The Tide Has Turned

[Nicepix 5,650]

Thank feck the deluge appears to have stopped. We barely had a day without rain from New Year's Day to the end of June. Mole jobs in the first three months was about the same as last year and then it went beresque from March onwards with the second broods being evicted from the nests, and jobs that I would normally complete in three or four visits were taking six or seven. At one point I had traps out in five departments!

 

I'm still picking up new jobs, mainly from those who have poor drainage and are hosting everybody else's moles. The third hatch of young will be hitting the gardens any day now so that will keep the phone ringing for at least another month, but I'll be glad of a few days fishing now it has settled down a bit.

 

I've had several doubles in the Putanges, but am still waiting for the elusive three out of three.

[shropshire mole 190]

Thank feck the deluge appears to have stopped. We barely had a day without rain from New Year's Day to the end of June. Mole jobs in the first three months was about the same as last year and then it went beresque from March onwards with the second broods being evicted from the nests, and jobs that I would normally complete in three or four visits were taking six or seven. At one point I had traps out in five departments!

 

I'm still picking up new jobs, mainly from those who have poor drainage and are hosting everybody else's moles. The third hatch of young will be hitting the gardens any day now so that will keep the phone ringing for at least another month, but I'll be glad of a few days fishing now it has settled down a bit.

 

I've had several doubles in the Putanges, but am still waiting for the elusive three out of three.

At one point I had traps out in five departments! Are you referring to counties?

[BRY 79]

Clive i had a small mole job in the week, found a mole run verticle in the lawn .

 

Used a putane pegged in vertical postion just as an experiment.

 

Went back yesterday had the mole in putange whoop whoop .

 

Still prefer talpex thou

[Nicepix 5,650]

Clive i had a small mole job in the week, found a mole run verticle in the lawn .

 

Used a putane pegged in vertical postion just as an experiment.

 

Went back yesterday had the mole in putange whoop whoop .

 

Still prefer talpex thou

 

Good one Bry! They all count I first used the vertical trap inside a chicken coop where I couldn't find the tunnel, but there was a massive molehill. So I popped a Putange down the shaft and Bingo! Since then I've had a few when the tunnels are inaccessible due to roots or other obstructions.

 

I use Talpex in some conditions. But, for those tunnels just under turf or in stony soil you can't beat the Putanges IMO. The gardens out around Ruffec and Civray are like builder's rubble. Full of limestone chips and larger pieces. You would struggle to find a tunnel straight enough to fit a Duffus in and the Talpex often don't fit snug because of the stones. Its also a problem getting enough stone free soil to back fill the trap or firm enough turf to cover it.

 

Chris, yes. A department is like a county. We live in 16, not far from the border with 87 where I do most of my jobs. I also had traps in 24, 79 and 86, all within about 60km from home. The departments are arranged into regions a bit like Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk are in East Anglia.

[earth-thrower 494]

Thank feck the deluge appears to have stopped. We barely had a day without rain from New Year's Day to the end of June. Mole jobs in the first three months was about the same as last year and then it went beresque from March onwards with the second broods being evicted from the nests, and jobs that I would normally complete in three or four visits were taking six or seven. At one point I had traps out in five departments!

 

I'm still picking up new jobs, mainly from those who have poor drainage and are hosting everybody else's moles. The third hatch of young will be hitting the gardens any day now so that will keep the phone ringing for at least another month, but I'll be glad of a few days fishing now it has settled down a bit.

 

I've had several doubles in the Putanges, but am still waiting for the elusive three out of three.

I bet your glad, the weathers improving ?,...we also suffer from too much rain, where i am,(west Scotland) and it doesnt half, put me off,...(although some will try & carry on, in it ?),.....but im not too fond of a 'mudbath', which is what it can end up ?,...also interesting, about the amount of litters the moles can have, over in France ? (im aware you mentioned it, before ?) what was it again, are they capable of up to three, a year, (is it ?),...you reckon