First time Mole Trapping

[john b 38]

Now it fair to say that all of my trapping to date has been above ground. I've had neither the need nor the opportunity to trap moles so it's just something I've never done.

 

These last few weeks though I've had my eye on a quiet little patch where the hills have started to show and decided it was time to try my hand. Permission obtained, I set off yesterday with my three 'duffus' style traps from the Flatpack company. I bought them over a year ago because I thought I should have some in my collection but I think I must have been mulling this for a while because I got myself a mole-probe in the summer too.

 

So yesterday off I went. This field is good solid Warwickshire clay and being fairly wet might not be the best type of ground for a beginner. I found my first run fairly easily as it was breaking through the surface but after a quick dig I could see that it was almost full of water so I abandoned that one.

 

The second run was a much better tunnel but again looked too wet - about 15mm of water running along the bottom like a drain so I moved on again. By this time everything is covered in mud and the dibber was making a noise like a cork popping everytime I pulled it out of the ground.

 

In the end I managed to get 3 sets that I thought were viable - raked the molehills all down and squelched back to the car.

 

This is just part of the area as I left it yesterday.

 

I went back today and there were 3 or 4 new hills, but not very close to where I'd placed the traps. (mental note to buy some more).

 

But on checking my first set - success ! I got one.

 

 

He's caught a bit further back than I would like so I need to bend the triggers a bit more but otherwise I'm chuffed. Only 1 out of three mind you but it's a start.

 

[richie 1]

fair play john.... its a buzz when you see the trap triggered ! Ive only been trapping moles for roughly a year with good success, but some jobs get personal..

[Guest ferret feller]

id love too have a go where do you buy the traps from?

[john b 38]

id love too have a go where do you buy the traps from?

 

 

I got mine from here

https://id503.securepod.com/theflatpack.co....nager/index.php

[Foxy09 3]

You must be a natural John! it was most likely that one mole making all that mess so i wouldn't worry about the other two not catching.

 

Foxy

[fish 148]

you are doomed now bud you wont be able to go anywhere now without looking at mole hills and thinking

how many in that Field

[Holdaway 2]

Excellent result John, I too have bought duffus types from flatpack, they are very good traps.

 

Fish is right, from now on you will look at every field and paddock and think - I'd love to set some in there...

 

All the best

 

H

[Rolfe 2]

John you will be hooked for life now mate........ Just a couple of tips that might help when using the Duffus type traps,

As you alluded too........bend the trigger wires outwards a little........this helps stop the mole getting caught too far back along the body.... and also.......with a pair of long-nosed pliers......straighten out the trigger release wire a bit on the top of the trap........the trap will then fire on a hairpin trigger and the mole will require very little effort to trigger it.

 

It would help as well to get a few Talpex traps if you intend doing any amount of mole trapping.......I use them more or less exclusively now and in my opinion they are the best and most powerful mole trap on the market.

 

Good Luck

 

Rolfe

[Fidgety 8]

Well done! I use, almost exclusively, flatpacks traps, tried quite a few others of this style - these are the best i've come across.

[trappa 518]

Well done mate!!

[woodga 170]

did you not find any three foot runs then john :11: ,

seriously though a good start for you when you bend the arms out you will alleviate the problem of forward catching and as rolfe has all ready mentioned straighten the trigger slightly moley used to snip some of the trigger off making the trap very sensitive the first of many for you

[snareman 3]

Well done mate!!

john, i take it you will be skinning that one then.

[john b 38]

did you not find any three foot runs then john :11: ,

 

If we had three foot runs near me at the moment mate I'd have to use an aqualung.

[MR TEA POT 1,287]

Well done john,i had a first attempt at mole trapping this week not had any sucess yet,but i will carry on

[Phil Lloyd 10,739]

did you not find any three foot runs then john :11: ,

 

If we had three foot runs near me at the moment mate I'd have to use an aqualung.

 

 

Good work there John