wrote in news:27512-494D509F-1264@storefull-
3173.bay.webtv.net:

any good tips on catching moles that dig up the yard?

----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm



Are you at a woods edge? If so, that makes it tough.

Two things will work. One is simple and the other more complex.

First: Cat(s). Once they spot one above or tunneling, they become very
patient and determined. Was next to woods once. Serious mole tuneling
problem. Stray cat someone dumped off in woods. Roaming around house to
house. No one wanted it. I took it in. Cat cleaned up moles in a couple
of months. No more tunnels. Many tunnels on other side of fences at
neighbors of which one had la-de-da turf rolled out. Made sure I
mentioned how that PITA cat that was around that no one wanted became
mine and eliminated moles...except for the occasional head I'd fine in
the yard.

Second: There is something in the yard they want to eat. Grubs, worms,
plant bulbs. Grubs are their favorite but when they are out of season
worms are next choice.

For grubs, milky spore is awesome. Lasts for a decade or more but takes a
year or two to widely establish itself. Multiplies and spreads itself.

For bulbs and worms...not very good choices.

BTW, when you see a skunk digging in your yard, they are doing you a
favor. They love to eat grubs and can smell them from above. Sure, they
make a hole...a hole that can often just have turf pushed back on and
stepped on. First rain makes it vanish. Whereas, grubs eat grass roots
from below. Grass dies in brown spots above. Replant necessary. And of
course, skunk has made yard a poor dining area for tunneling moles by
removing favorite food.

On Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:34:50 -0600, Red Green
wrote:


First: Cat(s). Once they spot one above or tunneling, they become very
patient and determined. Was next to woods once. Serious mole tuneling
problem. Stray cat someone dumped off in woods. Roaming around house to
house. No one wanted it. I took it in. Cat cleaned up moles in a couple
of months. No more tunnels. Many tunnels on other side of fences at
neighbors of which one had la-de-da turf rolled out. Made sure I
mentioned how that PITA cat that was around that no one wanted became
mine and eliminated moles...except for the occasional head I'd fine in
the yard.

How come the cat didn't go to the neighbors after he killed all your
moles? Just for a few hours and then he could come home to you? Was
he trained?

mm wrote:
On Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:34:50 -0600, Red Green
wrote:


First: Cat(s). Once they spot one above or tunneling, they become
very patient and determined. Was next to woods once. Serious mole
tuneling problem. Stray cat someone dumped off in woods. Roaming
around house to house. No one wanted it. I took it in. Cat cleaned
up moles in a couple of months. No more tunnels. Many tunnels on
other side of fences at neighbors of which one had la-de-da turf
rolled out. Made sure I mentioned how that PITA cat that was around
that no one wanted became mine and eliminated moles...except for the
occasional head I'd fine in the yard.

How come the cat didn't go to the neighbors after he killed all your
moles? Just for a few hours and then he could come home to you? Was
he trained?

The OP probably put out food for the kitty.

A well-fed cat is a much better hunter than an emaciated one.

Killing for fun and eating for survival are two different activities.

On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:01:59 -0600, "HeyBub"
wrote:

mm wrote:
On Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:34:50 -0600, Red Green
wrote:


First: Cat(s). Once they spot one above or tunneling, they become
very patient and determined. Was next to woods once. Serious mole
tuneling problem. Stray cat someone dumped off in woods. Roaming
around house to house. No one wanted it. I took it in. Cat cleaned
up moles in a couple of months. No more tunnels. Many tunnels on
other side of fences at neighbors of which one had la-de-da turf
rolled out. Made sure I mentioned how that PITA cat that was around
that no one wanted became mine and eliminated moles...except for the
occasional head I'd fine in the yard.

How come the cat didn't go to the neighbors after he killed all your
moles? Just for a few hours and then he could come home to you? Was
he trained?

The OP probably put out food for the kitty.

A well-fed cat is a much better hunter than an emaciated one.

Killing for fun and eating for survival are two different activities.

Well fed or not, I still ask the same question. More fun is better
than less fun. Does the cat care about property lines?

On Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:34:50 -0600, Red Green wrote:

wrote in news:27512-494D509F-1264@storefull-
3173.bay.webtv.net:

any good tips on catching moles that dig up the yard?

----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm



Are you at a woods edge? If so, that makes it tough.

Two things will work. One is simple and the other more complex.

First: Cat(s). Once they spot one above or tunneling, they become very
patient and determined. Was next to woods once. Serious mole tuneling
problem. Stray cat someone dumped off in woods. Roaming around house to
house. No one wanted it. I took it in. Cat cleaned up moles in a couple
of months. No more tunnels. Many tunnels on other side of fences at
neighbors of which one had la-de-da turf rolled out. Made sure I
mentioned how that PITA cat that was around that no one wanted became
mine and eliminated moles...except for the occasional head I'd fine in
the yard.

Second: There is something in the yard they want to eat. Grubs, worms,
plant bulbs. Grubs are their favorite but when they are out of season
worms are next choice.

For grubs, milky spore is awesome. Lasts for a decade or more but takes a
year or two to widely establish itself. Multiplies and spreads itself.

For bulbs and worms...not very good choices.

BTW, when you see a skunk digging in your yard, they are doing you a
favor. They love to eat grubs and can smell them from above. Sure, they
make a hole...a hole that can often just have turf pushed back on and
stepped on. First rain makes it vanish. Whereas, grubs eat grass roots
from below. Grass dies in brown spots above. Replant necessary. And of
course, skunk has made yard a poor dining area for tunneling moles by
removing favorite food.

I have two Pomeranians that dig one up on occasion. They are close to the
ground, ears face forward like a fox and I believe they hear them and dig
them up. I fill in the hole they dig after trading treats for the dead
mole to keep them from taking too much pride in their find and bring it
in the house. Moles don't survive far inside the fence in the back yard.

mm wrote in
:

On Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:34:50 -0600, Red Green
wrote:


First: Cat(s). Once they spot one above or tunneling, they become very
patient and determined. Was next to woods once. Serious mole tuneling
problem. Stray cat someone dumped off in woods. Roaming around house
to house. No one wanted it. I took it in. Cat cleaned up moles in a
couple of months. No more tunnels. Many tunnels on other side of
fences at neighbors of which one had la-de-da turf rolled out. Made
sure I mentioned how that PITA cat that was around that no one wanted
became mine and eliminated moles...except for the occasional head I'd
fine in the yard.

How come the cat didn't go to the neighbors after he killed all your
moles? Just for a few hours and then he could come home to you? Was
he trained?

Neighbor had a fence around his property because he had a pool. Cat
could easily jump or walk up chain link fence; however, must have felt
it was not his territory. Wooded area across the street. Used to watch
him sit there waiting. Occasionally catch him doing a pounce. Would
bring home mole, chipmunk, small snake, whatever.

On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:54:54 -0600, Red Green
wrote:

mm wrote in
:

On Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:34:50 -0600, Red Green
wrote:


First: Cat(s). Once they spot one above or tunneling, they become very
patient and determined. Was next to woods once. Serious mole tuneling
problem. Stray cat someone dumped off in woods. Roaming around house
to house. No one wanted it. I took it in. Cat cleaned up moles in a
couple of months. No more tunnels. Many tunnels on other side of
fences at neighbors of which one had la-de-da turf rolled out. Made
sure I mentioned how that PITA cat that was around that no one wanted
became mine and eliminated moles...except for the occasional head I'd
fine in the yard.

How come the cat didn't go to the neighbors after he killed all your
moles? Just for a few hours and then he could come home to you? Was
he trained?

Neighbor had a fence around his property because he had a pool. Cat
could easily jump or walk up chain link fence; however, must have felt
it was not his territory. Wooded area across the street. Used to watch

Aha. I think that's an old cat saying, "Good fences make good
neighbors". Robert Cat wrote that.

him sit there waiting. Occasionally catch him doing a pounce. Would
bring home mole, chipmunk, small snake, whatever.

It's funny the way they bring things home.

mm wrote in
:

On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:54:54 -0600, Red Green
wrote:

mm wrote in
m:

On Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:34:50 -0600, Red Green
wrote:


First: Cat(s). Once they spot one above or tunneling, they become
very patient and determined. Was next to woods once. Serious mole
tuneling problem. Stray cat someone dumped off in woods. Roaming
around house to house. No one wanted it. I took it in. Cat cleaned
up moles in a couple of months. No more tunnels. Many tunnels on
other side of fences at neighbors of which one had la-de-da turf
rolled out. Made sure I mentioned how that PITA cat that was around
that no one wanted became mine and eliminated moles...except for the
occasional head I'd fine in the yard.

How come the cat didn't go to the neighbors after he killed all your
moles? Just for a few hours and then he could come home to you?
Was he trained?

Neighbor had a fence around his property because he had a pool. Cat
could easily jump or walk up chain link fence; however, must have felt
it was not his territory. Wooded area across the street. Used to watch

Aha. I think that's an old cat saying, "Good fences make good
neighbors". Robert Cat wrote that.

him sit there waiting. Occasionally catch him doing a pounce. Would
bring home mole, chipmunk, small snake, whatever.

It's funny the way they bring things home.

My understanding is that they are proud of their catch
and/or
It is a gift

On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 23:52:29 -0600, Red Green
wrote:


Aha. I think that's an old cat saying, "Good fences make good
neighbors". Robert Cat wrote that.

him sit there waiting. Occasionally catch him doing a pounce. Would
bring home mole, chipmunk, small snake, whatever.

It's funny the way they bring things home.

My understanding is that they are proud of their catch
and/or
It is a gift

If I caught a mole, I'd probably be proud too. I don't know if i'd
give it away though. Well, maybe if it was dead.

mm wrote in
:

On Mon, 22 Dec 2008 23:52:29 -0600, Red Green
wrote:


Aha. I think that's an old cat saying, "Good fences make good
neighbors". Robert Cat wrote that.

him sit there waiting. Occasionally catch him doing a pounce. Would
bring home mole, chipmunk, small snake, whatever.

It's funny the way they bring things home.

My understanding is that they are proud of their catch
and/or
It is a gift

If I caught a mole, I'd probably be proud too. I don't know if i'd
give it away though. Well, maybe if it was dead.


Oh come-mon, you must have some "special" friends :-)