How to catch a mole in the garden
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On a note!
The first sign that a mole is wound up at the dacha is the presence of molehills on the ground surface. The animal throws piles of extra land from its deep burrowto proceed further. Such emissions in the garden can be more than a dozen. This is what shows its negative impact on the appearance and safety of the land plot.
Mole capture methods
To catch a mole is not so easy. The system of its underground tunnels and tunnels is very extensive, and it is difficult to guess where the animal will appear again. But the experience and inquisitive mind of summer people allowed to come up with a few simple traps, make and install that will not be difficult. In addition to traps, there are other options, how to catch a mole.
The following methods help to catch the mole:
- pipe trap;
- trap pit;
- mole hunting with a spade;
- use of tackle with fish hooks;
- rat traps and mole traps.
On the Internet are videos of how to catch a mole in the garden. They explain and show in detail all the steps involved in the manufacture of traps, their installation and the extraction of a predator caught.
All of these options for catching moles are divided into humane, harmless to animals, and inhuman, killing or crippling animals.The only difference is that a live mole needs to be taken to a decent distance from the garden and released. Often the presence of this additional action encourages gardeners to choose cruel methods of mole fishing.
Trap pipe
The easiest way to catch moles is to use a pipe trap. Plastic or metal pipes with a diameter of 10-12 cm with doors on both sides are on sale. The principle of catching is that the doors open only inside the pipe. The animal may fall into the trap, but it has no chance to get back.
Installation method trap pipe:
- It is necessary to dig out the entrance to the mole tunnel and place a pipe there.
- After installation, sprinkle the trap gently with earth and cover with a layer of sod.
- Check the mole trap every 2-3 days.
The advantage of this device is that several moles from different sides of the pipe can get into it. This method of fishing is effective and humane with respect to living creatures.
Such a pipe trap can be made independently from three plastic bottles of 1.5 liters.
- Two bottles cut off the bottom and the narrowest part of the neck next to the thread.
- The conical part is incised with scissors at 5 cm in 3-4 places so that the mole can pass through this part, pushing the incised parts like petals.
- In the third bottle you need to cut off the bottom and neck to make a pipe.
- Two bottles with notched necks are inserted from two sides into the bottle-tube, so that the necks are inside the bottle. The animal creeps through the incised petals into the central part of the trap, but cannot get out of it.
Trap pit
To catch a mole in a jar or other deep container, it is necessary to carefully dig up its underground passage and dig a hole in it that is at least 30-40 cm deep. Place a glass jar with a wide neck or an ordinary bucket in the hole. Then the mole path should be closed with a piece of cardboard or plywood and sprinkled with earth.
On a note!
Capacity for catching an excavator should have smooth walls so that the animal could not get out of it with the help of its powerful limbs.
When the mole follows its usual route, it will fall into the pit. Such a way to catch a mole bucket is also safe for the animal.
Spade fishing
You can catch a mole with your own hands with a regular spade. This method is the most affordable of all, but also the most time consuming. To lure an underground pest out is almost impossible. A person needs a lot of patience and quick response.
The principle of operation is this: it is necessary to guard and observe where the mole will appear once again. When there is noticeable movement of the soil over the animal crawling under the ground, at this moment you need to sharply stick the shovel behind the mole and pull it to the surface.
On a note!
When the animal is outside, it will be disoriented and will not be able to quickly disappear from view. In such a helpless state, it can easily be placed in a bucket and carried away from the garden. It is recommended to release it in places with loose soil, so that the animal can quickly hide under the ground.
Rat Traps and Mole Traps
Catching moles can be done with the help of rat traps and even ordinary mousetraps. To do this, dig a small hole in the mole transition and carefully set the trap. The hole is covered with cardboard and sprinkled with earth. So that later this place can be easily found, it is marked with some identifying mark.
Particularly popular among the brutal methods to catch the underground pest were purchased crot-trappers. They are a plunger trap with a squeeze mechanism. The installation method of such a device is as follows:
- near the molehill, a cylindrical trap is lowered into the hole of an excavator;
- the plunger mechanism is cocked up to the stop using a convenient handle;
- with the passage of the hole, the animal touches the head of the upper part of the gatehouse - the sensitive element of the trap, after which the plunger drops down abruptly and presses the mole;
- in appearance of the device it will be noticeable that the mechanism has worked and you can remove the trap from the ground.
The advantages of such a trap: reusable, simple installation, high efficiency. The disadvantages include the inhumanity of the method and the high cost of the device - about 1,500 rubles.
Mole Fishing Tackle
Get rid of the mole on the plot can be using fishing gear. One way is to catch the mole on the hooks. This requires a fishing line and several large hooks that are attached to the line at some distance from each other.Some land owners use a tee hook in the form of a small harpoon, which has 3 pointed ends.
The line with the hooks is placed in the mole hole, and the other end is tied to a stick and left outside. When the animal crawls through the tunnel, it will catch its hooks with its skin. Sometimes worms are hooked up to the mole to swallow the bait. The stick will move on the surface of the earth and will signal the capture of prey.
Important!
During the extraction of the animal from the hole, the hooks can literally rip its skin. This method of fishing is very cruel and you need to be prepared for the unpleasant spectacle of a crippled mole.
The second version of the trap is performed by a small fishing net with hooks attached to it. The grid must be laid along the underground passage of the excavator. When he passes this section, he will surely get entangled in the netting and will push on the hooks.