Results tagged “moles trapping mounds” from East Texas Gardening

After a banner year last year, catching 16 moles on my small < 1 acre home lot, 2008 started off rather quietly. Last month I caught one mole, using the Victor Out of Site Trap. This was after unsuccessfully trying to shovel a mole out while it was making a mound. That was the first time I had encountered a "mound-in-progress", and perhaps I was too hasty in my attempt to flip it out while the dirt was being shoved up.

Yesterday, I noticed, in the same area by the street, a fresh mound, and sure 'nuf, it was in progress. So, I hurried, got my sharp-shooter shovel and waited patiently for it to start shoving more dirt up. Patience did not pay off this time, though, and it got away.

I figured the creature would be really spooked, because I excavated a bit to examine its very large tunnel system going off in either direction from the mound. At any rate, I left the shovel in a nearby spot just in case. This morning, there was a BIG fresh mound in the exact same spot. I could almost hear it chanting, "Nah, nah, nah, nah nah nah". 

So, the saga continues. I'm waiting for more apparent surface ridges appear to start my trapping program, realizing moles from neigboring properties will always recolonize the vacated runs.

This morning I was greeted with this sight - right along the driveway, at the corner of a flower bed and patio. This is not too far from where I caught mole #10 last week. There has always been a major tunnel system along the driveway, and I have never been too successful in catching moles there. Perhaps because of the concrete ledge underground sticking out, causing the legs of the trap to be in line with the tunnel. Unlike finding a plug of dirt and pushing their way through, if moles encounter a foreign object in the tunnel, they will often go around, under or just plug off that tunnel. At any rate, I know where to concentrate my next efforts for trapping.

After reading The Moleman's web site, I've come to believe that the years of half-hearted trapping allowed the moles to  create a very extensive tunnel system that allows moles to freely re-inhabit areas from neighboring areas.Trapping will be a fact of life for this property for some time to come.