this time using the Victor Out O Site (VOOS) Mole Trap. This was the first mole I've trapped using this recently purchased trap. I have read more than one opinion that they are very reliable and preferable for deeper runs. This tunnel was about 4 or 5 inches deep, and the mole was very, very big. This part of the yard has seen significant erosion problems over the years as runoff from heavy rain storms finds its way into the tunnels and erodes on its way downhill.
I was using 2 traps in the area, a harpoon and the VOOS. There were several runs to pick from, but for awhile, I kept getting into areas where 2 different tunnels were intersecting. One rule in mole trapping, if it's not sprung within 24 hours, check the run (it may have gone around it, or passed through without pushing up on the trigger), and either reset the trap or move to another spot. Rule #2 in mole trapping, pick a spot where they have recently fixed your test spot (pushing down the soil in one small section). And, rule #3, set the trap in the straightest section you can find. If it curves very much, they will often go right around your trap (perhaps after running into part of the trap itself). Rule #4 - DON'T GIVE UP!!
I have reset the trap in the same section, because often others will also be using the same run. We'll see......
This is a common question, and often I think people think any mound is created by gophers, not realizing moles can push up a tremendous amount of soil near their nests and their permanent, deeper tunnels. Mole hills will be amorphous blobs of soil pushed up from the center of the mound, with no visible plug and no symmetry to the mound. Gopher mounds will have a plug to one side from where the gopher is pushing up the soil, which gives the mound a horseshoe appearance. 
