JustinSB

Peter Fullerton: "for someone starting out I think it covers a lot of valid points" - absolutely...! I couldn't agree more, & that was my exact point too. I thought that it covered loads of good stuff for an absolute beginner, as I was, when I read it. What I was trying to do was to ask OTC why I was wrong in thinking that Jeff Nicholls appeared to know what he was talking about, because his book has helped me a very great deal to catch moles. I used to catch one or two a week, now I catch one to three per field each day, & I am chuffed to hell about it - & it's all because

Ok, can you explain why you find the Jeff Nicholls book to be sub-standard & give us some better alternatives please. I read it a few months ago, & thought that it was quite informative (as I knew nothing about moles at the time, other than the fact that I was overrun with the little beggars). I've caught 6 in the last 3 days in my small field, based entirely upon the information that I got from his book & the 2 books that I got from Fourteenacre. Everyone has to start their search for knowledge somewhere, & his book seemed as good a starting point as any, so why were we allege

Perthshire Keeper: can you explain the "floppy ring of rind of wire around the inside of the ladder" in a bit more detail please, as I can't quite picture it & I'm not sure what you mean - as I really like the sound of "cant get out no matter what"...! Cheers.

Maybe the key to the magic (of keeping the little buggers inside the trap, once you've actually got them to drop in) is in the design of the flaps that hang down either side of the ladder. It looks like I have lots more research to do, before I build my "Mk I Ladder Trap"... But whatever the funky bits are in the end, it'll still end up being a nice, modular design, with panels held together by bolts & wingnuts, with several ladders of different sizes.That means that it'll pack down flat when the job's done - perhaps I could really push the boat out, & make it so that it can fit into t

Best of luck & I'm really interested to hear how they work out. From the look of the design, they look like they could be pretty much indestructible, but prone to losing the small square "trigger". They also seem to live mostly underground, so they might be very useful in places where there lots of rather light-fingered passers-by...

Google translate can be found at http://translate.google.co.uk According to Google Translate: The mole trap "Putange" is copper wire and an old traps most sold in France. It has a very powerful spring that requires the use of a key when a tensioner to arm it. Because of its shape, it is very easy to place in the galleries of moles. I'm not convinced about the "tensioner", but maybe that's just because it's French... I have lots of luck with my old fashioned, British, half tunnel traps, but I also agree with Perthshire Keeper, in that it's hard digging out there, so possibl

Can't you track down some of the diamond dust things. I got a pack of 3 (coarse, medium & fine) for 7 or 8 quid at a a hardware store. They look like a plastic sheet (different grades are different colours), 3 mm thick, & maybe 5cm by 15cm with a sparkly sheet of dust impregnated steel (with lots of oval holes) stuck to it. They're absolute dynamite, give a fantastic edge, don't seem to wear out, & seeing as your missus has against your stones, you could always stick to the "diamonds are a girls best friend" line... (unless you're not married, in which case I would advise never me

You could always read the books & watch the DVD's from Fourteenacre, just to give you some background info before you get down & dirty in a field full of moles. I saw this on their site, which could give you a running start.

You can install AdBlock as a browser plugin in either Firefox or Google Chrome which will stop all adverts. It's really very, very good & is always the first thing I install into a new browser. If you are unfortunately still using Internet Explorer, please consider instantly replacing it with either Firefox (my own preference) or Chrome, as Internet Explorer has all of the security benefits of leaving your wallet on the passenger seat of a convertible, & then parking in a dodgy alleyway.

Mink are like rats & squirrels - they just can't resist a tunnel...! Unfortunately for them, I've found that they seem to really like small square wooden tunnels about a foot & a half long with a Fenn in them, which rapidly sorted out our mink problem. Thankfully, we've been completely mink free since then (touch wood & fingers crossed).

Is there a way to make the ladder suitable to catch both carrion crows & magpies, or will I just need to make 2 different ladders, then spend a week catching crows followed by a week catching magpies? I have all the plans in John B's Trap Making Step by Step, which gives a rung gap of 150mm for crows (& 75mm for jackdaws), but I'm worried that the magpies will be able to escape from a "crow ladder" as they are pretty much the same size as a jackdaw. Basically, what's a good size ladder rung gap for a magpie? Is there a good way to catch both crows & magpies simultaneously,

Hello all, I'm based in North Yorkshire, up by Thirsk, & am now looking after the couple of acres where I was born & grew up. I hope that I've just wrapped up my current rat problem, after what I think was my last one had a terminal chat with a Mk 4 Fenn, & I am presently working my way through the ever decreasing mole polulation of my paddock. I also have a selection of magpies, carrion crows & squirrels whose days are numbered, once I stop talking to the moles. I think that I'll be building myself a ladder trap & a couple of permanent nest-box-like wooden Fenn trap ho