Trapping moles that is. My kitty cat usually bags a little one every few days, but every once in awhile a Mack Daddy tunnels in from the woods. The Basset Hound goes bananas because she can smell them and maybe even hear them underground but she cant get to them.

The trick is to use a scissor trap and carefully scrape off the mounds to look at the holes. if the hole only goes off in one direction, its just a push-out hole that they used to empty dirt out of thier burrow. But if it takes off in two directions, it's thier run and they use it like we use a bedroom hallway. I carefully scrape out enough dirt to set the trap down in so that coming either way it has to pass thru a set of blades, pushing it down in so that the trigger plate is flush with the top of the run. Then i sprinkle loose dirt back around it so that the tunnel's "collapsed," and the mole will have to push dirt through the trap. Then I set a bucket over the spot and weight it down with a rock. I usually nail them by the next morning.
Ive been here for 4 years and have bagged 6. Some have been as big as my hand.

Just thought I'd share this with you.

Come on down !

Ichty has the right method. Have killed many of the little devils with just that method. A couple of refinements that I use. I actually use a collander to sprinkle the loose dirt back in over the trap. It produces a nice uniform layer that the mole happily pushes through. The other thing I do is to wear gloves when handling all equipment. Ichty is right about the hallway. I will generally not place the trap at a mound, I will draw a line between two mounds and probe the ground along that line with a screwdriver to find the tunnel. Then that is where the trap goes. One other thing, when you get a mole, bury it right in the tunnel, they are very territorial and no mole will come back until the dead one has decomposed. Generally, one mole will claim about 1/2 acre as their territory (at least around Puyallup).

Never heard that, but I'll give it a shot. Usually I just toss 'em off the cliff. ..But like Stam says, once you figure out how to bag 'em, it gets kinda fun and you start wanting them to come.

Careful Itchy you may incrimate yourself


too much time on my hands for sure
moles have nice fur so are they furbearing?

WAC 232-12-064
Live wildlife.

Taking from the wild, importation, possession, transfer, holding in captivity.

(1) It is unlawful to take live wildlife (except unclassified marine invertebrates and fish), wild birds (except starlings, house sparrows and rock doves by falconers, and rock doves by bird dog trainers), or game fish from the wild without a permit provided for by rule of the commission and issued by the director.

It's ain't live once I take it outta the trap!

If they are real active you can setup over an area and and take em out with a shotgun. Probably wouldn't want to try that in town...simply substitute pitchfork for shotgun.


I believe that when the new trapping and baiting laws went into effect a few years ago that it was unlawfull to trap moles as well as rats and mice, as the law was written. However, our wise leaders and lawyers figured it out and now it is a year round anything goes open season, " If it's black in down"

Looks like a great opportunity to use one of those blowguns you see at the sporting goods stores. Those steel dart would go right on thru a mole and pin him in place. You can become quite accurate with a little practice.